How to Choose Fabrics That Feel Good and Wear Well
Fabrics can make or break how your clothes look, feel, and function.
In this guest episode, Natalie sits down with Wear Who You Are style friend Farida Raafat of DALYA to break down natural vs. synthetic fibers, when blends actually work in your favor, and how to think about seasonality. Plus, a deep dive into why wool might be the most underrated fabric in your wardrobe (yes, even year-round), what those “Super 120s” labels really mean, and how to navigate linen without the wrinkling frustration.
Episode Notes & Resources:
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Read the full & Raw Episode transcript:
[00:00] Natalie:
All right, hello, hello. Welcome back to another Wear Who You Are Wednesday. I am with my dear friend and colleague, Farida Raafat.
[00:08] Farida:
Hello!
[00:10] Natalie:
And we are so excited for everyone’s responses to these episodes. We’re having a great time nerding out and providing tangible information for you. So if there’s anything that you want to hear, there’s always the Google form where you can submit any questions that you have on workwear, tailoring, office dress . . . and Farida is a regular guest on Wear Who You Are, and we will answer it in a future episode. No question is dumb, no question is too hard. If we don’t know the answer, it’ll give us a chance to learn something new.
[00:41] Farida:
Love it.
[00:43] Natalie:
So let’s dive into this episode, which is all about fabrics. Again, something that people don’t know a lot about. It’s sort of a behind-the-curtain world, and so we are going to demystify it as simply as possible for you to be a smarter shopper. Let’s talk about it.
Okay, there are generally two categories of fabrics, right? Natural versus synthetic. Can you talk us through that?
[01:08] Farida:
Let’s do it.
Yeah, and I think I have to preface this by saying synthetic doesn’t mean bad. Synthetic does not automatically mean lower quality. There are a lot of really interesting properties. These days we’re used to throwing things in the washing machine, or fabrics being non-wrinkle, breathable, moisture-wicking, antibacterial . . . all of that stuff is really not possible without including some sort of synthetic, manmade fiber.
So the name suggests it: natural fibers are things found naturally in the earth and the world, like wool, linen, cotton. Those are natural fibers. Then you have synthetic fibers, which are your polyester, nylon, and other manmade fabrics.
[02:25] Natalie:
Great, and so you already answered the question, but is one better than the other?
[02:31] Farida:
It depends on the purpose. For example, if you’re looking for athleisure or workout wear, you’re never going to be looking at 100% natural fibers because you want those moisture-wicking properties. You want stretch, form-fitting capabilities, flexibility, and all of those things come from synthetic fibers.
There are some really great companies including more natural fibers in athletic wear, which I think is great, but you’re always going to need some sort of synthetic component to give it those properties.
Now, if you’re looking at suiting and want a specific look, I always tend to sway toward natural fibers with suiting. I do think they behave better, last longer, and have more longevity in that category. So the answer really is no, one isn’t automatically better than the other. It just depends on what you’re buying.
[03:22] Natalie:
Understanding the purpose, right? What the fiber is, what its purpose is, and whether it’s accomplishing that.
[03:29] Farida:
Absolutely. And there are some really high-quality synthetic fibers out there as well.
[03:35] Natalie:
And then there are blends. A lot of times when I’m looking at a tag now, I see blends. For example, let’s talk about skinny jeans when they were in. The only way to get that stretch was if you had spandex or Lycra in it, right? So you’d see something like 98% cotton, 2% spandex or Lycra.
Let’s talk about blends. What are some popular blends in suiting, and what properties do those create?
[04:02] Farida:
Again, it depends on the purpose. Since we’re talking in the summer, a lot of blends in summer fabrics are linen-cottons, linen-cotton-silks, things that give you the properties of a natural fiber you love while adding features from another fabric.
For example, linen has that beautiful summery look, but maybe the cotton or silk calms down the wrinkle factor a bit. Same thing with suiting. If you travel a lot and you want a travel suit, you’re going to want something with a low percentage of stretch woven into it. Again, always think about the purpose of what you’re buying.
[04:55] Natalie:
And I know because we’ve walked clients through this . . . purpose and function matter. One beautiful thing about your workwear that a lot of menswear suiting companies haven’t been able to accomplish is that you have wool blended with stretch, so it moves with the body.
For example, we had a client getting a more flared, bootcut pant. Based on her morphology, we wanted stretch so we could accomplish that silhouette while still allowing it to move with her. Just some things to consider.
All right. I know that you love wool. You are wool’s number-one stan.
[05:31] Farida:
Absolutely.
[05:32] Natalie:
You think it’s magical. Tell us why. Why is wool considered a four-season fabric? And what is the deal with this thing we see that says “Super 120s,” “Super 130s”? What the hell does that mean?
[05:49] Farida:
Wool is my best friend.
I just think it’s such a versatile fabric. It really depends on how it’s woven, its weight, and how tightly it’s spun. It can go all the way from a thick, tweedy winter fabric to a really light summer-weight wool.
I wouldn’t be scared of wool in the warmer months. It’s really about understanding how tightly spun it is and what the weight per gram of the fabric is. That determines how breathable it is and how much air can move through it.
It also blends really well with other fabrics. You can add a small percentage of stretch or spandex, but the wool still retains that luxurious wool look.
