THE AW24 FABRIC GUIDE.
Tracing a UW garment back to its beginnings would likely lead you to a fabric swatch or two. For us, everything starts with the fabric, and we take immense pride in this part of the process.
Each season, we carefully source the very best fabrics from around the world for our collections. While a lookbook image can only do so much to convey the true essence of a cloth, we understand that not everyone has the opportunity to visit one of our stockists or a UW store to experience it firsthand.
That is why we have created our Autumn-Winter '24 Fabric Guide, featuring close-up imagery, detailed descriptions, and key details for a selection of our seasonal fabrics. This guide is designed to help you make well-informed decisions about your purchases. So far, it includes eight entries, with more on the way. Enjoy discovering what makes these fabrics stand out.
FLEECE FABRICS.
Slide to see our Fleece fabrics.
WOOL FLEECE.
A long-standing favourite at Universal Works, Wool Fleece has been a staple in a great many winter collections. This practical, tightly knitted fabric offers style, comfort and unparalleled warmth-to-lightness ratio.
Fabric Weight: 290g/m².
YLANG FLOWER FLEECE.
This is the same knitted wool & polyester blend and construction as our Wool Fleece but with a digital-camo-inspired floral design that is probably our loudest wool fleece yet.
Fabric Weight: 200g/m².
PATCHWORK FLEECE.
A soft fleece, this has a long pile texture, and is the same practical and cosy quality we have used over past winters.
Fabric Weight: 400g/m².
JACQUARD FLEECE.
Although on a first glance, it initially appears to be a woven heavy Tweed, it is actually knitted. A wool blend fabric with a loop surface texture, brushed which softens and blends the colours of the check.
Fabric Weight: 450g/m².
FRESCO FLEECE.
In a wool & polyester blend, very similar in construction and properties to our Wool Fleece but in a shadow check.
Fabric Weight: 295g/m².
TEDDY FLEECE.
A knitted fabric with brushed loop-pile surface in a blend of wool and recycled polyester fibres. With a tonal blend of colours to give a marled appearance.
Fabric Weight: 335g/m².
GEOMETRIC FLEECE.
The same sport/outdoor knitted wool & polyester blend as our Wool Fleece but with a geometric pattern.
Fabric Weight: 235g/m².
MOUNTAIN FLEECE.
A soft fleece, this has a long pile texture, and is the same practical and cosy quality we have used over past winters.
Fabric Weight: 276g/m².
MARBLE FLEECE.
In a similar knitted fabric as our Wool Fleece but with a higher wool content and a blend of coloured yarns for a marled pattern.
Fabric Weight: 250g/m².
MISSISSIPPI FLEECE.
A knitted fabric similar in structure to our Wool Fleece but with a high wool content mixed with cotton and a vibrant graduated stripe.
Fabric Weight: 250g/m².
LIGHTER-WEIGHT SUITING.
Slide to see our lighter-weight suiting options.
BRUSHED POLY TECH.
A tightly woven compact fabric which gives a clean utilitarian look which is robust and holds its shape. A blend of 65% recycled polyester and 35% cotton fibres with a brushed surface which creates a peach-like hand feel to the surface.
Fabric Weight: 260g/m².
BRUSHED MOLESKIN.
A fabric that combines the best of both softness and durability. This densely woven fabric features a lightly brushed surface that mimics the tactile quality of suede or mole fur. Rest assured, the hand feel here is more like a cotton flannel than a mole!
Fabric Weight: 268g/m².
ITALIAN PINSTRIPE.
Returning for another Winter season, this two-tone brown Pinstripe is a mid-weight fabric made from 70% Cotton. With a lightly brushed surface, it feels soft against the skin while maintaining durability for everyday wear.
Fabric Weight: 225g/m².
UPCYCLED ITALIAN TWEED.
This blend of Cotton and Upcycled Wool yarns is used specifically for our suiting. We appreciate how the Wool breathes, offering a looser structure, excellent recovery, and crease resistance.
Fabric Weight: 205g/m².
RECYCLED SOFT WOOL.
Returning for another winter season this fabric is a mid-weight wool blend using recycled wool fibres. It has the appearance of melton but is loftier and with a soft hand feel.
Fabric Weight: 235g/m².
VETA UPCYCLED COTTON.
Woven in Prato, synonymous with the textile industry. We love it for the wide use of fabrics woven from yarns blending recycled fibres.
Fabric Weight: 195g/m².
MID-WEIGHT SUITING.
Slide to see our mid-weight suiting options.
