In previous features I described how the SuitsGreyFox project came about to collaborate with Johnstons of Elgin on the design and manufacture of a cloth which was then cut and tailored by Savile Row tailors, Dege & Skinner to make a suit. The tailoring process will be described in the next and last post. Here I show how the cloth was manufactured.
The cloth, soft yet durable, is a mix of merino and cashmere. Here, from laying out the warp, through weaving to finishing, you can watch the processes which went into make up the manufacture of the cloth.
The weaving process begins with the laying out the warp. The warp consists of the threads which run vertically from the top to the bottom of the cloth
When the warp is ready it is wound onto a circular beam and transferred to the loom for weaving. Weaving is the introduction of the weft yarn, the thread that runs horizontally across the cloth
Scouring removes the oil applied to protect the fibre during the manufacturing process.
The Finishing process - After scouring and milling, the fabric is dried by passing it over rollers in a tenter machine, before being meticulously pressed.
The tailoring of the suit, pictured below, will be featured in the final post of this feature very soon.
