Wool

Wool is a protein fibre with a natural crimp and a scaled surface. The crimp traps air, which is why wool insulates at relatively low weights, and the elasticity of the fibre is why a wool garment recovers from creasing overnight while a linen one does not. For tailoring the decisive property is different again: wool can be moulded with heat and moisture and will hold that shape, which is what allows a jacket to follow a body rather than hang from it.

Micron count and yarn structure separate one wool from another far more than any label. Finer microns give a softer hand and a cleaner surface, suited to premium suiting; coarser microns give durability and a drier handle appropriate to coating and country cloth. Worsted yarns, combed to lie parallel, produce the smooth, crisp surface expected in tailoring; woollen yarns, carded and lofty, produce the fuller, warmer cloths used in coats and jackets.

Weight maps directly to season and application. Around 200 to 250 GSM sits in the year-round suiting range. Lighter cloths in the 180 GSM region belong in warm-weather tailoring but demand careful construction. Coating weights from 350 GSM upward carry the body required for outerwear. Blending with cashmere raises softness and price; blending with polyester improves crease recovery and reduces cost.