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.
FLEECE FABRICS.
Slide to see our Fleece fabrics.
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. Just a heads-up: you might want to avoid standing too close to your tortoiseshell cat!
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
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. A loose-ish knit structure but creating a chunky thickness.
FRESCO FLEECE.
In a wool & polyester blend, very similar in construction and properties to our Wool Fleece but in a shadow check.
TEDDY FLEECE.
In a brushed loop-pile surface, knitted blend of wool and recycled polyester fibres..
GEOMETRIC FLEECE.
The same sport/outdoor knitted wool & polyester blend as our Wool Fleece but with a geometric pattern.
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.
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.
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.
MERINO FLEECE.
High-quality Italian wool fleece, big and bold check in a perfect winter fleece.
WOOL FLEECE.
A long-standing favourite at Universal Works, Wool Fleece has been a staple in a great many winter collections. Traditionally used as a sportswear fabric, we have fully adopted this knitted blend of Wool and Recycled Polyester into our styles such as Waistcoats, Cardigans, and Zip Jackets, providing practical yet smart options. Ideal for layering, this practical, tightly knitted fabric offers style, comfort and unparalleled warmth-to-lightness ratio.
65% Wool, 35% Recycled Polyester.
OUTERWEAR FABRICS.
Slide to see some of the fabrics used for our Outerwear.
QUILTED 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.
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.
Recycled Poly Tech/Sherpa.
The outer fabric is a densely woven but light-weight recycled polyester & cotton. With a recycled polyester fleece inner.
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.
CARDE TWEED.
A medium to heavy-weight wool blend. Woven in Italy with a dog tooth pattern and warm autumnal colours.
MELANGE MELTON.
Woven in India for a winter in the Himalayas. Wool-Nylon blend for a super strong, warm soft melton style fabric.
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.
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. The clever blending of dyed fleece into yarns gives Harris Tweed its subtle tones and shades which are then woven in crofts in the traditional way. The whole process from start to finish makes this durable fabric a luxury in its own right. You will find the 'Mark of the Orb,' a symbol of authenticity and quality, in each garment.
LIGHTERWEIGHT SUITING.
Slide to see our lighterweight suiting options.
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, no moles Cotton Twill has been a staple fabric for us for many years now.
ITALIAN PINSTRIPE.
turning 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. The high cotton content provides structure, making it an ideal choice for contemporary suiting.
STARRY NIGHT COTTON MIX.
A captivating fabric using deep, dark navy and shimmery blue yarns in a subtle floral, woven jacquard pattern. The design is brought to life with the shimmery indigo thread that catches the light, giving the fabric its starry quality.
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.
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. This fabric maintains its shape and resists creasing.
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.
UPCYCLED ITALIAN TWEED.
One of our lighter winter-weight fabrics, the Upcycled Italian Tweed, is made in a region in Italy known for incorporating recycled materials. 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. The subtle herringbone weave is more pronounced in the olive colourway, while it appears more understated in navy.
MEDIUM-WEIGHT SUITING.
Slide to see our medium-weight suiting options.
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.
ALBUQUERQUE CHECK.
What we love about this eye-catching mid-weight 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, giving it both a distinctive appearance and a tactile quality.
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 which give it a distinctive "white noise" appearance, adding depth and character to its otherwise smooth surface.
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, a characteristic of its 100% recycled Cotton fibres.
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.
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.
BIRDSEYE TWEED.
A birdseye woven, cotton blend, mid-weight suiting with a dry hand feel.
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.
FABRICS WITH WOOL.
Although all wools are not the same, some people do have sensitivity to it. Some of our fabrics might have a minimal wool content so we've only listed fabrics that have a content of 50% or more.
Tweed Knit.
A 60% wool blend with a mixture of recycled and virgin wool fibres and recycled polyamide come together to create this soft-flecked flecked chunky three gauge 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.
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.
STRIPE WOOL MIX.
Black and olive yarns are woven together to create a striped herringbone pattern and texture for this mid-weight wool blend.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ALBURQUERQUE CHECK.
What we love about this eye-catching mid-weight 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, giving it both a distinctive appearance and a tactile quality.
WOOL FLEECE.
A long-standing favourite at Universal Works, Wool Fleece has been a staple in a great many winter collections. Traditionally used as a sportswear fabric, we have fully adopted this knitted blend of Wool and Recycled Polyester a number of styles.
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.
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 wool and alpaca blend is exclusively available in the Kyoto Work Jacket and Bakers Overshirt.
LIGHTERWEIGHT SHIRTING.
Slide to see our lighter shirting fabrics.
Check Ikat.
An unusual 3-colour, square pattern, woven Ikat.
Sydney Stripe.
Three different and versatile striped poplins to add to your winter wardrobe.
Organic Oxford.
In a classic looking 100% organic cotton oxford with timeless appeal.
Multi Stripe Cotton.
A woven stripe with unusually large repeat.
Artist Print Cotton.
A plain weave substantial cotton shirting with a paisley-esq multi-colour print.
Brushed Flannel.
A lightweight soft brushed cotton with subtle yarn colours creates a softened colour effect.
Chelsea Cotton Stripe.
A striped, soft cotton, with contrast heavy top stitching highlights.
SG Brushed Twill.
In a lightweight soft cotton with subtle tonal-coloured yarns in the twill weave.
Security Stripe Cotton.
Plain and simple, the perfect 100% cotton oxford shirting stripe.
MID-WEIGHT SHIRTING.
Slide to see our lighter shirting fabrics.
Dam Marl.
Knitted in Italy, this is a tightly knitted sportswear-style fabric with a heavily brushed but smooth pile surface.
Melton.
A midweight melton, not too heavy.
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.
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.
Soft Flannel Cotton.
A densely woven heavily brushed mid-weight cotton which feels like moleskin.
Recycled Mix Denim.
A denim created from new and recycled cotton. Giving a desirable subtlety of colour.
Cowboy Check.
A medium but substantial weight cotton and wool mix with an eye catching check and loose seersucker-like woven texture.
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.
Brushed Black Watch
Heavier weight upcycled wool blend with large check.
Alaska Cotton
Cotton twill shirting with brushed finish to create a soft cosy hand feel.
Twill Check Tartan
In a heavy and substantial twill check shirting, definitely an overshirt.
Wyoming Check.
In a shadow check in a medium-weight shirting with a heavily brushed surface to create a soft hand feel.
Seersucker PT Check.
A simple cotton seersucker check.
Military Shirting.
A mid weight 100% cotton tightly woven twill shirting.
Tahoe Check.
A heavy cotton twill check.
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