[07:02] Natalie:
It sounds like wool is a chameleon fabric. And honestly, whenever I’m getting clients their first suit . . . like when we had someone at our Chicago pop-up wanting a starter pack for businesswear . . . we both suggested a wool gabardine that was four-season. It could adapt based on layering, and it was a really nice medium weight. You could touch it and feel that it would work year-round.
[07:31] Farida:
Absolutely. And I encourage people to do this because I think it’s a bit of a lost art. Maybe our grandmothers or their mothers were more well-versed in fabrics. But go into your closet, grab the things you love to wear, hold them, touch them, look at the fabric content. Figure out what you love about them and become more informed when shopping for something new.
[08:02] Natalie:
And think about how you feel after wearing them through temperature swings. Maybe you wore something all day and it moved between 70 and 80 degrees and still felt breathable. Or maybe it didn’t. A fully synthetic fabric, like a full polyester, is generally going to retain heat and possibly make you sweat more in the summer.
So let’s get back to this 120s and 130s thing.
[08:28] Farida:
It’s about how tightly woven and spun the fabric is. Generally, the higher the number, the finer and more luxurious the wool feels.
A Super 150s blazer, for example, is more of your “special occasion” suit. It’s not the one you’re throwing into a suitcase every week. Something like a Super 110s or Super 120s is more durable and wearable for regular use.
[09:01] Natalie:
So when it’s higher, it’s spun finer and feels more delicate?
[09:06] Farida:
Exactly. It almost feels like butter. It’s not your throw-around-everyday suit. But a Super 120s isn’t low quality at all. It’s just designed for a different purpose.
[09:20] Natalie:
That’s the foundational suit. The one you wear twice a week and mix and match. And then the higher-number fabric becomes your “wow” piece.
[09:29] Farida:
Exactly. Wedding suit, special occasion suit . . . your wow piece.
[09:35] Natalie:
Amazing. That’s really useful to know.
What other fabrics are considered four-season fabrics, and which ones are more seasonal?
[09:45] Farida:
Wool is definitely a really great all-year-round fabric, depending on weight. Linen is obviously more seasonal and geared toward warmer weather. Cashmere and heavier flannels are more winter-oriented.
But if you’re building a workwear wardrobe, I’d say an all-year-round wool is a really smart place to start.
[10:09] Natalie:
Love that. Great tip.
I just decided that if Farida were proposing to wool, it would be “Wool you marry me?”
[10:18] Farida:
Oh my god.
[10:20] Natalie:
I had to. It was right there.
Okay, let’s talk linen. Linen wrinkles, not everyone loves that, but people still love the look. How can someone reduce wrinkling when shopping for linen?
[10:38] Farida:
We get this question all the time at DALYA. People want a summer suit but don’t want all the wrinkling. I always suggest looking for a blended linen, something linen-forward blended with cotton or silk. It still gives you the breathability and look of linen while toning down the wrinkles.
[11:02] Natalie:
Awesome. And then on the flip side, what about cashmere or thicker wool fabrics that can pill?
[11:09] Farida:
That’s all about care. Sweater shavers, sweater combs, how you wash things, how you store them . . . all of that extends the lifespan of wool and cashmere.
[11:22] Natalie:
Because people always say, “Well, it pills.” But those are natural fibers. They’re going to behave naturally. The staple length and weave impact it, but they’re still natural materials.
[11:37] Farida:
Exactly. Not all wool and cashmere are created equal. It comes down to staple length, weaving, spinning, and mill quality. That determines how it behaves on the body.
[11:52] Natalie:
And even the weave matters. Something like a twill weave versus a flat weave . . . does that impact longevity or quality?
[12:02] Farida:
Not necessarily superiority. It’s more about behavior and appearance. The actual quality of the wool matters more than the weave itself.
[12:15] Natalie:
Awesome. This has been so informative. So to recap: wool, wool, wool.
[12:23] Farida:
Sorry, can you tell I’m biased?
[12:26] Natalie:
But truly, suiting is a big investment and should be one of the bigger investments in your wardrobe. Use fibers that work for you, and wool is a fantastic place to start. Then from there, choose fabrics based on your goals and how you retain heat, move, and live your life.
[12:53] Farida:
Absolutely. There are so many innovative things happening in fabric development right now that make natural fibers behave completely differently than people expect. Don’t be scared to explore, ask questions, and have fun because it’s going on your body.
[13:13] Natalie:
And always look at fiber content and then see how it feels on you. I thought your tip about going into your closet and identifying what you love was such a good one.
Any final fabric thoughts before we go?
[13:27] Farida:
Just touch all the fabrics. Feel them. Figure out what you like. Dressing is supposed to be fun and intimate because it’s going on your body. The more you know and the more you understand what you like, the better.
[13:47] Natalie:
As always, wonderful tips. Thank you for sharing your expertise so generously with us on the Wear Who You Are podcast. Again, if you have any questions you’d like us to answer in a future expert chat with Farida and myself, please submit them, slide into our DMs, any of the above. We truly love doing this.
Have a great day, and thanks for joining another Wear Who You Are Wednesday.
[14:18] Farida:
Thank you so much.