Features
Wool - classic warmth
By James Hibbert, Managing Director, Dress2kill Ltd.
Well, as winter approaches and the evenings draw closer, the lightweight suits worn over the superb summer just had, go into hibernation until next year. We now look to the medium weights for warmth, comfort and durability over the coming chillier months, so it seems a good time to tell you a thing or two about wool and its origins.
Pure wool is the stuff of the traditional classic suit. Before the invention of spinning, one would have simply slung a sheepskin over their backs. However by the middle ages it was England and Spain that dominated the world wool trade. Infact it comprised of 80% of Englands exports in Elizabethan times.
So why wool I hear you ask? Well, put simply, it is warm, it insulates, which helps protect against heat as well as cold. It absorbs water, soaking up our sweat and circulating back into our beautifully clean environment! At the same time, it is also water resistant, thanks to a waxy fibre-coating. It is very dificult to set alight and merely smoulders. It partners up well with the steam iron, is durable and resiliant.
Different weights
I frequently get asked what the difference is in medium weight and a lightweight wool. Well apart from the obvious which is weight, the major difference is in the durability.
Lightweights tend to be from anything from 8oz to 10oz. This is normally warn in hotter climates or in the summer we have just had. Although it is less hot for obvious reasons and breaths well, it will always have the tendency to crease more than a medium weight, hence why it's less durable. Mr Steam Iron is a very very close friend! If going with a lightweight, make sure you hang up your suit properly and try not to wear it too often! I would always advise on going with a spare pair of trousers, not just to help Dress2kills cash flow, but because it will definitely elongate the life of the suit.
Medium weights normally weigh in at about 11 oz to 13 oz and are perfectly associated with the British climate. Can be worn both in the summer and the winter months. The main difference we find, is in the hang of the suit. Because of the weight of the cloth, it tends to hang better and creases less, making it more durable. But please don't think it can be treated with disrespect! A nice hanger and a decent rest once in a while will do it no harm.
Dry cleaning
My last word of advice to you, is on "Dry Cleaning." Although it is associated with cleaning and putting the freshness back into your suit, which is ok from time to time, it does in actual fact have the diverse effect of speeding up the retitrement of ones suit. Chemicals used and pressing of a suit, is infact detrimental to the suits life. Only dry clean your suit when you really have to don't, just get it done for the sake of it! Invest in a trouser press and take lessons in hanging up your jacket! (Mothers or girlfriends can normally help here!)
Please feel free to email me your thoughts or any questions you may have. jameshibbert@dress2kill.com
