Demystifying “Fineness”, and What it Should Mean to You
The fabric used in men’s suits is typically rated for “fineness”. This measurement (while not exact) is a way to express how small (or fine) the threads used in the production of the textile are; with the finer (or smaller) the thread the more that can be fit in any given area of textile thus creating a tighter and more elegant weave.
An easy way to visualize this is by considering pebbles and sand. Sand is a much finer grain of stone than pebbles. More grains of sand can fit in the same given area than can pebbles resulting in a smoother texture. Consider how much more comfortable it is to walk on sand than it is to walk on pebbles. So too is it more comfortable to wear a higher thread count suit than a lower one.
Fineness is most commonly represented by a number between two and three digits; with three digit fineness numbers given the moniker of “super fine”. This number technically comes from the number of 560 yard spools of yarn that could be spun from a pound of wool. Thus the thinner the thread, the more spools of thread that can be produced from the same quantity of wool.
While this all sounds fantastic in theory, it is worth noting that there is no regulatory oversight when it comes to the classification of fabrics fineness. Therefore any numbers should be taken with a grain of salt and you should instead use your senses to determine how the suit feels. Is the fabric soft? Does it drape well? These are the two biggest hallmarks of high fineness fabric.
It is worth noting that you can go too far in the fineness direction when it comes to day to day wear. Anything over 120 typically (while soft and comfortable) has a tendency to wrinkle and thus requires extra effort on a day to day basis as the suit will require steaming thought the day to maintain its clean lines and quality look.
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