Men's trousers are available in a variety of fabrics. In addition to cotton, you can find them in wool and tweed. Wool and tweed share many of the same characteristics. They are organic, soft, easy to clean and long-lasting. As a result, many men prefer trousers made of one of these fabrics. Wool trousers and tweed trousers, however, aren't the same. When shopping for new trousers, you might be wondering which fabric to choose.
Overview of Wool
Wool consists of hair or fiber harvested from various animals. Sheep, for instance, produce wool. About once or twice a year, wool is harvested from sheep -- a process known as shortening. The wool is then packaged and sold to businesses for use in clothing, upholstery and other consumer products.
While most types of wool come from sheep, other animals produce wool as well. Goats, rabbits, alpacas and even bison produce wool. Wool is simply a textile consisting of animal hair or fiber. Most wool does, in fact, come from sheep, but it may come from other animals as well.
Overview of Tweed
Tweed consists of a rough woolen fabric that features either a twill, herringbone or plain-weaving pattern. Here's where things get confusing: Tweed is technically wool. It consists of hair or fiber harvested from various animals. Tweed is distinguished from regular wool, though, by its weaving pattern.
Most types of tweed feature either a twill, herringbone or plain-weaving pattern. The weaving pattern, of course, represents the way in which the fabric is woven. There are nuances between twill, herringbone and plain. Regardless, they've become synonymous with tweed. If you inspect tweed up close, you'll probably discover that it has one of these three weaving patterns. Regular wool, on the other hand, usually has a more traditional weaving pattern.
Some of the most popular types of tweed include the following:
- Donegal tweed
- Harris tweed
- Shetland tweed
- Saxony tweed
Differences Between Wool and Tweed Trousers
Wool and tweed trousers are made of different fabrics. Wool consists of animal hair or fiber, whereas tweed consists of a woolen fabric with a particular weaving pattern. If you're going to buy either of these trousers, you'll need to understand their differences.
Both wool and tweed trousers are soft. Most men will agree that they are softer than trousers made of a synthetic material like polyester. Nonetheless, wool trousers often come out on top. Wool trousers are typically softer than their tweed counterparts. They have a softer, suppler texture, resulting in a superior level of comfort.
Most wool trousers are also thinner than tweed trousers When comparing both types of trousers, you may notice that wool trousers weigh less than tweed trousers. This is because wool is a thinner fabric. Wool is thinner than tweed, which results in a lighter weight.
Some of the most popular types of wool include the following:
- Cashmere wool
- Merino wool
- Angora wool
- Mohair wool
Consider Your Outfit
When choosing between wool and tweed trousers, you should consider the rest of your outfit. Formal trousers are typically worn in suits. Whether you're wearing a two-piece or three-piece suit, you may want to choose a pair of wool or tweed trousers.
You may want to choose trousers made of the same fabric as your suit jacket. Two-piece and three-piece suits both consist of a jacket and trousers. If you're planning to wear a wool jacket, you may want to choose wool trousers. If you're planning to wear a tweed jacket, you may want to choose tweed trousers. Choosing trousers made of the same fabric as your suit jacket will result in a more uniform appearance.
What About the Weather?
You may want to check the forecast before buying a pair of wool or tweed trousers. Both types of trousers can be worn year-round. Whether it's spring, summer, fall or winter, you can wear a pair of wool or tweed trousers. With that said, tweed trousers offer a little more warmth than wool trousers.
Tweed is a thicker, heavier fabric than wool. With these properties, it offers greater warmth. If there's cold weather in the forecast, you may want to choose tweed trousers. For mild weather, you may want to choose wool trousers.
Durability
For maximum durability, there's no better choice than tweed. Tweed is recognized as one of the most durable textiles in the world. While tweed is technically a type of wool, it's woven to achieve a superior level of durability.
Tweed trousers are stronger and more durable than many other types of trousers. There are still plenty of durable wool trousers as well. Tweed, though, features a twill, herringbone or plain-weaving pattern. These weaving patterns result in a stronger and more durable construction. If you're worried that your trousers will tear or otherwise sustain damage, you may want to go with tweed. Tweed trousers are naturally protected against such damage because of their strong and durable properties.
Single vs Multi-Color
For a single color, you may want to choose wool trousers. For multiple colors, conversely, you may want to choose tweed trousers. Most wool trousers feature a single color. You can find them in black, gray, white, navy and countless other colors. In comparison, tweed trousers typically feature multiple colors.
Why do tweed trousers have multiple colors exactly? As previously mentioned, they feature one of three weaving patterns: twill, herringbone and plain. These weaving patterns generally consist of a primary color and at least one secondary color.
In Conclusion
Tweed and wool are both used to make men's trousers. They are fabrics derived from animal hair of fiber. The difference is that tweed features a particular weaving pattern, such as twill, whereas wool does not. You can choose a pair of formal trousers made of either weed or wool. Just remember to consider your outfit, durability requirements and whether you want a single color or multiple colors.
