What is the right suiting fabric for summer or any other season or climate? It’s tempting to give a simple answer but the truth is, there are a lot of different factors to consider. In reality, unless you intend to wear an unlined seersucker suit to visit the Arctic Circle, most linen, cotton, wool, or blended fabrics would be wearable year-round. In our experience, there are certain qualities to look for with particular weather conditions. Let’s break it down.
(Left to right) Shown here are Officine Paladino’s seersucker fabrics OP1971 Baby Blue, OP1972 Moroccan Blue, OP1974 Biscuit, and OP1975 Chartreuse.
The Best Fabrics for Summer Suiting – Breathability
Breathability is the amount of airflow a fabric offers. In summer or high humidity weather, we feel warmer when sweat cannot evaporate from the skin. In addition, fabrics that absorb sweat may trap heat.
Seersucker is ideal for hot temperatures, high humidity, business travel or formal occasions in the summer. The lightweight cotton fabric uses yarns that vary in thickness, creating unevenness in the fabric that makes it bunch up and improve airflow. Our new seersuckers come in charming stripes from baby blue (OP1971) to a deep midnight blue (OP1973 Nightshade, not pictured) that is great for business suiting. Bonus point: If you are on a work trip and your seersucker suit looks crumpled, that’s just normal and not shoddy.
(From top) Linen fabrics such as OP2624 Drapiers, OP2623 Maison, and OP2616 Zaitun are medium weight and offer a good balance between structure and comfort.
Linen is another great natural fabric for summer. Lightweight linens are favoured during high summer for their breathability. Slub fabrics, both cotton and linen, which uses an uneven weaving method to improve comfort against the skin, are relaxed with a very soft handle. These are great for casual tailoring and suiting. Mid-weight linens such as our new OP2610–OP2619 range, above 300grams, are excellent for well-structured suiting, ideal for early or late summer and autumn/fall. The disadvantage that linen has is its tendency to wrinkle. One option is to choose a linen-blend, with cotton for its natural stretch or wool for its structure.
OP2303 Tibet from our Jacketing Redefined collection is a linen and wool blend that offers great breathability and drape.
Another possibility is to consider a cotton fabric with a brushed finish. Brushed cotton has the breathability of the material, while providing greater insulation against wind and cold. This is because the external surface of the fabric trap air between the brushed fibres, creating an insulating layer for the wearer while maintaining comfort on the skin. Brushed cottons (such as OP1960 to OP1967 from our Cotton Edit lookbook) are also more water-repelling due to the same reason. You can learn more about brushed cottons here.
OP1964 Burnt Orange from our new Cotton Edit lookbook is a brushed cotton that can be made into a suit with more structure, or relaxed like a chore coat.
The Best Fabrics for Summer Suiting – Lining Options
Jacket lining fabrics are meant to improve comfort and often use rayon-based materials. These deliver a soft and luxurious satin feel to the fabric. Broadly speaking, synthetic fibres trap heat and insulate. Viscose, silk, Cupro offer more breathability.
Most summer suits are unlined and softly structured in order to maximise airflow. But in windy environments or regions where sudden temperature changes can come quickly, an unlined lightweight linen or cotton suit may not be ideal. Tailors may recommend a half-lined or fully-lined option. For most cottons and heavier linens, a partially lined suit offers a good balance for dressing from spring to autumn. You may also consider wool as a possible choice, like a Solaro-style fabric in an unlined suit.
OP2527 Langston is a Solaro-style Super 130s wool that’s superbly designed to adapt to tropical weather.
Our wool fabrics such as OP2527-OP2529, which are developed similar to a Solaro fabric, or our high-tech wools in the Eco-Evolution collection, offer unique qualities suited for all-year-round comfort, even in the tropics. From water-repelling benefits to UV protection, they add more options for you to pick from. Consider wools with lower yarn count, such as Super 100s to Super 130s, instead of very high-end wools. Check out more information on our Eco-Evolution and technical wool fabrics here.
Our Aura collection of lining fabrics are produced with viscose and Cupro fabrics, for maximum comfort in any weather.
If you are planning to make a half-lined or fully lined suit, be sure to pick materials that are non-synthetic rayons. Viscose and Cupro are good examples if silk is too expensive. Cupro fabric, also known as Bemberg, is frequently used in jacket lining for comfort and ease of wear. These fibres are great for durability, breathability, and skin comfort. For great options, consider our Aura collection, which are designed exclusively with unique prints and motifs that we love, and add a touch of individuality to your next suit.
For more ideas on how to style, match, or create your suit, try out our Styling Tool or check out our Style Guides to create a suit that you can enjoy in the summer, fall, and beyond, with the fabric of your choice.