STARRY NIGHT COTTON MIX.
A captivating fabric using deep, dark navy and shimmery blue yarns in a subtle floral, woven jacquard pattern; brought to life with the shimmery indigo thread that catches the light, giving the fabric its starry quality.
Fabric Weight: 215g/m².
CORD.
This one is our regular Autumn/Winter collection corduroy available in trousers and jackets. It is an 8-Wale, mid-weight cord, the lower the number of wales the more pronounced the cord effect, and is available in two colours black and fawn.
Fabric Weight: 300g/m².
PRINTED FLANNEL.
This wool blend, mid-weight fabric showcases a unique broken floral pattern, rotary-printed on a grey mélange Flannel. It adds a distinctive touch to your Autumn-Winter wardrobe.
Fabric Weight: 185g/m².
LEVISHAM WOOL MIX.
A medium-weight suiting fabric using a blend of recycled yarns and colours all bought together in a subtle herringbone weave. This blending creates salt-and-pepper flecks adding depth and character to its otherwise smooth surface.
Fabric Weight: 300g/m².
RECYCLED DENIM.
This fabric’s manufacturing process embraces a more circular approach. The uniform indigo-like colour resembles denim but is woven using the same yarn in the warp and weft which on closer inspection reveals subtle slubs and flecks.
Fabric Weight: 380g/m².
TWIST WOOL CHECK.
A medium weight suiting with a high content of recycled wool yarn. In a marled, mixed colour check to work well with a winter wardrobe.
Fabric Weight: 215g/m².
ANDERS WOOL UPCYCLED.
In a medium-weight suiting using a mix of recycled, tonal fibres in a birdseye weave creating a grey full of character and texture.
Fabric Weight: 280g/m2.
ALBUQUERQUE CHECK.
What we love about this eye-catching midweight wool blend is its intriguing texture, and subtle blend of earthy colours creating the graph paper-like check pattern. The weave creates a seersucker effect which brings the fabric and pattern to life.
Fabric Weight: 240g/m2.
BIRDSEYE TWEED.
A birdseye woven, cotton blend, mid-weight suiting with a dry hand feel.
FABRICS WITH WOOL.
Although all wools are not the same, some people do have sensitivity to the fibres. Some of our fabrics might have a minimal wool content so we've only listed fabrics that have a content of 50% or more.
WOOL ALPACA MIX.
This wool and alpaca blend is a double-face jacquard weave that stands out for its interesting design and colour combination. Lightweight yet warm and soft to the touch, this.
Fabric Weight: 390g/m².
SUPERSOFT KNIT.
A five gauge plain knit in 100% Shetland Wool. To create a more textured look we have used the reverse of the knit.
TWIST WOOL CHECK.
A medium weight suiting with a high content of recycled wool yarn. In a marled, mixed colour check to work well with a winter wardrobe.
Fabric Weight: 215g/m².
STRIPE WOOL MIX.
Black and olive yarns are woven together to create a striped herringbone pattern and texture for this mid-weight wool blend.
Fabric Weight: 240g/m².
BRITISH WOOL.
100% British wool yarn knitted in a gauge single rib with pattern. Used primarily for accessories such as our short watch caps or scarves.
PRINTED FLANNEL.
This wool blend, mid-weight fabric showcases a unique broken floral pattern, rotary-printed on a grey mélange Flannel. It adds a distinctive touch to your Autumn-Winter wardrobe.
Fabric Weight: 185g/m².
RECYCLED SOFT WOOL.
Returning for another winter season the fabric is a mid-weight wool blend using recycled wool fibres it has the appearance of melton but loftier and with a soft hand feel.
Fabric Weight: 235g/m².
HARRIS TWEED®.
Harris Tweed is a fabric that has earned its place in many of our winter collections, a testament to its timeless appeal and craftsmanship. Dyed then handwoven from pure virgin wool in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, check out our visit to see the dying process.
Fabric Weight: 300g/m².
MELTON.
A fabric that embodies the essence of timeless winter style. A heavy, wool blend, perfect for the colder months. With its thick, felt-like texture, it offers durability, wrapping you in comfort while maintaining a refined look.
Fabric Weight: 335g/m².
ALBURQUERQUE CHECK.
What we love about this eye-catching midweight wool blend is its intriguing texture, and subtle blend of earthy colours creating the graph paper-like check pattern. The weave creates a seersucker effect.
Fabric Weight: 240g/m2.
WOOL FLEECE.
