What flannel is — and why it is special
Flannel was one of the first cloths to be used in mass-market suiting in the late nineteenth century, when the Industrial Revolution made woven wool cloth available to a broader market. But fine flannel — carefully woven from selected wool, finished to a precise standard by a heritage mill — is a very different thing from the flannel suit of the fast-fashion market.
A fine flannel from a heritage British mill — many of the best come from the West of England, where the tradition of flannel milling is centuries old — has a density and a drape that is immediately apparent when you handle it. It falls cleanly from the shoulder, holds a pressed crease well, and softens slowly with wear in a way that reads as character rather than deterioration. A flannel suit that is five years old often looks better than one that is five months old.
Flannel is heavy — typically 280–340 gsm — and warm. In Chennai's cool months, from November to February, it is appropriate. In Chennai's heat, it is not practical. We will tell you this at the consultation and steer you to a tropical worsted or fresco for year-round wear.