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If you take a look in one of your suit jackets you may notice that it has a Super
grading on the label, for example Super 100¶s or Super 110¶s. Understanding this
fabric labelling could mean the difference between buying a suit that lasts one year
to buying a suit that lasts four years!

The International Wool Textile Organisation has coded fabric quality using the
´Super X´ description to ensure that people can make informed decisions when
making purchases. The ³Super´ coding can only be used to describe fabrics made
from at least 95% new wool. In some cases this wool may be mixed with other
rarer fabrics such as Mohair and Cashmere as well as up to 5% of non-wool yarn.

The ³X´ value is then determined by, and must comply with, the Maximum Fibre
Diameter (MFD). For example a Super 100¶s MFD is 18.75 microns compared to a
Super 150¶s MFD of 16.25 microns.

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So what does this mean? Well, the higher the Super Grade the finer the cloth
making it feel more luxurious and typically more expensive! A Super 150¶s is
gorgeous to the touch and has an unmistakably silky look, but it also has its
drawbacks. The finer the fabric, the less durable it becomes, so unless you wish to
part with significant amounts of money on a regular basis, my advice would be to
drop down a few grades!

I would typical recommend a Super 100¶s cloth from one of the established
merchants such as Scabal, Holland & Sherry, and Dormeuil. For a slightly cheaper
option you can try Dug dale Brothers or Lear Browne & Duns field. If after reading
this article you are still tempted to push the quality boundaries then consider this«.
A few months ago I had a breakfast meeting with the Global Sales Director of
Holland & Sherry in their Seville Row office. After the meeting she showed me a
beautiful binder that once opened revealed a single swatch of fabric and a hard
back book. The book described the actual animal from which the cloth had been
spun, a Vicuna (to be found in the extreme heights of the Altiplano regions of the
Andes). Holland & Sherry had made enough fabric to make 18 signature Vicuna
suits at a cost of £40,000 each!

This article was written by David Brooke, Managing Director of made-to-

measure and bespoke tailor Mathieson & Brooke Tailors Ltd (M&BT). M&BT design
and make made-to-measure suits for business and weddings. They also make
made-to-measure and bespoke golf trousers. For more information please visit: