Gabardine Fabric Mills

What Makes a Cloth Gabardine

Gabardine is defined by its weave: a warp-faced twill in which far more warp threads than weft threads show on the surface, packed so tightly that the diagonal rib is steep, fine and pronounced. The original cloth was worsted wool, proofed so that rain beaded on the dense face instead of soaking through, and that combination - tight twill, smooth face, water-shedding finish - is still the specification behind trench coats and rainwear more than a century later. The Gabardine Fabric Definition in the Apparel Search glossary states the construction formally; in buying terms, the rib angle, the yarn and the finish separate a true gabardine from any twill that merely borrows the name.

Fiber decides the cloth's working character. Wool gabardine drapes, breathes and tailors beautifully, and remains the suiting and uniform standard where a sharp trouser crease must survive a working week. Cotton gabardine is the chino and workwear version - matte, washable and hard-wearing. Polyester and polyester-blend gabardines serve uniforms, graduation gowns and budget rainwear, where colorfastness and price matter more than hand. All three share the weave's virtues: the dense warp face resists abrasion and snagging, the smooth surface sheds lint and light rain, and the diagonal structure gives the cloth enough give to sit comfortably without any elastane at all.

Weights, Finishes and Uses

Gabardine is sold by weight and by end use. Light cloths around 200 grams per square metre make shirts, dresses and unlined jackets; the classic suiting and trousering range sits near 250 to 320 grams; coat weights run heavier and are usually the proofed or bonded versions. Finishes multiply the family: water-repellent treatments renew the original rain-shedding purpose, wrinkle-resistant finishes serve travel suiting, and a light calendering polishes the face for formal wear. The cloth's one known weakness follows from its strength - the tight smooth face can shine at seats and elbows under hard friction, and very light colors show the rib's shadow - so buyers of uniform programs specify a mid-tone, a proven finish and a rubbing test before committing to bulk.

The uses list is a history of practical clothing: trench coats and raincoats first, then tailored suits, trousers and skirts, school and service uniforms, military dress, riding and hunting dress in the thornproof weights, and the black gabardine of waiters, clergy and undertakers. Around this directory, gabardine sits in the twill family beside Herringbone, whose rib reverses in stripes, and the wider Fabric Mill Directory indexes the whole section. When enquiring of a mill below, state fiber, weight, width and finish - those four facts are a complete gabardine specification, and a quotation given without them is not yet a price for the cloth you need.

Using This Directory

The listings below are the complete set Apparel Search carries for gabardine: three mills, each linked to its own profile in the Fabric Mills by Name section, in Honduras, China and one further mill whose profile carries its own record. No listing has been added or removed, and none was verified dead, so the standing rule - keep a listing when in doubt - leaves the set exactly as the directory has always presented it. Open a profile for the company's directory record and contact details, and judge a mill by the cloths its profile says it weaves regularly: gabardine is a specialist twill, and a mill tooled for it will name its weights and finishes plainly. Thank you for using the Apparel Search Fabric Mill Directory.

Gabardine Mills Listed in This Directory