WINTER COAT FABRICS

It's not possible to talk about wool and not think of cashmere. With its silky, luxurious texture and soft hue, cashmere ranks as one of the most popular types of wool all over the world. Actresses have graced television and movie screens wearing a variety of clothing made out of cashmere throughout the years, proving that it will never go out of fashion and will always be in every woman's must-have list.

From warm sweaters to bohemian scarves, cashmere garments are considered timeless, tasteful, and elegant. Wear them to occasions -whether casual or intimate -and you'll find that you'll stand out in sleek comfort. This is why the popularity of cashmere has only grown with the years.

Though it has been accorded much acclaim and praise, cashmere is actually the fur of the humble Kashmir goats, often harvested during their respective molting seasons. Kashmir goats can be found in China, India, Tibet, and Iran -but are primarily bred in Mongolia.

In fact, history tells that rulers from centuries past have gifted their loved ones with cashmere garments -owing to the beauty of the wool and the status it accorded because of its high value.

Due to cashmere's popularity; however, Americans have also jumped right in and started breeding their own cattle. What actually adds to the cashmere's price is the fact that it takes one Kashmir goat four to five years to shed enough fur to make just one garment. It is no wonder that people who collect garments made out of cashmere treat these articles with utmost care.

Cashmere wool can either be knit or woven to form various garments. Not only are such clothing highly exquisite to look out, they also provide much warmth during cold weather.

Cashmere garments are considered really chic gifts, whether they are given to the young and old, those who favor vintage or modern ways of dressing, as well as people with different lifestyles.

Just as there are many ways to design clothes made of cashmere, you'll find that this type of wool also varies in cost, depending on which part of the Kashmir goat the fur came from.

The best quality often comes from the throat and underbelly, and therefore garners the higher price. The lesser quality, which is still actually good, comes from the Kashmir goat's legs and back -and this is, logically, less expensive.

Whatever the quality, cashmere fibers can be fashioned into dresses, capes, scarves, sweaters, hats, mittens, shawls, and even blankets! There is a wide array of articles to choose from, and cashmere lovers claim that with proper care and handling, cashmere articles are the ultimate keepsakes.

Truth be told, even as more and more people purchase the latest designs, avid vintage collectors are also on the prowl for the more intricate designs of the past. Cashmere is considered timeless, and when knitted and woven in good taste, often provides an air of sophistication for the wearer.

Proper cleaning for knitted cashmere garments involve gentle hand-washing, while woven ones must be dry cleaned. Keep these garments in areas of normal temperature.

Make sure you store them in a dry place, so that they will not be ruined by any moisture. Consider your cashmere garment as an heirloom, and treat it as you would any treasured keepsake.

Suit fabric really does make the suit literally and figuratively. Linen, polyester, wool, cotton, tweed, herringbone, flannel, silk, poplin, seersucker, and cashmere, are the materials that usually make up a suit.

A men linen suit will not feel the same as a polyester suit, and a polyester suit will not feel the same as a wool suit...etc. Also a suits price will vary greatly depending on what kind of material it is made up of.

Below you will find a brief overview of the different types of suit material you may find while searching for your ideal suit.
 
  Fabric Texture / Nature       
  Cashmere - Extremely soft, most comfortable       
  Cotton - Light , breathable       
  Flannel - Heavy, Soft ,and durable       
  Herringbone - Heavy, coarse, durable, and hard to wrinkle       
  Linen - Machine washable, light      
  Poplin - Lightweight, soft, and smooth       
  Seersucker - Soft, warm, no ironing necessary       
  Silk  - Smooth, light, soft, shimmering appearance under light       
  Tweed - Heavy, durable, and hard to wrinkle       
  Wool - Durable, versatile       
                        
                        
CASHMERE::.
Cashmere suits are highly coveted for their soft feel and quality of fiber. The quality of this material is well renowned throughout the minds of consumers everywhere.This material is great to have on you when you live in an area with rapid climate changes. The reason for this is because it tends to insulate you depending on the moisture levels of the air.Another great benefit is that it is softer than even linen or cotton making it feel great on the skin.Also if you've ever watched Seinfeld you know that beautiful women will walk up to you and feel your material before asking "is this cashmere".
 
