Scabal fabric: what it is and what you pay for
The Brussels cloth house with an English mill, in two minutes
If you have seen the name Scabal on a cloth book or a selvedge, here is what it means in a few paragraphs: who makes the cloth, what you pay for and which one to choose for a made-to-measure suit in Lisbon.
What is Scabal?
Scabal is a cloth house founded in Brussels in 1938 by Otto Hertz. It started as a textile merchant, and in 1973 it bought the Bower Roebuck mill in Huddersfield, in Yorkshire, where much of its cloth is woven to this day. Since 1972 Scabal has had a shop on Savile Row in London, at No. 12. The house is run by the Thissen family; Gregor Thissen is its executive chairman.
What you pay for in Scabal fabric
You pay for English weaving with a design house behind it: in the hand Scabal worsteds feel firm and clean, and the house is known and for a wide range of patterns, from plain navy to bold checks. Its best-known cloths include Golden Carat, a Super 150s from 1990, the Diamond Chip collection from 2000, and Noble Wool Club, a Super 200s woven from wool of family-owned farms. The higher the Super number, the finer and softer the wool, and the more gently the suit should be worn.
Which cloth to choose
For a first suit, choose a navy or charcoal worsted from the everyday books: it keeps its shape and suits the office as well as an evening out. Keep the finest cloths for a suit you will wear on occasion. If you like pattern, Scabal books are a good place to find a check or stripe that still looks calm.
A made-to-measure suit in Scabal cloth
At the atelier we keep the current Scabal books. You choose the cloth by hand, we take your measurements, and the suit is cut and sewn in our own workshop in Portugal with a full canvas. It takes four to six weeks with one fitting, and we deliver anywhere in the world free of charge. The price depends on the cloth and is given at the first meeting. Read more about our made-to-measure suits in Lisbon.
Before you order
Is Scabal an English or a Belgian brand? Both, in a way. The house was founded in Brussels in 1938 and weaves much of its cloth at its own mill in Huddersfield, England.
Is Scabal a good fabric for a suit? Yes. Scabal worsteds are firm and clean in the hand and hold a suit's shape, and the range covers everything from everyday wool to very fine Super 200s.
How long does a made-to-measure suit in Scabal cloth take? Four to six weeks from the first appointment, with one fitting.
Coffee, cloth books and the tailor
We will show you the Scabal cloth books, introduce you to the tailor and take your measurements if you wish. The meeting takes about an hour and commits you to nothing.