Beyond Design look inside

Black Lapel is a suit maker in New York.

They provide custommade suits in the store and online. Check out their blog for lots of information about how men’s clothing is designed and made.

CHEST PIECE

In this post, we’ll discuss the different types of suit jacket construction—namely, fused vs. canvassed—and why they should matter to you.

CANVAS SUITING FABRIC SHELL

FULL CANVAS

SHOULDER LAPEL ARMHOLE SUITING FABRIC SHELL FUSIBLE CANVAS CHEST PIECE

FRONT PANEL

FUSED

SHOULDER LAPEL ARMHOLE SUITING FABRIC SHELL FUSIBLE CANVAS CHEST PIECE FRONT PANEL SHOULDER

ARMHOLE SUITING FABRIC SHELL FUSIBLE CANVAS

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Non-Canvassed Suit Jacket: Fused Suit Jackets have a fusible interlining that’s glued to the wool shell of the suit—both in the front panels and in the lapels. Suit manufacturers started using this construction method to increase production capacity while keeping costs down. It is not only quick, but it also doesn’t require any skilled labor. Fusing the jacket gives it shape, but doesn’t conform to the wearer, so it may lack the nice, natural drape of canvassed jackets. Poorly fused jackets can bubble (delaminate) in time!

HALF CANVAS

LAPEL

FRONT PANEL

Canvassed Suit Jacket #1: Full-Canvassed Suit Jackets are constructed with canvas fabric spanning the entire inside front panels and lapels of the jacket. As a middle structural layer, the canvas is hand stitched to the fabric rather loosely (i.e., a “floating” canvas), so the garment can move with you. Fullcanvassed jackets are the most labor and time intensive, requiring a higher level of skill to make, and thus, tend to be pricier.

In return for the premium paid, you get a suit that not only molds to you, but will last the longest.

CHEST PIECE

Canvassed Suit Jacket #2: Half-Canvassed Jackets have a thin layer of fusible throughout the front panel of the jacket; on top of this layer of fusible interlining, the front panel has a layer of canvassing stitched on that extends from the shoulder down through the chest.

Basically, what this means is that you get the benefits of the natural drape and shape that canvas provides where the suit needs it the most—the chest and the lapel. At the same time, you enjoy some cost savings in terms of materials and labor.

https://blacklapel.com /thecompass/anatomy -of-a-suit-jacket-fused -vs-canvassed This case study was edited with permission from February 2013 posting.

Author’s note: in addition to interlining, a men’s suit is built on shoulder pads, sleeve headers, and chest pieces made of felt that help the tailor sculpt a shape for the fabric to drape on.

Felt made of wool is still used in handmade products but has been replaced by polyester needle-punch felt.

Woven twill tape or other stable, narrow fabrics are stitched or fused into seams to keep armholes and shoulders from stretching. These have also been replaced by non-woven, fusible products. Percaline, a fine cotton plain weave cut on the bias, smooths the outline of the shoulder pads and keeps the back from stretching out. Wiggins, a firmer bias-cut cotton plain weave, stitched into the hem keeps it smooth, yet clearly defined. Because woven cotton is costly, it is used in more exclusive products, but non-woven products are used in mass production to stiffen cuffs and hems.

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Merchandising Function • Environmental scan • Target market research • Competitive Marketing scan and Sales • Sales forecasts Function • Customer support • Marketing plan • Marketing calendar • Manage and prioritize budget requests • Approve all expenditures • Receipt and deposit revenues • Internal and external reporting • Collaborate in setting sales and profit goals

figure 2.1 This graphic outlines the operational areas of responsibility for the basic business functions in apparel product development firms.

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Finance Function

• Line planning • Time and action calendar • Materials selection • Approve lab dips and samples • Assortment planning • Line development • Line presentation • Production approvals • Line review • Select and manage information technology Information systems Technology • Manage Function interconnectivity • Manage access • Manage security

Supply Chain Management Function

• Vendor vetting and compliance • Manage purchasing of materials • Production/delivery calendar • Capacity reservation • Assign production contracts • Component garment testing • Quality assurance • Manage logistics

Business Structure Once the tasks of a business organization are clearly understood, an organizational structure can be established. The business structure establishes decision-making authority and responsibility. In small entrepreneurial businesses, participants necessarily wear many hats. A larger corporation can be organized by the function of the business units or by business division. A division may be identified by product (men’s, women’s, or children’s wear); by brand; by market (private brand/wholesale brand); or region (domestic or global). In a functional structure, the same marketing and sales or merchandise function manages each division. In a divisional structure, each division executive may have his or her own operational function heads reporting to him or her.

The monolithic character of a functional structure across divisions may fail to optimize a given division’s potential; the various divisions of a business begin to look the same when they all fall under a single marketing or merchandising function.

Conversely, a divisional structure lacks the economy of scale of a functional structure; it can be very expensive to support separate functionality for each division. Start-up or entrepreneurial business structures will not be able to afford separate departments or personnel for each function; still, responsibility for these business tasks must be assigned. No matter the organizational structure chosen, it is increasingly important

part 1: Business Planning

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a–b. plain weaves. Textiles that are woven on looms with two harnesses (the part of the loom that lifts and lowers the warp yarns so the shuttle can pass between carrying the weft yarn). There are only two possible warp arrangements so the surface of the textile is uniform and unbroken. The easiest way to transform a plain weave into a surface that is visually lively is by using sets of yarns of different colors in the warp or the weft (a) stripes or both (b) plaids.

a. yarn-dyed stripe

c–d. rib and basketweaves. Textiles woven with yarns of different weight, texture, or luster in the warp and weft. When fine yarns are packed closely together in the warp and woven over coarser yarns in the weft, the result is a subtle, smooth texture in poplin and broadcloth. Taffeta and faille and (c) ottoman have coarser weft yarns and are more obviously “ribbed.” Using multiple yarns in the warp or weft creates basketweaves such as pebbly canvas and (d) oxford cloth. c. rib weave: ottoman

b. yarn-dyed plaid

d. basketweave: oxford cloth

e–f. twills. Textiles in which the use of 3 to 8 harnesses allows for more warp arrangements. The warp or weft yarns can skip over more than one yarn, creating long, visible sections of yarn called “floats.” Floats can be arranged in orderly diagonal rows to create twills, including gabardine, denim, (e) herringbone, or (f) houndstooth. Different colored yarns in warp and weft can bring out these geometric patterns. e. twill weave: herringbone g–h. jacquards. Textiles in which harnesses are replaced by wires that raise and lower the warp yarns following patterns on punch cards.

The warp arrangements can multiply many times, so it is possible to create complex images combining multiple weave patterns.

Damask (g) designs use yarns of different color or texture in the warp and weft, reversing the design from the face to the back. More complex jacquards use multiple colors of yarns and patterns. Brocades (h) employ extra sets g. jacquard weave: damask of warp and weft and lots of color.

f. twill weave: houndstooth

h. jacquard weave: brocade

i–j. extra yarn weaves. Textiles in which extra yarns can be added to the warp and weft to make spot weaves of flowers, stripes, or dots as in dotted Swiss (i). Pile weaves use an extra yarn to create loops which can be left uncut, as in terry cloth, or cut to make corduroy (j) or velvet.

figure 6.16a–j Complex warp arrangements increase surface interest in wovens. All images are 200 percent of original.

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i. extra yarn weave: true dotted Swiss

j. extra yarn weave: corduroy

part 2: CREATIVE PLANNING

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