Tweed,
a rough unfinished woolen fabric, identifies with a typical sportcoat.
It could be done in plain or twill with either check or herringbone
pattern. Cashmere wool has recently replaced the tweed in popularity
for its extremely soft weave, lightness, and multi-colored capabilities.
Today both sportcoats and blazers can be found made in cashmere wool
for men’s wear.
According to Wisegeek.com, cashmere wool got its name from the Kashmir
goat, animal that is raised today in countries such as Mongolia, Iran,
India, Nepal, and China. The fur of Kashmir goat is very warm and soft,
and, therefore, used for the manufacturing of winter shoes and clothes.
The fur is usually trimmed off from the belly part of the goal – the
softest and the longest hair on the animal’s body. Then the fur is
made in yarn and later hand- or machine-knitted into sweaters, sportcoats,
pants, and skirts. Naturally, cashmere comes in white, grey, and brown
colors, but can be easily dyed in other colors. Napoleon is said to have
given cashmere raps as gifts to his second wife, Empress Eugene.
In addition, cashmere, as any other types of wool, is often chosen for
sport jackets due to its valuable properties – insulator, water repellant,
and absorber. Wool keeps body warm by catching strings of air among the
threads in the fabric and creating a strong warm air-layer.
Besides a warming quality, men’s cashmere sportcoat is water-repellant.
Because of its fiber structure, wool can prevent small amounts of water
from coming through the fabric. The water drops either stay on the surface
of the fabric or run off from it when contact occurs. On the other hand,
if too much water gets on a woolen sportcoat, it will absorb the water
instantly, keeping the body dryer and cooler when a person is sweating.
Other valuable properties of men’s cashmere sportcoat are durability
and flame resistance. According to Fabrics.net, wool can take up to 20,000
bents without braking, while, for example, cotton can be bent only 3,000
times without damage to fabric. Therefore, wool is a much more durable
and flexible fabric compare to cotton. As far as flammability, cashmere
is resistant to the fire and stops burning as soon as fire is put out on
the fabric.
The fit of the men’s cashmere sportcoat is as important as the dressing
up occasion for men.
|