Yarn Count
Yarn Count is an indicator of the fineness of the yarn. With regards to a yarn of cotton the count refers to the number of hanks (1 hank = 840 yards of yarn) that weigh one pound. The higher the count, the lighter and finer the yarn. Thus, a 140s fabric has a finer feel vis-a-vis a 120s fabric.
This same logic is used for all other natural fibres. For woollen fabrics, a super 180s merino wool would be far softer than a 90s merino wool.
For linen the standard is called lea, but the theory remains the same. An 80s lea linen is going to finer and richer than a 40s lea linen fabric.
At FL we offer all types of fabrics – from low counts to those as high as 200s in cotton & merino wool and 150s in linen. If you want a daily wear fabric or a super luxurious one, Fabric Lounge is your destination.
Staple Length
All natural fibres are judged by their staple length. Simply put, the longer the length of the fibre sourced from the fields, the more expensive it is. For example, based on staple length, a cotton fibre is categorized into short, medium, long and extra-long. The longer the staple, the better, smoother and more comfortable is the end fabric produced from it.
Several of our shirting fabrics use Egyptian Giza – an extra long staple cotton so rare that it accounts for less than 10% of the worlds cotton production. Although expensive, you can truly feel the quality in its silky and durable finish. Fabric mills such as Soktas & Monti do not deign to go lower than Egyptian Giza while crafting their fabrics.
A large proportion of our suiting fabrics are manufactured using Merino Wool. Merino wool is a super smooth long staple fibre which produces wonderfully soft suiting fabric.
1 Ply Vs 2 Ply
Ply indicates the number of yarns twisted together to make one thread, which is then woven into the fabric. Thus, a 2-ply yarn is where two yarns are spun together to produce one thread.
We offer a mix of 1 Ply and 2 Ply for our shirting range. For the suiting range the ply can go up to 3 Ply for thicker, heavy weight fabrics.
Warp & Weft
A fabric is woven using two sets of threads – the warp and the weft. The warp yarns run vertically, while the weft yarns run horizontally across the fabric.
2/120, 2/140 & 2/200 Egyptian Giza
These fabrics are the epitome of luxury. To produce this fabric, Egyptian Giza Cotton fibres are woven into superfine yarns of counts ranging from 120s to 200s. Two such yarns are spun together to create a strong 2-ply yarn, hence earning the prefix “2”.
Egyptian Giza is an extra long staple variety, renowned for its superb strength, breathability, moisture absorption, colour fastness and lustre. Several premium shirting brands such as Soktas, Monti & Morarjee offer counts as high as 2/200s. We stock them all. At FL you will find ready stock in counts as high as 2/200. For counts up to 2/300 we order on demand directly from the mills that make them.??
100% Linen & Linen Blends
Linen, the fabric of the Pharaohs of Egypt has for centuries provided unparalleled comfort to the fashion conscious elite. Linen is widely thought of by modern designers as the most versatile designer fabric. It offers unmatched breathability to the wearer with a greater moisture absorption capacity than cotton. However, there is one caveat. Linen is tricky to iron. So steer away from it if you value easy ironing over fashion.
Linen blends refer to linen blended with cotton, silk or other versatile fabric to give your linen shirt a unique character. At Fabric Lounge (FL) we offer linen fabrics in counts from 40s lea to 150s lea.
Egyptian Giza Cotton
Egyptian Giza Cotton refers to the extra-long staple cotton fibre produced along the Nile River Valley in Egypt. It is known among fabric connoisseurs as the best quality cotton in the world. It is hand-picked to ensure the sanctity of the long fibres. It produces fabrics with utmost silkiness and strength. Some of our fabric brands such as Soktas, Tessitura Monti, Thomas Mason, Albini etc. design their collections exclusively with Egyptian Giza Cotton.
Cotton
Cotton does not need an introduction. A wardrobe staple, cotton in renowned for its breathability and comfort. While it does wrinkle a little bit – as all natural fabrics do – Cotton is the fabric of choice of customers the world over. Our fabrics labelled “100% cotton” are carefully curated to ensure that only the finest cotton is offered to our customers.
