Mille Stripes
Stripes formed by individual threads that alternate in color. Unless you look at the fabric up close, you may mistake this for a solid. The mille stripe is a nice alternative to a basic solid custom shirt.
Jermyn Stripes/ˈjərmən/
Used generically to describe boldly colored but traditional stripes like the patterns favored by the bespoke shirt makers on London’s Jermyn Street.
Hairline Stripes
Supposed to be the width of a hair, which makes them thinner than pinstripes.
Hopsack /ˈhäpˌsak/
A loosely woven coarse fabric of cotton or wool used in clothing. Hopsack wool is a great option for a custom sport coat or custom blazer.
Mercerized Cotton /mur-suh-rahyz/
A process applied to a cotton yarn or fabric, which increases its luster and shine and affinity for color dye. A 100% cotton, custom shirt is the best option for a hot Chicago summer.
Lycra /ˈlīkrə/
The DuPont trademark for its spandex fiber. Any time you see this synthetic fiber listed on a label, expect comfort, movement and shape retention that won’t wash away. It’s lack of breathability makes it less than ideal for a custom suit
Merino Wool /muh-ree-noh/
High-quality wool yarn is made from the fleece of merino sheep that is fine, strong and elastic, and takes dye well. Ask your BALANI clothing consultant about Holland and Sherry fabric for your custom suit.
Gingham /ˈgiNGəm/
Facing /fāsiNG/
A piece of fabric sewn to the inside of a garment for lining purposes, or to add structure. All of BALANI’s custom suits are made with the facing process.
Crepe /kreyp/
Refers to a crinkly, crimped or grained surface. It is used to describe all kinds of fabrics-wool, cotton, silk, rayon, synthetics, and blends. It comes from the French word Creper, which means “to crimp or frizz.”