Bemberg – the King of linings.

We wear wool for many reasons, but the foremost is breathability.  It is light and airy, unlike polyester or polyester blends, which make you sweat and therefore itch.  

When constructing a wool suit the lining is all important. If a polyester lining is used then it defeats the point of having a breathable wool exterior.  It keeps moisture in and doesn’t allow it to escape and evaporate. It doesn't matter how nice or high grade the fabric is, if a polyester lining is used this completely negates wool's amazing qualities. You can liken wearing a polyester lining to wearing a plastic bag under your suit or pants!

When lining a suit, the core of the body is lined and if this material is not breathable, then your body-temperature quickly rises. Bemberg wicks sweat and humidity away from the body.  Suit pants are often lined from the waist to the knees. In an area that tends to get hot and often sweaty-breathability is all important.  

The ultimate lining to use is a material called Cupro.  Bemberg, a high-quality brand of Cupro produced in Japan, is breathable, light, durable and still has that silky exterior that looks and feels great.  People often wonder why not use a silk lining instead?  Well, although silk has many great attributes, it simply is not as breathable or as durable as Cupro.  You cannot compare a cupro Bemberg lining to a polyester which doesn’t breathe at all. However, many clothing brands and tailors use polyester linings as they are much cheaper than Bemberg linings.

Bemberg is made from natural cotton and is anti-static and anti-cling for a more comfortable wear.  It really does keep you feeling cool and fresh.

In addition to its wonderful breathability, Bemberg Cupro is an ecological fibre which is biodegradable and produced using a renewable resource.  It is also clean-burning when incinerated.

Bemberg lining is used by all the major high end fashion labels such as Hugo Boss, Armani and Zegna.

Tailor On Ten offers Bemberg linings with all of our suiting as standard. 

Wool is a wonder fiber. It is the perfect material for custom made suits.

First of all, it is water resistant.  Its fibers’ hard outer layer throws off water and their core absorb moisture vapor without becoming damp. Repelling water and absorbing humidity both help to regulate heat.

It is moisture wicking. The wool absorbs moisture from the body and helps to keep the wearer dry and warm.

It is an insulator. The wool’s crimp creates insulated air spaces that prevent body heat from escaping.

It ‘breathes’. It is a great fiber for outerwear, because it has the versatile ability to keep the wearer warm when it is cold and cool when it is hot.

It blends well with other fibers, allowing the production of many different kinds of fabric.

There are many types of wool. The most widely used is sheep’s wool. It is wrinkle-resistant, static-free, easy to dye, durable, stretch resistant, and versatile. Woolen fabrics are used for example to make suits, dresses, sweaters, blankets, top coats and upholstery.

The most celebrated sheep’s wool is merino. Most merino sheep are raised in Australasia. The wool is noted for softness, warmth and sheen. Shetland wool from Northern Scotland is normally used for luxury knitwear. Lambswool taken from young sheep is soft, smooth and silky. It is excellent for garments worn next to the skin, and is hypoallergenic. Virgin wool is wool taken from a lamb's first shearing. This is the softest wool.

Sheep’s wool is classified by the fineness of the yarn. The more fibers are used per square centimeter of cloth, the finer the count and the softer the cloth. 'Super' wools are categorized as Super 100s, Super 110s, Super 120s, etc. The higher the number, the finer the yarn. Many bangkok tailors carry a range of wool's, the higher the super, the more expensive the suit!

Boiled wool is dense, durable, and water-resistant. It is supple like knitwear but retains its shape like a woven fabric. Hats, gloves, scarves and other outerwear are often made of boiled wool.

Worsted wool has been made in England since the 1700s. Wool is spun into smooth twisted yarn that is combed anew to remove short fibers, leaving only long fibers that lie flat and parallel. Worsted does not wrinkle or crease easily and is commonly used for suits.

Tropical-weight wool is a two-ply, plain weave worsted that is lightweight and ‘breathes’.

Shearling is tanned lambskin or sheepskin with the wool not removed. It is a luxury fabric used for outerwear and slippers.

Tweed, gabardine, flannel and fleece are other popular sheep’s wool or wool-blend fabrics.

