Men's shirts > Knwoing the most important materials!

Yes, dear gentlemen, why should you have it easier in terms of clothing than women? I guess that you always want to appear stylish and well-dressed. Hence, we end up with the question of which fabrics are best for which suit. In fact, it’s the materials which make the suit unique, especially if they are of high quality. High-quality fabrics are not being used in order to show your financial status, but to have a well-fitting and durable product in your wardrobe. And by the way, this fact is valid for all kinds of garments and men’s shoes, not just for one of the most popular men’s clothing items, the suit.

Suit fabrics and materials

When it comes to materials for suits, you have a really huge choice. We can find certain raw materials, such as new wool, cotton, cashmere and linen, which can be combined randomly. And this is exactly how this huge variety of fabrics, as we find them in stores, is created. However, men should have at least a slight idea of the differences, because e.g. in the summer, other fabrics are suitable than in the winter.

Cotton fabrics, linen and silk are best in the summer, or on the warmer days of the year. Cotton is particularly durable and able to absorb moisture. Silk is known to be a very light fabric and creates a cooling sensation on the skin. Concerning linen garments, you should be a little bit more careful. Linen fabrics are extremely susceptible to wrinkles, which you can directly see and which creates an unprofessional look.

Many people prefer new wool because it is wearable on both cold and warm days. The material insulates the heat and is breathable. At the same time, new wool is more water repellent and transports moisture to the outside quickly. At very low temperatures flannel or cashmere wool blends are recommended. However, fabrics made of mohair or corduroy and tweed fabrics are perfect for colder days, too.

There is a rule that applies to all suit wearers in general:

The more elegant the occasion, the finer the fabric.

By the way, short-sleeved shirts under a suit are an absolute no-go, even in the summer. You should always wear a long-sleeved shirt under a jacket which can be rolled up if necessary – without the jacket then of course!

Keep your eyes open when buying a suit and choosing the right material

Many suits on the market are made of combinations of materials to make them noble or suitable for everyday use. Nevertheless, we also find various known brands, which fail completely when it comes to the materials chosen for their suits. For example, they only use good new wool for some of the outer fabric, the rest is processed with polyester, polyamide and spandex. The fact is, you have no advantage of breathable new wool when most of the suit is made of synthetic. The higher the amount of polyester used for a suit, the more it is visible.

When going for a new suit, you can of course demand to buy a suit, which consists for example of 100% virgin wool or cotton. Combined with high-quality workmanship, clean seams and a classic well-fitting style, such a suit may be more expensive though absolutely worth its price. Therefore, you should make sure that the inner lining isn’t made of cheap polyester. Alternatively, the inner material may be made of viscose. This is not a synthetic fiber but a product of natural cellulose. These fabrics are often used as they are adjusting to the body easily and comfortable to wear.

More expensive models are combining, for example, Italian new wool with fine Angora goat mohair wool, which is a very high-quality natural fiber. Of course, high-quality materials can cost a lot. However, great materials are not only more durable and more pleasant when touching them, but they give you a completely different and more sophisticated look.

How do I clean and care for my suits?

Of course, the safest way is going to professional dry cleaner’s. Apart from this, you should brush your suits after each wearing and hang them outside the wardrobe for airing overnight. Odors can be removed with a steam bath. In this case, you just let the suits hang in the steam of a water bath for a few minutes. Don’t rub out small stains but instead dab them off carefully with a damp cloth.

In order not to destroy the sensitive fibers, the suit should not be given to the dry cleaner’s more often than twice a year. In this case, you should always give your pants and jacket together, so that no different color shades develop. Definitely keep your fingers away from lint rollers. And for ironing, you should use a steam iron and stick to the given temperature instructions.