Suiting Fabrics and Cloth - The Weaves and Designs: Hopsack

If you are looking for a suit to wear in spring or summer, think about having your garments tailored with the Hopsack fabrics available at Rust Martin. Did you know that Hopsack is not really a fabric, it is a method of weaving a fabric. Most often a lightweight (Merino) wool or a high twist tropical wool like Mohair is preferred. The “basket weave” texture, which comes in many different gages, creates a very unique feel to a tailored garment. It can be thought of as a spring/summer alternative to flannel or tweed. A variation of plain weave whereby the fabric is woven with two threads together as one in the warp and weft. This weave creates a more informal, relaxed, and balanced look to the fabric whilst retaining its strength and durability. The Force 10 Merino Hopsack Collection is available in sophisticated and elegant browns and tans alongside the more traditional colors of blues and greys.

Pros to Hopsack

• Easy to tailor

• Lightweight & breathable, so your garment doesn't need lined

• Wrinkle resistant & ideal for travelling

• Texture creates a more casual, wearable garment

• When used in midnight blue, blue and charcoal one can create business suits that appear more alive and vibrant

Hopsack tends to not insulate heat well (which can be a con for the winter), and while it has great breathability, the weave of the garment is loose. This makes it susceptible to getting snagged and is more delicate. Hopsack can also have a higher gram weight, making it slightly heavy compared to traditional tropical wool or mohair. See below some beautiful designer garments made with hopsack. (Tommy Hilfiger, Rachel Zoe, and Burberry)

Although not mentioned that often on our website, quite a lot of our tailored garments are made with hopsack weave fabrics. Some as full suits, but also as separate trousers or waistcoat. Hopsack makes for a very versatile and comfortable pants. 

With that said, in the last pictures we present a half lined bamboo summer jacket to highlight the versatility of hopsack fabrics.