Reading the selvedge: identifying genuine cloth

The selvedge is the narrow band running down both edges of a bolt of cloth, woven tighter than the body so it cannot fray. On properly made suiting, it is often where the mill weaves or prints its name along with a few reference marks. Read those lines and you know who made the cloth and what they claim it is, before anyone has made a sales pitch. It is a clue, though, not a certificate.

What the selvedge actually is

While weaving, the weft thread turns back at the edge and runs the other way, so the cloth finishes itself and does not unravel. The word comes from "self-edge". Because this band differs from the body in thickness and firmness, the cutter removes it when laying out the pattern. That is why customers rarely see one unless they ask.

Do not confuse it with "selvedge denim", which refers to shuttle-loom weaving. In suiting, the selvedge is simply where the mill signs its work.

The mill name

Many mills weave or print their name, sometimes a logo as well, repeating down the edge. A few lines tell you who wove the cloth, whether a mill in Biella, Italy, or a London merchant. The cloths in the Mon Amie library include names such as Vercelli, Kevinlli, Vitale Barberis Canonico and Holland & Sherry, and you can match what you see on the edge against them.

One caution: the name may belong to the mill, to a distributor, or to a cloth line. These are not the same thing. If a name on the edge means nothing to you, ask whether it is the weaver or the merchant, because the answer changes how you compare prices between bolts.

Super count and composition

Beyond the name, selvedges often carry technical marks, depending on the mill:

• Super number (100s, 120s, 150s): the higher the number, the finer the wool fibre. Higher figures give softer, lighter cloth, but not necessarily more durable cloth. Our guide to Super 100s to 150s goes into detail.
• Composition: pure wool, wool-silk, wool-mohair, and the percentage of each.
• Weight: in grams per metre, or ounces for English cloth. This tells you whether the cloth is light or heavy, which matters a great deal in Ho Chi Minh City's climate.
• Design number: a code that lets you find the exact cloth in the mill's book, useful if you later want matching cloth for trousers or a waistcoat.
• Origin: a line such as "Made in Italy" or "Woven in England", where the mill prints it.

Not every selvedge carries everything. Some mills print only a name; others list composition and code. A missing line is not a sign of poor cloth.

Ask to see it when choosing cloth

The routine is simple, and no good tailor minds it:

1. Once you like a cloth, ask the consultant to show you the selvedge of that bolt, or the ticket at the end of it.
2. Photograph the mill name, composition and design number. If you ever need more cloth, you will have the exact reference.
3. Compare the composition on the selvedge with your quotation. The two should agree.
4. Ask whether your cloth will be cut from a full bolt or from a remnant length. Remnants have often lost their selvedge, and with it the clue.

For a tuxedo, do this for both the body cloth and the lapel facing, since the two often come from different sources. To see how Mon Amie groups its cloths by tier, read cloth tiers at Mon Amie.

The limits of this check

The selvedge is useful, but do not bet everything on it.

• It tells you origin and what the mill declares, not quality. One mill makes several grades, and a respected name does not guarantee that every bolt suits your purpose.
• Printed text can be copied. The selvedge is only trustworthy when the cloth comes from a source you trust, and it should be paired with the hand tests in judging cloth quality by hand.
• Many bolts carry no text at all, especially small lots or cloth that has been re-cut. Then you rely on the supplier and on handling the cloth.
• It says nothing about construction. Excellent cloth can still become a poor tuxedo if the pattern and stitching do not match.

In short, the selvedge helps you ask better questions. Good answers still need your eyes, your hands and a tailor with enough experience.

Book a cloth viewing at Mon Amie

If you would like to see the selvedge, feel the cloth and compare bolts side by side, come to a showroom and a consultant will open the rolls for you. You can book a fitting and cloth selection, or read the process first on our bespoke tuxedo page.