A long-standing favourite at Universal Works, Wool Fleece has been a staple in a great many winter collections. This practical, tightly knitted fabric offers style, comfort and unparalleled warmth-to-lightness ratio.
Fabric Weight: 290g/m².
ECO WOOL.
A good quality wool yarn we have confidence in and return to each winter.
MELANGE MELTON.
Woven in India for a winter in the Himalayas. Wool-Nylon blend for a super strong, warm soft melton style fabric.
MERINO KNIT.
A merino blended yarn is chosen to create this square, waffle-like texture and pattern.
CARDE TWEED.
A medium to heavy-weight wool blend. Woven in Italy with a dog tooth pattern and warm autumnal colours.
Fabric Weight: 365g/m².
LIGHTER-WEIGHT SHIRTING.
Slide to see our lighter-weight shirting fabrics.
CHELSEA COTTON STRIPE.
A striped, soft cotton; the Utility Shirt features contrast heavy top stitching highlights.
Fabric Weight: 96g/m².
FINE CORD - 16 WALE.
It is the lightest weight of all our cords but still feels like a ‘winter weight’, the appearance of the wales is subtle and it makes the perfect overshirt fabric. This is available in three colours; olive, bark, and navy and two styles, Bakers Overshirt & Kyoto Work Jacket.
SYDNEY STRIPE.
Three different and versatile striped poplins to add to your winter wardrobe.
Fabric Weight: 106g/m².
CHECK IKAT.
An unusual 3-colour, square pattern, woven Ikat.
ORGANIC OXFORD.
In a classic looking 100% organic cotton oxford with timeless appeal.
Fabric Weight: 135g/m².
MULTI STRIPE COTTON.
A woven stripe with unusually large repeat.
Fabric Weight: 101g/m².
BRUSHED FLANNEL.
A lightweight soft brushed cotton with subtle yarn colours creates a softened colour effect.
Fabric Weight: 140g/m².
SG BRUSHED TWILL.
In a lightweight soft cotton with subtle tonal-coloured yarns in the twill weave.
Fabric Weight: 130g/m².
SECURITY STRIPE COTTON.
Plain and simple, the perfect 100% cotton oxford shirting stripe.
Fabric Weight: 126g/m².
MID-HEAVYWEIGHT SHIRTING.
Slide to see our mid-heavyweight shirting fabrics. Some are heavier than others!
DAM MARL.
Knitted in Italy, this is a tightly knitted sportswear-style fabric with a heavily brushed but smooth pile surface. A blended yarn with a subtle mix of tonal-coloured strands, giving it a variegated look.
Fabric Weight: 215g/m².
ARTIST PRINT COTTON.
A plain weave substantial cotton shirting with a paisley-esq multi-colour print.
Fabric Weight: 407g/m2.
MELTON.
A midweight melton, not too heavy, selected for our Easy Jacket. Simple, unstructured, and easy to wear with two front patch pockets. Looks great thrown over anything!
Fabric Weight: 335g/m².
HERRINGBONE DENIM.
This denim version has been incredibly popular for a number of years so how could we leave it out! Soft to handle and so easy to wear developing a unique patina over time.
Fabric Weight: 6.5oz.
LAKE COTTON.
A heavyweight woven and brushed multicoloured check. A structured fabric with a woven raised texture. A structured brushed cotton with a flat and raised textural weave.
Fabric Weight: 275g/m².
SOFT FLANNEL COTTON.
A densely woven heavily brushed mid-weight cotton which feels like moleskin.
Fabric Weight: 260g/m².
RECYCLED MIX DENIM.
A denim created from new and recycled cotton. Giving a desirable subtlety of colour.
Fabric Weight: 9oz.
COWBOY CHECK.
A medium but substantial weight cotton and wool mix with an eye catching check and loose seersucker-like woven texture.
Fabric Weight: 210g/m².
FINE CORD.
Our other similarly named Fine Cord has 12-Wales, so they are slightly more visible, and this one has more weight and structure. It is available in two colours; brown and navy and two styles Field Shirt and Uniform Jacket.
EARTH II CHECK.
A heavy weight and robust, 100% cotton herringbone weave with bold check. Made exclusively for us.
Fabric Weight: 430g/m².
BRUSHED BLACK WATCH.
Heavier weight upcycled wool blend with large check.
Fabric Weight: 215g/m².
ALASKA COTTON.
Cotton twill shirting with brushed finish to create a soft cosy hand feel.
Fabric Weight: 190g/m2.
TWILL CHECK TARTAN.
In a heavy and substantial twill check shirting, definitely an overshirt.