Merino Wool Blends
Merino wool is a fibre that is derived from Merino Sheep found in Australia and New Zealand. Fabrics woven from this wool boast of fantastic softness, shine and breathability. Typically seen among high end clothing, Merino Wool is the gold standard of suiting fabrics. At Fabric Lounge (FL), we offer a whole host of fabric options that are blended with Merino Wool.
Cashmere Blends
An old spelling of “Kashmir”, Cashmere refers to the fibres obtained from the cashmere or pashmina goats found in the northern most state of India. Regarded the world over as the most premium wool fibre, Cashmere is three times more insulating than sheep wool. It is an exquisitely soft fibre that makes luxurious, light weight fabrics without any parallel on earth. At FL, we offer Cashmere Blended fabrics for our discerning customers.
Terry Rayon / Poly Viscose
Both these compositions refer to fabrics made out of a blend of Polyester & Viscose fibres. In the case of Terry Rayon, a superior cationic yarn of polyester is used, thus adding a certain degree of lustre to the fabric.
Almost all brands today design their regular wear trousers from a blend of Polyester & Viscose. More often than not you will find branded Suits made of Polyester Viscose as well. Just notice the composition labels next time. At FL, we offer a wide range of both these fabric types.
FL Rare Fabric Initiative
The world of fabrics and fibres is daunting, vast and very interesting. New technologies make possible fibres, finishes and textures unimagined just a few years ago. Under the FL Rare Fabric Initiative, we scour the markets from China to India to Europe with a single minded purpose – to source some of the most unique and new fabric blends and make them available for our customers. We catalogue our new finds and launches on this page. Be sure to go through them.
Poplin
Poplin, also referred to as Broadcloth, is a plain weave with threads alternately crossing over and then under each other. In textile lingo it is termed as 1 up 1 down. It is one of the more commonly seen weaves today and creates a very durable and smooth fabric. It is a versatile weave and can be used to design patterns that can be worn to work, an evening out or simply on a casual Sunday.
Twill
Twill Weave creates visible diagonal lines in the fabric, and lends more volume to it. With a softer hand feel and a bit more sheen than Poplin, Twill fabrics are slightly more wrinkle resistant, more compact and drape easily. A popular variant of the Twill is the “Herringbone” Weave where the diagonal texture reverses at intervals. Twills can be 2 up 1 down, 3 up 1 down or 2 up 2 down with the last being the weave for denims. Twill weaves are most common in casual wear fabric.
Satin
Not to be confused with a Satin fabric, a satin weave is a more fashion forward texture that lends shine and softness to the fabric. It textile lingo it is known as a 4 up 1 down or a 5 up 1 down weave. It is produced by moving each warp yarn over four or five weft yarns. This exposes more of the warp yarn to the surface. As a result of its weave structure, and its exposure to friction, satin weaves are generally less durable than the other weaves. But its structure also lends the fabric a certain degree of lustre impossible in other weaves, thus making it ideal for an occasion wear shirt.
Dobby
Dobby Weave typically contains a combination of weaving techniques (for example, a poplin weave may be interlaced with twill stripes) thereby creating interesting patterns on the fabric. Dobby weave fabrics can be worn for business and dressy affairs. They are less commonly seen at casual occasions. Additionally, any complex weave structure that cannot be categorised clearly in any of the above brackets, is also referred to as Dobby within the industry.
Oxford
The Oxford Weave is a basket weave where two warp threads cross over a heavier weft thread. The classic variant of the Oxford is typically considered a casual fabric. Oxford fabrics tend to be thicker, rugged and more durable than their poplin counterpart. The Pinpoint Oxford is a formal variant of the Oxford which uses finer yarns to produce a finer texture. Another variant is the Oxford Chambray where the weft yarn is white and the warp yarn may be dyed in any other colour
The FL Denim Cache
Manyavar
Ethnic Wear Fabrics
Custom Tailoring
