Question about suit fabrics

[Badger Bill]

Hello All,

I'm looking to get a suit made from one of the M2M sites for the first time and am looking at all the different options for fabrics. I tend to run on the warm side and also will be wearing this suit in warmer climates, so I'm looking for a material that will be ideal for someone who never worries about being too cold (and, in fact, usually has the opposite problem). I'm looking for a suit that is appropriate to wear in formal business settings, etc.

So, after speaking to customer services folks from the online store I've narrowed my options down to the following two fabrics:
1) 70% merino wool, 15% mohair, 15% silk at a weight of 210 gsm, Super 100s
2) 100% merino wool at a weight of 220 gsm, Super 120s

Do either of these options sound better to you guys, based on what I'm looking for? Or was the salesperson totally off the mark with these suggestions? Would I do better with something else? I'm not really that knowledgeable about how much of a difference 210 vs 220 gsm is or what material blends are best, so very much appreciate your thoughts.
Many thanks!

 

[Lightcs1776]

I personally prefer the 70% blend. It will be a bit lighter and a little cooler. It has been a several months since I picked up a new suit, but I think it would also have a little sheen to it.

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[paintflinger]

The mohair and silk sound like a luxurious fabric, but I'd be concerned that they'd bump the heat up. That said, the lining that you choose and how it is lined will make a far bigger difference. I would opt for a partially lined jacket and unlined pants if you can get away with it. Lining should be a breathable fabric like Bemberg (rayon I think).

 

[tankerjohn]

I'd look for tropical weight worsted wool, possibly blended with cotton and/or linen. Preferably half or butterfly lining in the jacket.

 

[Rhody]

I like option 2 and echo paintflinger about the partially lined jacket.

 

[MursesAnonymous]

Silk and basically all the man maid fabrics (poly, rayon and nylon especially) hold heat and are not permeable to sweat and trap it against the body, preventing it from evaporating. So, if you're like me and sweat readily, I'd either avoid them and go unlined or minimize the coverage as much as possible to give evaporation a chance. Those materials also chemically bond to odors, like sweat and mildew, and once they're in there, those odors can be nearly impossible to get rid of (think of the smell of the inside of your first rental tuxedo from your junior high winter formal, ugh).

As far as the material goes, I prefer a light or tropical wool, wool/cotton or wool/linen blends, and merino, in that order. I'm in the tropics of Louisiana and could sweat my way through a snow storm, so believe me, I feel your pain. Wool and cotton will both wick any sweat you may produce to the surface, where it can easily evaporate and promote cooling, and linen tends to be quite breathable and light weight. I honestly don't think the gsm (grams per square meter of fabric) make as much of a difference as the fabric that you select, but the lighter the gsm the better when it comes to picking materials for warm weather. Of course, then you run into the problem that the lighter you go the less natural body the suit will have, but that's a different conversation all together.

 

[MursesAnonymous]

Oh yeah, did I mention that wool also has natural anti-microbial properties? So should you sweat up a storm and saturate the wool, it will resist the tendency to start smelling like the inside of a gym bag, since the foul odors we associate with sweat are created by the growth of bacteria. That equates to not only being more hygienic, but fewer trips to the cleaners and less wear on your new suit. Pretty neat stuff, huh?

 

[Doc4]

Get Fresco fabric from Hardy Minis ... designed in England over a hundred years ago, when England was sending suit-wearing civil servants to all corners of their tropical empire, and they needed something that would let them survive in the pre-A/C world.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Oh yeah, did I mention that wool also has natural anti-microbial properties? So should you sweat up a storm and saturate the wool, it will resist the tendency to start smelling like the inside of a gym bag, since the foul odors we associate with sweat are created by the growth of bacteria. That equates to not only being more hygienic, but fewer trips to the cleaners and less wear on your new suit. Pretty neat stuff, huh?

Great information. I only use all wool clothing for outdoor activities. I also didn't realize the man-made fabrics hold more heat.

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[BigJ]

I'd look for tropical weight worsted wool, possibly blended with cotton and/or linen. Preferably half or butterfly lining in the jacket.

+1! This would also be my preference.

 

[Badger Bill]

This is some fantastic information - thank you so much to each of you for your replies. It sounds like maybe I should avoid the two options all together and find something more in line with what many of you have described. Really appreciate your thoughts that you've shared.