Defining Some Fabric Terms

DEFINING SOME FABRIC TERMS

originally published in The Scottish Banner, March 2009

Tartan terminology can certainly be confusing enough, with terms such as “ancient” and “modern,” “dress” and “hunting” and so forth (which has been the subject of past articles). But when the gentleman begins to be interested in wearing the kilt, he may find himself exposed to various textile terms that he may not have otherwise encountered.

One of the first things a gentleman purchasing a kilt will be asked, after “what tartan do you want?” has to do with the type and weight of the wool. Most all kilt cloth these days is worsted wool, available in a variety of weights. Saxony wool used to be more common than it is today, and is still occasionally seen. People often get the advice that worsted is to be preferred, but in my experience few truly know what these terms mean.

Those familiar with the fiber arts may have heard of worsted and woolen yarns. The difference is in the methods of production. Both begin by carding the raw wool, which is a process of untangling the wool fibers so that they all lay straight in the same direction, and also cleaning out most debris. Woolen yarns are spun from this, but worsted yarns receive the additional step of having the wool combed, which removes a lot of the shorter fibers, and further straightens the remaining long fibers and removes even more debris.

This means worsted yarns have longer fibers. Woolen yarns are spun from fibers ranging from one to four inches in length, whereas worsted yarns have fibers all four inches or longer. During the spinning process, worsted yarns also generally receive a tighter twist than woolen yarns. This produces a stronger, more durable yarn to work with. Worsted yarns tend to be finer, smoother and harder than their woolen counterparts.

What does this mean for cloth woven from such yarns? In worsted cloth, the pattern of the weave (which will be a twill pattern for kilt cloth) is more readily visible. It will have a harder, smooth finish to the cloth. Woolens, on the other hand, tend to be softer, thicker finish, which tends to hide the pattern of the weave somewhat. Because of the different qualities of the cloth, worsted tends to wrinkle less, hold a crease better, and be longer lasting. Woolen cloth tends to be warmer and easier to clean (and also less expensive).

If you don’t know if your kilt is worsted or woolen, ask yourself if you’d describe the cloth as “fuzzy” or “smooth.” If it is smooth, it is most likely worsted. If fuzzy, it is probably woolen.

What about this Saxony wool that used to be so common in kilts? Saxony is a term for a fine grade of 3-ply yarn made from merino wool. It is spun tighter than some yarns, but it is not a worsted yarn. Unless someone with more fiber knowledge than myself corrects me, I would assume Saxony to be a woolen yarn.

Though Saxony tartan is less often seen these days, Saxony yarns are still used in the production of Regimental weight tartan, which is woven from both worsted and Saxony yarns, giving much of the strength advantages of the worsted, while maintaining the soft feel of the Saxony.

Speaking of tartan weights, people generally speak of light, medium and heavy weights, or they may refer to a specific number, such as “13 oz” cloth. What do these numbers correspond to?

The weight of the wool refers to how much a single cut yard of the cloth weights on the scale. Today, it is generally assumed that the cloth is double width (approximately 54” wide), for the purposes of classifying weight. This is important because some tartan is supplied single width. One yard of 54” wide “heavy weight” tartan may weigh 16 oz, while one yard of 29” wide tartan of the same weight would only weight 8 oz on the scale. To avoid confusion as to fabric weights, double width figures are usually assumed, even if one is discussing single width cloth.

The heaviest weight tartan one is likely to encounter is regimental weight, which today means 18 oz, but in the past has been 22 oz or higher. This weight is normally only available in regimental (military) tartans, such as Black Watch, Cameron of Erracht, MacKenzie, Gordon, Royal Stewart, Hunting Stewart, and so forth.

Typical heavy weight tartan is approximately 16 oz per yard, and is considered the premiere kilt weight. Different woolen mills will have their own proprietary names for their weight ranges of tartan. For example, Lochcarron calls their 16 oz cloth “Strome,” while D. C. Dalgliesh simply refers to it as “K/1.”

Medium weight tartan is approximately 13 oz, and is a very common weight for men’s kilts. Many advise men to wear something other than heavy weight if they live in warmer climes, but I personally don’t notice much difference at all between heavy and medium weight kilts. You may find your tartan available at a lower price in a medium weight, which is a good reason for choosing it. All things being equal, I’d always prefer the heavier weight if it is within your budget. But medium weight cloth makes a fine kilt, as well.

Light weight tartan is considered to be 10 or 11 oz per yard. (All of these weights are approximate – your “heavy weight” cloth may be 15 oz per yard, not 16 oz, and so forth). Light weight tartan is used for some men’s kilts, though it is not my fabric of choice. While is does a sufficient job in an eight yard kilt, I would strongly advise against this weight in any kilt with less yardage. It is also often used for lady’s skirts, and is ideally suited for this purpose as the lighter weight tends to give it a more feminine drape (which is why men should avoid it in low-yardage kilts). It is also used for scarves, sashes, ties, and other accessories.

Even lighter still is spring weight, which is 8 or 9 oz per yard, and tends to be plain weave, rather than twill. This is used primarily for accessories such as ties, scarves, sashes and the like. It is not well suited for garments, and definitely not for a man’s kilt!

So there you have it! You should now be prepared to enter any kilt shop and tell the proprietor just what type of cloth you want for your kilt. The question of what tartan to wear…? Well, that’s another matter!