Fabric Weight: 150g/m².
WYOMING CHECK.
In a shadow check in a medium-weight shirting with a heavily brushed surface to create a soft hand feel.
Fabric Weight: 168g/m².
SEERSUCKER PT CHECK.
A simple cotton seersucker check.
Fabric Weight: 95g/m².
Military Shirting.
A mid weight 100% cotton tightly woven twill shirting.
Fabric Weight: 150g/m².
TAHOE CHECK.
A heavy cotton twill check.
Fabric Weight: 236g/m².
OUTERWEAR FABRICS.
Slide to see some of the fabrics used for our Outerwear.
QUILT DENIM.
A stone-washed denim with medium-insulation and onion quilting creating a heavy-weight fabric. The light stone-wash effect is perfect for that worn-in, vintage look. Available in two styles, the Gower Jacket and weekend gilet.
Fabric Weight: 525g/m².
HARRIS TWEED®.
Harris Tweed is a fabric that has earned its place in many of our winter collections, a testament to its timeless appeal and craftsmanship. Dyed then handwoven from pure virgin wool in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, check out our visit to see the dying process.
Fabric Weight: 300g/m².
ALPACA RECYCLED MIX.
This beautiful, luxurious look and feel fabric will cocoon you in warmth and style. A blend of yarns incorporating 10% Alpaca whose long exposed fibres along with warmth add texture to the surface, a graduated stripe and stylish blend of colour come together richly textural, luxurious-looking fabric.
Fabric Weight: 350g/m2.
Recycled Poly Tech/Sherpa.
The outer fabric is a densely woven but light-weight recycled polyester & cotton. With a recycled polyester fleece inner.
Fabric Weight: (Polytech) 135g/m².
MELTON.
A fabric that embodies the essence of timeless winter style. A heavy, wool blend, perfect for the colder months. With its thick, felt-like texture, it offers durability, wrapping you in comfort while maintaining a refined look.
Fabric Weight: 335g/m².
CARDE TWEED.
A medium to heavy-weight wool blend. Woven in Italy with a dog tooth pattern and warm autumnal colours.
Fabric Weight: 365g/m².
MELANGE MELTON.
Woven in India for a winter in the Himalayas. Wool-Nylon blend for a super strong, warm soft melton style fabric.
QUILTED JAPANESE PRINT TWILL/CORD.
A combination of a woven and printed Japanese fabric and our exclusive 3/1 Cotton Twill weave, this fabric is available in our Quilted Kyoto Work Jacket.
MID-WEIGHT FABRICS.
Slide to see some of our mid-weight fabrics. This selection is used throughout our collection for jackets, trousers, sweatshirts and outerwear alike.
13oz SELVEDGE DENIM.
Made in a vintage style from 13oz narrow loom red selvedge denim, this fabric goes through a slow process similar to American denim in the last century. A 3/1 twill weave, it has a indigo-dyed yarn over undyed natural yarn, creating a rigid texture that will soften with wear and use.
Fabric Weight: 13oz.
SWEDISH CAMO.
In a technical wax fabric from Halley Stevensons of Dundee, Scotland. A Swedish camo print in our seasonal colours.
Fabric Weight: 140g/m².
WINTER TWILL.
A cotton with a pronounced twill weave and dry hand feel.
Fabric Weight: 285g/m².
11oz INDIGO DENIM.
This is a medium-weight denim, that has been traditionally dyed with natural plant-based indigo. The denim is then given a rinse garment wash to remove any shrinkage. Super comfortable and easy to wear, this is a hard-wearing denim that is destined to be your new go-to.
Fabric Weight: 11oz.
SOFT WOOL COTTON KNIT.
A double-sided knitted fabric that creates a marled surface. A grey marl cotton interior is used inside against the skin and the wool creates the look and texture on the outside.
Fabric Weight: 320g/m².
QUILT COTTON.
A cotton poplin style fabric with a smooth surface hand feel. Quilted in an onion pattern with a light-ish-weight polyester filling.
CALI DENIM.
A mid-weight 11.5oz denim. 100% cotton with a slightly brushed surface. Dyed to create a soft black shade.
Fabric Weight: 315g/m².
BRUSH BACK SWEAT.
A soft 320g brushed back cotton. Used for our sweatshirts, the reverse of the fabric is used for the body to create contrast with the sleeve.
Fabric Weight: 320g/m².
RC DENIM.
The 'RC denim' is a soft light-wash and light-weight denim, which gives the garment a loose silhouette- perfect for laid-back, warmer days.