Alpaca wool comes from the alpaca, a native of the Andes. Two breeds, the huacaya and the suri, are farmed. The more common breed, the huacaya, produces thick, crimped wool that grows quickly. The suri’s wool grows more slowly, and the fleece is longer and more lustrous. Alpaca wool is lightweight, has a good luster, is strong, and does not pill easily. It is used for high-quality suits, sweaters, blankets, upholstery, etc.

Mohair wool, renowned for silkiness and sheen, comes from the angora goat. Mohair is strong, durable and lightweight, and it ‘breathes’. It does not crease, mat or pill, and it drapes well. Natural mohair comes in many beautiful colors. Like alpaca, it is used for high-quality garments etc.

Angora wool comes from the fur of the angora rabbit. The fibers are hollow; this gives them ‘loft’. The wool is lustrous and very soft; it is two-and-a-half times warmer than sheep's wool. It has a very good moisture-wicking characteristic. As its fibers are fragile, it is typically blended with sheep’s wool. Angora wool is an excellent insulator, yet it can be comfortably worn inside. It is expensive, and is typically used for luxury items such as undergarments, sweaters and scarves. Tailor On Ten is one of the few Bangkok tailors to actually carry real angora wool. We carry a stunning Angora/wool overcoat fabric.

Cashmere is a soft, luxury fabric made from the hair of the Kashmir goat. Cashmere is the wool that grows underneath the goat's coarser outer hair. It is gathered by combing the goat’s hair. Very little cashmere can be harvested per goat each year, so cashmere is expensive. Cashmere fiber has a crimp that helps the fibers interlock well when spun. It is very fine and lightweight. The fabric retains the fibers’ natural ‘loft’ of the fibers, which makes it a good insulator. Its capacity to absorb moisture readily means that it breathes well and can worn comfortably in hot conditions. Typically it is used for sweaters, scarves and undergarments. Coarser cashmere is used for suits and overcoats.

Camel hair wool is very lightweight, soft, durable, lustrous and warm. It comes from the Bactrian camel, which is native to China and Mongolia. The hair is gathered when the camel molts. The wool is usually blended with sheep’s wool. It is used for luxury suits, sweaters, gloves, overcoats, etc.

As you can see there are many types of wool and many different qualities. Bangkok tailors carry a huge range of wools and fibers and if you are looking for a custom suit or waistcoat of excellent quality, wool is consistently your best bet.

Mother of Pearl buttons are the finest, most beautiful buttons that you can buy. Their luster, iridescence and feel is incomparable to anything else. Mother of pearl is otherwise known as nacre and is found on shells such as oysters, freshwater mussels, abalone and trochus.

Mother of pearl is not only used for buttons but also elaborate inlays on watches, jewelry and musical instruments such as guitar fingerboards. As with most caviars, Beluga (at $5,000 a kg!) is usually handled with a spoon made of mother of pearl.

The traditonal pearl is made up of nacre, and this is where the name “mother of pearl” comes from. Mother of pearl buttons have been used for centuries famed for their incomparable beauty, durability and class. There is no comparison between mother of pearl buttons and plastic/polyester buttons. A tailored shirt is only as good as its buttons!

In the past, oysters were harvested from the wild, however, now they are commercially grown in a viable and environmentally friendly way.

Mother of Pearl is an exclusive and highly sought after commodity and as such cannot be compared to plastic and polyester. MOP buttons are a premium product, finely crafted, beautifully prepared and a timeless addition to any garment.

Here at Tailor On Ten we offer many stunning buttons all of which have been created out of the finest mother of pearl that there is. We offer MOP buttons made from Tahitian, Pacific and Andaman oysters, mussels and trochus. They have been selected for their beautiful lustre and extremely dense, strong shell. 

We offer a range of beautiful buttons to suit your needs. 

A dress shirt traditionally uses size 18L 4 hole buttons for the placket, cuffs and collar as well as pockets and epaulettes. For the sleeve placket (underside of the forearm) and the button-down collar, the buttons used are slightly smaller at 14L. However, if a thicker button is desired, generally slightly smaller buttons are used (16L and 14L).

Ladies blouses and garments traditionally use 2 hole buttons (suits are an exception).

Buttons are measured in “Lignes”  or L with 40 Lignes equalling 1 inch (i.e, 18L is 11.6 mm; 16L equals 10.16 mm; 14L equals 8.89 mm).

