Flannel Demystified

Last week I posted on my love of flannel trousers, and a reader, Phil, asked me if I could please clarify what is actually meant by flannel, what makes it different, and anything else that would be useful in procuring a fine pair of trousers.  So, Phil, here’s my best stab at it.

Flannel, by definition, does not have to be a woolen.  Cotton and wool are the most common, with wool, cashmere, or some blend thereof being the favorite for winter trousers.  The surface is lightly napped, giving it the signature soft texture, and higher quality flannels will also be fulled (also called felted), increasing the density of the cloth.  A looser weave will give the cloth a softer, more pliable feel, but for trousers, something a little more stout will hold a crease better, and flap around less when walking.

The finest flannel is made by Fox Brothers in Somerset.  The original West of England Flannel, it has set the gold-standard for fine cloth for two hundred plus years and is still going strong.  If you can’t get your trousers made for you, people like Ralph Lauren are known to use Fox in their ready-to-wear trousers.  Don’t ever assume though – always ask.  For other ready-to-wear options, Zegna’s a good runner-up (if you can call Zegna cloth that).

Hopefully this was helpful, and I think I’ll start occasionally doing installments in a series explaining various cloths, construction techniques, and generally the details that for the foundation of any wardrobe, whether we know them or not.