Richard George recently had the privilege of visiting one of our most esteemed British suppliers; Huddersfield Fine Worsteds.
With the aim of learning more about fabrics that we are already using to delight our customers and exploring what’s new and innovative, we journeyed to Yorkshire where the mill is based.
To visit our showroom and meet Huddersfield Fine Worsted’s fabrics in person, click here.
Huddersfield Fine Worsteds is actually an amalgamation of heritage textile manufacturers, now trading under the umbrella of Huddersfield Fine Worsteds.
Hardy Minnis
Hunt & Winterbotham
Martin Sons & Co.
What’s wonderful about HFW is that it has maintained the origins story of each of these names, attributing certain fabric bunches to Hardy Minnis. The first of these is the very traditional and country-inspired Alsport.
Alsport
Alsport is the bunch that achieved the Royal Warrant for Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, and this is because of it’s use at Balmoral.
Alsport is a bunch made for the field, whether that is shooting, hunting or fishing. The tweeds come in various weights and durability. The focus here is tradition, although there are some cloths that are brighter, more fashion-forward. From windowpane checks to glen-checks and donegals, the Alsport bunch provides ample choice for a tailor to create some beautiful heritage pieces.
From the Archives: Ralph Lauren
There is one customer who gets to see this book, housed at the archives of Huddersfield Fine Worsteds; Ralph Lauren. From the 1930s, this book houses the inspiration and fabrics for many of Ralph Lauren’s collections over the ensuing decades. Classic navy hues and patterns such as stripes and herringbones inspire Ralph’s suits.
Bamboo
One of our most popular jacketing fabrics at Richard George is the bamboo. Designed in Yorkshire by Huddersfield Fine Worsteds but woven in Italy, the bamboo is everything the Alsport is not; it is innovative, soft and sumptuous.
Serving a variety of purposes, we were told that the white bamboo has had a recent surge in popularity for dinner jackets, after Benedict Cumberbatch wore a white tuxedo to the Met Gala, in cloth supplied by Huddersfield Fine Worsted.
Bamboo is sustainable in both it’s ability to grow quickly without the water that cotton requires. It is also a vegan fabric.
Super Blacks
The Super Blacks bunch is a collection of incredibly fine and tightly woven black fibres, creating cloth that lets no light in. In comparison to other blacks, it makes them appear almost charcoal.
The Men in Black movie series commissioned 40 suits in cloth from Huddersfield Fine Worsted’s Super Blacks collection; an endorsement of it’s quality and superior depth of colour.
Fresco
Fresco is Huddersfield Fine Worsted’s best selling cloth, and Richard George’s too. For good reason. Fresco is a patented fabric originating from the 1900s and consists of either a 2-ply or 3-ply twisted wool, giving it a uniquely dry handle and a crease-resistance that is hard to top.
The colour range is suitable for a range of occasions from business suits to wedding attire, however Fresco really comes in to its own for black tie. We ten to wear dinner suits hard; dancing, socialising and drinking all requires a fabric that is robust, and Fresco, with its durability and crease-resistance is a great choice.
Coming Soon: 4-Ply Fresco
One of the real privileges of visiting Huddersfield Fine Worsteds was being able to see the latest fabric bunches that are yet to come to market. Of these, 4-ply Fresco was our favourite. The handle is drier still than the traditional Fresco, and the “bounce” of the crease resistance was unlike any other fabric we have seen.
To book a visit with us to view any of the Huddersfield Fine Worsted Bunches, click here
