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 De Oost
Technically 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.
At De Oost one of the popular hopsack weaves we work with is one of 340grm 11oz (as seen as in the pictures above). 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 colours of blues and greys.
Blue hopsack double breasted sports jacket with peak lapels, patch pockets, golden buttons and backseam based on Japanese Samurai Katana sword.
Hopsack Pros
It is easier to tailor.
Hopsack is very lightweight and breathable. We recommend to go for an unlined tailored garment.
The loose weave lets the breeze right through the fabric. It breathes very well. This makes it an ideal spring or summer suiting fabric.
Due to the woven texture it is naturally wrinkle resistant. Roll a Hopsack garment up into a ball and it snaps right back. This makes clothing tailored with hopsack ideal for travelling.
The coarse texture creates a more casual, wearable garment. When hopsack is used in midnight blue, blue and charcoal one can create business suits that appear more alive and vibrant.
Hopsack Cons
Hopsack tends to not insulate heat well enough.
Although it breathes better, the weaving process actually adds a little bit of physical weight to the garment, as compared to a traditional tropical wool or mohair.
The loose weave is susceptible to getting snagged by sharp objects. This effect is worsened on larger gages.
Larger gages can also be more delicate.
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.