WOOL ::.
Wool suits are currently the most popular suits on the market. There are also many different types of wool to look. For instance men suits can be made from virgin wool and worsted and can even be spun at different speeds to provide different comfort levels.This material can be spun at super 90's all the way up to super 200's. The higher the number the higher the quality. Look to buy something that starts at super 100's and above.

Think Mink. That Touch of Mink. Make Mine Mink. What goes better together than movie stars and mink? A mink coat has been an incomparable symbol of luxury and glamour and status and security -- not to mention warmth and sensuality -- for the better part of the past 100 years. Since selective breeding on farms began around the turn of the twentieth century, mink quality increased greatly, along with availability. Mink coats have seen their trends, especially in the last 60 years, and not all of them have been good, according to some critics. Nevertheless, mink continues to be the most popular fur sold in the world. In the U.S., garments made from ranch-raised mink account for some 75 to 80 percent of all coats sold. When a woman purchases her first fur coat, it's almost always a mink. She knows it will make her feel fabulous for more years than it will take to outgrow two or three automobiles, homes and perhaps even her spouse.
For years, women were trained to buy a standard mink coat at a standard price. That changed about 20 years ago, when both more expensive designer labels entered the market and coats made from less expensive Russian mink pelts were sold internationally. The concept of "the right price" or even of value became confusing.

Today there is some kind of mink to fit (nearly) every budget, whether you're buying that investment coat, just a little fashion jacket, or you're having your first fling with mink and buying a wisp of a knitted scarf. The plethora of possibilities is positively dizzying, so how are you to know when you're buying the right quality for the right garment and getting value for your money?

For some of us, the image of Marilyn in mink or Bette Davis or Joan Crawford sparked a love affair with those precious pelts and inspired us to forever hold them on a pedestal. But if you ever opened a newspaper in the 1980s, you got a glimpse of the heyday of the $1,995 commercial coat that did its best to knock mink off that pedestal. Wealthy women complained that mink had lost its status, and "Why should I wear mink, when my cleaning lady can afford it?" Was mink no longer fashionable?

Women soon learned that those $1,995 minks weren't quite the deal they were promised, as quality of both pelts and craftsmanship were suspect. The early 1990s were a time of austerity in appearance, and the 1980s glut of furs was embarrassing. Then the supply of mink pelts on the world market shrunk. In the mid- to later-1990s, fur became, once again, a hot commodity in the fashion industry, and prices began to rise. Designers today are taught to think of fur -- mink included -- as just another fashion textile and perform amazing technological feats with it, including knitting, dyeing brilliant colors, tanning its leather side so it doesn't need a lining, reversing it like shearling, perforating patterns in it to look like lace, and even using burn-out techniques to make it look like velvet. Mink is back, and those "in the know" appreciate its modern incarnation that eschews cookie-cutter silhouettes and instead embraces individuality.

And still, confusion about price, quality, labels and value remains. Why do similar-looking mink coats cost $7,000, $17,000 and even $27,000?

First decide how much you want to spend. As a general rule, buy the most coat you can afford. That means, if you can't afford a good quality mink, opt for a great quality sheared beaver. If you can afford an excellent mink, buy it without wondering if youŒre just paying more for the same coat that sells for less across town. There really is a difference in quality.

But to be sure, expect to spend some time doing research -- real foot research, entering at least five different fur salons and checking out the quality and prices. If you can afford a very nice, $10,000 mink, go to several stores and compare what you can get for your money. And this part is very important: don't just go to department store fur salons. In the U.S. today, with the exception of Neiman Marcus (which is independently run along with its sister store, Bergdorf Goodman), almost all department store fur salons are leased out and run by the same fur company based in New York City. There is not a lot of difference in selection between, say, a Saks Fifth Avenue, Marshall Field and Bloomingdale's fur salon. Venture to independent stores, many of which are still owned and operated by the families who bear their names. Explore all your options.

Once you're at the salon, prepare to get up-close with your target. PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE MINK. Touch is as important as appearance in determining mink quality, even in knit mink.