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Generally speaking, worsted wool is the most popular fabric for men's suits around the world and while there are technically many fabrics that fall into the definition of worsted, there are subtle differences in classification among them.
One of these determining factors is the wool's so-called super number. You may be familiar with seeing terms like super 120s or super 180s on online retail pages or in fabric swatch books but what exactly does the term super mean in relation to worsted wool?
Before we can answer that question, let's talk a bit more generally about what qualifies as worsted wool. The term worsted can alternately describe either a combed yarn, a fabric made from a combed yarn, or a weight of yarn. A combed yarn, by the way, is made when wool fibers are rotated by metal combs that align the long fibers while discarding these short staple fibers. The result is a long lasting fine and smooth yarn with a somewhat glossy finish. Also, by adjusting the pull of these combs on the wool, one can get lighter or heavier yarns whereas varying the twists will impact the look, feel, and strength of the yarn. Tight twisting provides a crisper feel whereas loose twisting makes for a softer but weaker yarn.
To answer another general question, is a lighter worsted wool better than a heavier weight?
The answer not necessarily no. Similarly, you might be under the impression that a lighter weight weave is going to be cooler to wear and a heavier weight would be warmer but this isn't always the case either. Something that's heavy but relatively open in its weave like a fresco fabric, for instance, is going to feel much cooler when worn than something that's tightly woven and lighter like a super 150s fabric, for instance.
It's important to keep in mind then that a lighter fabric with a higher super number is not a hallmark of better fabric, it just indicates that the fibers used were thinner in diameter. Similarly, the super number doesn't provide any information about the weave or how heavy the fabric is.
So with standardization systems in place, super still sits as the top designation for how fine a wool may be. With that said, some companies have gotten a little subjective again in exactly how they're grading their super wools. So for example, a super 200s wool from one manufacturer might be a bit different in how fine it is from a super 200s wool from another manufacturer. Things are generally going to be fairly consistent, overall.
So a higher super number will mean that a fabric is going to be softer to the touch and generally will feel more like luxurious. Conversely, a lower super number will mean that the cloth is more sturdy and probably warmer.
Now you may be wondering, how do these super numbers translate into considerations for wearing?
Stated simply, anything with a higher super number is going to be more temperamental and hard to care for over time. The thinner, finer fibers of a wool with a high super number may have an amazing hand which is to say how soft they feel to the touch but they're also going to break down much more quickly than a heftier fiber would.
Speaking generally then, it's our opinion that it's best not to get overly caught up in the super numbers of your worsted wool suits. Very good quality suits can be created from wool in the super 100s to super 150s range and even below that, and of course, a suit that is well fitted to the wearer's body is going to look great regardless of what the super number might be or even if it doesn't have one. Conversely, something in a super 180s or super 220s wool is still going to look sloppy if it doesn't fit your frame well.
28 июн 2024
