Super 100s to 150s explained: what the number means for a tuxedo

The Super number on a cloth, such as Super 100s or Super 120s, tells you how fine the wool fibre is. The higher the number, the finer the fibre and the softer the cloth, but usually the less hard-wearing it is. For a tuxedo, roughly Super 100s to 130s is the balanced zone between softness and durability, and a higher number does not automatically make a better suit.

What the number measures

Super is a grading of wool fibre fineness. The system began as a way of counting yarn in the last century; today each Super grade corresponds to a ceiling on the average fibre diameter, measured in microns (thousandths of a millimetre). By the common convention, the figures run roughly like this:

Grade	Average fibre diameter
Super 100s	18.5 microns or finer
Super 120s	17.5 microns or finer
Super 150s	16 microns or finer

These thresholds carry tolerances and can differ slightly by standard or mill. What matters is that the number describes the raw wool fibre only. It says nothing about the weave, the yarn twist, the weight or the finishing of the cloth.

Higher is softer, and less durable

A finer fibre makes smoother cloth with a softer drape, sometimes close to silk in the hand. But finer fibre also resists abrasion less well and is more prone to pilling, or to wearing through at the elbows and seat with heavy use. The cloth also creases more easily and asks for more careful handling.

So a Super 150s jacket may feel wonderful and still wear out sooner than a Super 110s jacket if you put it on often. Conversely, if you wear it a few times a year and look after it, that softness can be worth having.

The sensible range for a tuxedo

A tuxedo has particular demands: it comes out on few occasions, but has to hold its shape through long evenings, a lot of sitting, the odd walk outdoors and crowded rooms. The sensible range therefore sits at about Super 100s to 130s.

• Around 100s–110s: firm, shapely, durable. Good if you wear it often or like a structured look.
• Around 120s–130s: smoother and with more drape, yet durable enough for tuxedo use. This is the midpoint many men choose.
• 140s and above: very soft, with a refined face, but it needs careful handling. Suited to a man who wears it only a few times and values handle over longevity.

For a comparison of cloth tiers, read cloth tiers at Mon Amie. The fibre behind fine wool is covered in merino wool and the tuxedo.

Do not chase the number

Be wary when a seller leans on a high Super number, for three reasons.

1. The weave matters more than people expect. A Super 110s barathea or grain de poudre can wear and look better than a thin plain Super 150s wool that creases easily.
2. Weight and airiness are separate. The Super grade does not tell you whether a cloth is heavy or light, dense or airy. See choosing cloth weight for that side of the decision.
3. Price. Finer fibre is scarcer, so the cloth costs more and the suit with it. Ask what the difference actually adds to the total instead of assuming a higher number is worth it. Our article on what a tuxedo costs to make explains the factors that move the price.

Some mills print "Super 200s" or higher by blending in rare fibres such as cashmere or silk. When you see this, ask what else is in the cloth, because the number is then no longer about wool alone.

Feel the cloth at Mon Amie

The surest way is to touch real cloth. A Mon Amie consultant can show you several grades, let you crush a corner in your hand to see how it springs back, and then choose according to how you actually wear a tuxedo. See the process on the made-to-measure tuxedo page and book a cloth viewing at a showroom.