A mill weaves cloth. A merchant (or cloth house) designs ranges, has them woven, and sells them to tailors as bunches of swatches. Both kinds are below; we say which is which.
Mill and merchant names are used to describe the cloth we hold. Buttons & Bows is not an official agent of any of them. Bunches change by season, so ask us for a specific number before you travel.
Britain
| Name | Where | Type | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Brothers | Wellington, Somerset · since 1772 | Mill | Woollen and worsted flannels |
| William Bliss | Cotswolds | Mill name, revived by Fox Brothers | Country and sporting tweeds |
| Mallalieus | Delph, Saddleworth | Mill | Woollen cloths: meltons, doeskins, flannels |
| Marling & Evans | England · since 1782 | Mill | English wool suitings and jacketings |
| Alfred Brown | Bramley, Leeds · since 1915 | Mill | Merino worsted suitings |
| Bower Roebuck | New Mill, Huddersfield · since 1899 | Mill | Fine worsted suitings |
| Savile Clifford | Huddersfield | Mill | Formal and tailoring worsteds |
| Huddersfield Fine Worsteds | Huddersfield | Merchant | Worsted suitings, including Fresco high-twist cloth |
| Hardy Minnis | Huddersfield | Merchant | British worsteds, flannels and tweeds |
| Holland & Sherry | London · since 1836 | Merchant | Suitings and fine cloths for tailors worldwide |
| Harrisons of Edinburgh | Edinburgh · since 1863 | Merchant | British worsted suitings and jacketings |
| Smith Woollens | London | Merchant | English worsted and flannel bunches |
| W. Bill | London · since 1846 | Merchant | Tweeds, Shetlands and cashmere |
| Harris Tweed | Outer Hebrides, Scotland | Protected cloth | Tweed handwoven by islanders, defined by the Harris Tweed Act 1993 |
| Glenlyon | Aberfeldy, Perthshire · since 1801 | Mill | Estate and Highland tweeds |
Italy
| Name | Where | Type | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitale Barberis Canonico | Pratrivero, Biella · since 1663 | Mill | Worsted suitings |
| Ermenegildo Zegna | Trivero, Biella · since 1910 | Mill | Worsted suitings such as Trofeo and Traveller |
| Reda | Valle Mosso, Biella · since 1865 | Mill | Merino worsted suitings |
| Cerruti | Biella · since 1881 | Mill | Worsted suitings, including the Nobility Super 150s range |
| Guabello | Mongrando, Biella · since 1815 | Mill | Wool worsted suitings |
| Marzotto | Valdagno, Vicenza · since 1836 | Mill | Wool suitings |
| Carlo Barbera | Biella · since 1949 | Mill | Wool and cashmere suitings |
| Lanificio Rogna | Camburzano, Biella | Mill | Cashmere, wool-silk and wool cloths |
| Angelico | Biella · since 1959 | Mill | Flannels and wool suitings |
| Stylbiella | Biella | Cloth house | Wool suitings and flannels |
| Drapers | Bologna | Merchant | Suitings supplied to tailors in cut lengths |
| Caccioppoli | Naples | Merchant | Neapolitan jacketings in wool, silk and linen |
| Ariston | Naples | Merchant | Jacketings and suitings, renewed every season |
France and Belgium
| Name | Where | Type | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dormeuil | Paris · since 1842 | Merchant | Worsted suitings in named ranges, from everyday to very fine |
| Scabal | Brussels · since 1938 | Merchant, weaving in Huddersfield | Worsted suitings and fancy cloths |
Choosing a cloth for how you will wear it
- Winter suits and trousers: flannel. Fox Brothers, Mallalieus, Angelico and the British merchants all carry it.
- Travel and warm weather: high-twist, open-weave worsted such as Fresco, which creases less and breathes.
- Odd jackets: tweed from Harris, Glenlyon or W. Bill for the country, Neapolitan jacketings from Caccioppoli or Ariston for town.
- Weddings and formal suits: fine worsteds from Reda, Zegna, Cerruti, Dormeuil or Holland & Sherry. Finer is softer but less hard-wearing, so for a suit you will wear often we usually suggest Super 110s to 130s.
Cloth is the biggest variable in price. Made-to-measure starts at USD 700 and full bespoke at USD 1,200; the quote rises with the cloth you choose. Tell us what you like and we send photos of matching bunches before you decide.
Questions people ask
Which cloth mills does Buttons & Bows use?
British mills and merchants including Fox Brothers, Holland & Sherry, Harrisons, Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, Hardy Minnis, Bower Roebuck and Harris Tweed; Italian mills including Vitale Barberis Canonico, Zegna, Reda, Cerruti, Guabello and Carlo Barbera; and Dormeuil and Scabal. The full list is on this page.
Can I see the cloth before I travel to Seoul?
Yes. Tell us the colour, weight and use you have in mind and we send photos of matching swatches by WhatsApp or email.
Can I bring my own cloth?
Ask us first with the length and composition. We need enough cloth for the garment, and we check it before cutting.