See more info on our buttons. 

Thailand tailors, and in particular Bangkok tailors, are an excellent choice for affordable tailoring, when looking for a quality custom shirt or suit. Bangkok tailors are excellent craftsmen and often it’s not the quality of the workmanship that separates an amazingly good purchase from an okay one in Thailand, but it’s the quality of the fabric.

The question is how do you know what you are buying? 

This is where a trustworthy and reliable tailor comes in. Your tailor should know all about the fabrics he is selling and he should tell the truth. It doesn’t hurt however to test it out. A good Bangkok tailor should know this and not be offended at all. 

Without personally knowing the origins of a fabric it is quite difficult to categorically know what you are getting. Short of getting lab analysis done on the fabric, a burn test is probably the most effective way of determining whether a fabric is 100% cotton or wool and so on. You don’t need to be a scientist to perform a burn test, just a lighter and a little common sense!

Performing the Burn Test  
We recommend you do the burn test outside, (obviously not beside a bunch of potentially flammable polyester fabrics!)

  What you need:

• A lighter or matches
• Something to burn the fabric on that is not flammable (e.g., ashtray, concrete, etc.)
• The fabric that you want to test

  How to perform the test:

• Cut a small amount of the fabric that you want to test (you do not need a lot)
• Place it on the flat clean surface
• Light it on fire!

 Interpreting the results:

• 100% Cotton will:
• smell a lot like burning paper,
• leave a fine ash that turns to dust when touched,
• leave no remaining hard bits in the ash
• Polyester or blended cotton (not 100% cotton) will:
• give of a darkish smoke,
• smell like plastic,
• leave hard bits in the ash (these hard bits are the melted synthetic fibres
• 100% Wool will:
• smell like burning hair,
• leave black, brittle pieces in the ash that can be crushed easily by your fingers
• 100 % Silk will:
• smell like hair when it burns,
• leave no remaining hard bits in the ash

If you are still unsure there is one more test you can do:

Unravel some individual threads from the fabric that you want to test. Hold the threads in the air and slowly move a small flame towards them.

• Cotton and wool will ignite as the flame draws near (or touches them), whereas synthetic fibers curl away from the heat and melt.
• Linen is very similar to cotton but tends to burn more slowly. Linen is an expensive fabric and many people think they are buying linen but end up with a blend. Test it as you would cotton.
• Rayon will burn after the flame is pulled away; it also does not have an afterglow like cotton does.
  

It is important to remember that each fabric has its place. Cotton/polyester blended fabrics tend to wrinkle less and are a lot cheaper. Blended woolen fabrics can last longer and so on. The point is, know what you are buying and take control of your purchase. Be an educated consumer!

Competitive prices, great quality and quick production. These are the things Bangkok tailors are most famous for. Furthermore, Thai tailors are known for quality workmanship, attention to detail and accessibility. For all these reasons, Bangkok tailors are very high on most tourists’ lists of places to visit when coming to Thailand. And although it’s not easy to find the right tailor, many people choose to use Thai tailors.

If you are looking to get a high quality suit or shirt made, the tailors in Bangkok are definitely a great option and there are a few ways of how to select the right one.

Have a look at these pointers which will help you make the best choice:

• Unless you absolutely must, trying to get something made within 24 hours is risky. Good quality tailoring takes time and a few fittings are necessary to achieve perfection.
• Cheap packages are just that, cheap. Whilst Bangkok tailors offer amazing prices, good quality still costs something! If someone is offering to sell you a suit and three shirts for $100, then you will certainly not have a quality end product.
• Duplicating items such as suits and shirts is a great way to go. If you go to the tailor with photos of the actual item you want copied, then you are sure to get exactly what you want.
• Check out reviews online. The internet has a wealth of knowledge and many, many people write about their experiences. Beware of self promotion.
• Phone the shop. A professional and well run tailor store will always be contactable by phone. They should be able to answer all of your questions and deal with you in a professional manner.
• Avoid big hotel tailors. If the tailor is located inside a 5 star hotel, it is paying big rents and big commissions to the hotel and those costs are therefore passed onto you as the customer.
• Ask to see some examples of previous work done. Check the little details, inside seams, button fixing and so on.