So what exactly is Flannel

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Dear group, I've read here many times before that every chap needs a nice pair of grey flannels. So with that in mind off I went to Marks & Spencer's web site. I found a jolly nice looking pair of strides which said they were flannel with 100% wool. Another pair which looked identical didn't mention flannel but were also 100% wool. So, are the words flannel and 100% wool the same thing. I'm confused chaps.

 

[Pinesiw]

Good question! I remember seeing two types of fabric that were supposedly flannel but definitely of different weave, this also has got me confused.

 

[herringbonekid]

it's not the weave (which can be plain, twill, herringbone etc,) but rather the 'napped' surface which resembles a slight raised fuzziness of varying degrees.

this nap gives flannel it's softer feel (softer than a hard finished worsted suiting fabric) and also gives a gauzy look to any stripe or other pattern in the cloth.

 

[Rabbit]

Read this:
http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/2011/02/what-is-flannel.html

An important point that is worth repeating is that there is woolen flannel (that's flannel proper), and then there is also worsted flannel (which is usually frowned upon). Of course both are made from 100% wool. Anything that isn't has nothing to do with flannel.
Woolen flannel cannot be woven in weights below 12oz/ 360g or thereabouts. Worsted flannel can, and almost invariably is. It does work rather well for shoulder season. An 11oz/330g or even a 10oz/300g worsted flannel is still useful for warm spring/summer weather with a breeze.

Edit:

Worsted means that the fiber length is considerably longer. Almost all wool suits off-the-rack are made from worsted wool (unless of course they are made of some undefined blend). It has a sheen and fine weave that makes it a more formal cloth. The off-the-rack stuff is almost invariably made of very lightweight cloth and would have been referred to as tropical weight in the olden days. It's usually sold with a full lining to conceal the poor stitching which sort of kills the purpose of lightweight cloth.
Evening clothes are made from worsted wool as well.
Anyway, the yarns for worsted flannel are also made of longer fibers, but the end product still retains at least some of the roughness of true flannel. For this reason, worsted flannel has an ever so slight sheen that lacks in woolen flannel.

Woolen flannel has a more interesting, more heavily mottled texture. It also traps heat more effectively and yet breathes very well, especially when it's combined with a quarter lining. It's still a lot more densely woven than tweed, but way more loosely woven than the regular worsted wools. The longer fiber length of worsteds makes them more hardwearing and wrinkle-resistant than flannels, but this is partly balanced by the higher weight of flannels.

 

[Pinesiw]

Interesting! One more question, how would I tell the difference between wool flannel and melton wool? An example of which would be Old Towns fabric, they stated that their flannel is more like melton cloth.

 

[Rabbit]

Interesting! One more question, how would I tell the difference between wool flannel and melton wool? An example of which would be Old Towns fabric, they stated that their flannel is more like melton cloth.

The difference is first of all haptic, it's difficult to explain in words. Denser flannels can approach melton wool in look and feel, I suppose. But there should remain a difference, I'll try to explain.

The most unique feature of woolen flannel is the mottled texture which is obviously best visible in solids and in simple patterns like chalkstripes. No other fabric can have this mottled look, and some lesser quality flannels look less mottled (not that this by itself is a sure sign of quality). Melton wool may look rough, but it doesn't have that mottled texture. As for pattern on flannel cloth, the properties of flannel make it suitable for the somewhat blurred patterns like the chalkstripes with their un-defined stripes. I cannot imagine melton wool being dyed with similarly blurred stripes, but then I haven't seen a chalkstripe on a melton wool.

 

[herringbonekid]

melton is the stuff you find on the underside of suit jacket collars. it's more felty than regular flannel.

 

[Pinesiw]

Thanks guys! I see what you mean

 

[The Good]

This has been a very educating thread for me as well. Thank you!

 

[Stearmen]

Oh great, I wasn't going to get into this conversation, until I got thinking of the ultimate in winter comfort, Cotton Flannel! What is it?

 

[Rabbit]

Oh great, I wasn't going to get into this conversation, until I got thinking of the ultimate in winter comfort, Cotton Flannel! What is it?

Of course, cotton flannel for shirtings, I completely forgot about that. :eusa_doh:
I suppose the process of making the cloth is similar to the woolen counterparts for suitings, I don't know for sure. Cotton flannel shirts look quite a bit more fluffy than woolen flannel cloth, don't they? I don't even own a cotton flannel shirt so far...

 

[blazerbud]

Of course, cotton flannel for shirtings, I completely forgot about that. :eusa_doh:
I don't even own a cotton flannel shirt so far...

:shocked:
How can this be?
You must remedy this.

 

[Rabbit]

You have a point there. I need to find the proper cloth, though, and I didn't actively go out to look for one so far. Perhaps I'll commission some flannel shirts at Luxire. Oxford cloth and twill is all I actually need for winter shirtings; cotton flannel would be a nice option for dressing down, but it's not something that I really miss. The combination of flannel suits and oxford shirts is hard to beat.

In the Luxire thread, Rudie brought flannel shirts to my attention. I hadn't even considered this option before then. I must say, the particular shirt in the image below is very nice.

Flannel shirts can be worn with suits and odd jackets. It's a very nice way to dress down. Looks great with a belted back jacket. Probably not suited for a worsted suit, but flannel or tweed suits look very good with a flannel shirt.


Here's a pic of famous German actor Heinz Rühmann. Sans jacket, but wearing his flannel suit trousers. I think you get the idea.

 

[dakotanorth]

[SUP][/SUP]
I was going to say, but it's been addressed:
Flannel is a weave. You have wool flannel for example- wool is the fiber content, while flannel is the weave.
Therefore you cannot have a herringbone flannel.

Don't forget rayon flannel! You see a lot of shirts from the 1950's made from this too.

 

[herringbonekid]

[SUP][/SUP]
Flannel is a weave. You have wool flannel for example- wool is the fiber content, while flannel is the weave.
Therefore you cannot have a herringbone flannel.

incorrect sir.

Flannel is usually in plain or twill weave but is not in itself a weave. the napped surface is what defines flannel.
and you can indeed have herringbone flannel (herringbone is simply a varient of twill with diagonals going two ways instead of one). here is some herringbone worsted flannel:

and...

this is flannel with a twill (one direction diagonal) weave:

and...

some flannel is so napped that you can hardly see the weave at all such as this:

(but it is twill in there)

 

[Stearmen]

If we are talking about flannel, then we should show a picture of the most famous flannel man!

 

[feltfan]

If we are talking about flannel, then we should show a picture of the most famous flannel man!

Depends on who you ask...

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Thanks for the pictures, HBK. I honestly didn't know about herringbone flannel. Shame on me.

(The light grey with red stripes is especially beautiful)