Which Fabric Is Best for a Summer Suit?
and How to Choose the Right Fabric
25 March 2026Christopher Kelley4 min read
It can be hard to be a man. In the warm Summer months dressing appropriately can get very uncomfortable. With a marked lack of dress codes these days, it is so easy to just throw on shorts and a t-shirt. You won’t get thrown out of most restaurants, your dinner hosts probably won’t reprimand you, and you will feel cool, fresh, and free as a bird!
This is, of course, the easy way out. As a man of distinction, however, you don’t want the easy way out. You want to cut a handsome figure that your loved ones are proud to introduce to others. Tailoring is the only way at more formal occasions. The trick is simply to choose the right fabrics. Mills all over the world produce summer suit fabrics that make it simple to look debonair in the Summer months without sweating through your year-round wool suit.
Hightwist Wool
Many men and women cannot comprehend wearing wool in the Summer. This is understandable as wool is most commonly thought of in regards to jumpers, mittens, beanies, and long underwear for most people.
Wool is however (in our opinion) the best Summer suiting fabric out there! Wool is durable, breathable, and naturally regulates temperature. For summer, we recommend a hightwist wool with a weight of between 200-250 GSM (grams per square meter).
Wool is however (in our opinion) the best Summer suiting fabric out there! Wool is durable, breathable, and naturally regulates temperature. For summer, we recommend a hightwist wool with a weight of between 200-250 GSM (grams per square meter).
Hightwist refers to the strands of yarn being twisted tighter than usual before being woven into a cloth. This makes the aforementioned cloth much more wrinkle resistant, crisp, and gives it a generally drier, more matte finish. High twist-wool goes by different names depending on the merchant, the most well known being Fresco (Huddersfield), with a slightly coarser, crisper hand, and Crispaire (Holland & Sherry) which is a bit smoother, and softer.
Hightwist, tropical wool, Fresco, whatever you want to call it… nothing breathes better or looks more refined in the heat of Summer. Whether trousers or a suit, you can’t go wrong.
Hightwist, tropical wool, Fresco, whatever you want to call it… nothing breathes better or looks more refined in the heat of Summer. Whether trousers or a suit, you can’t go wrong.
Up here in the Nordics, lightweight high-twist is about as Summery as we need… but still linen is definitely a fan favourite. I’m not sure how this started. Don’t misunderstand, linen is fabulous. It’s durable, it’s sustainable, and you will never find a fabric that breathes better than linen. On top of these benefits, it’s also moisture-wicking, hypoallergenic, and essentially antibacterial. These are not, however, the reasons that most people are so in love with linen. I think for many there is a romanticism about this ancient cloth made of flax. Whether it is the visions of Mr. Darcy emerging from the lake, or memories of Summer holidays past… nobody can say no to linen.
For some occasions, it is also the perfect fabric for a suit - especially in climates found in Spain, Italy, Greece, Thailand, etc. Linen suits are unfortunately not for every occasion. They will, without a doubt, wrinkle a lot and give off a slightly shrubbier vibe. Don’t let this deter you, it is precisely this rakish quality that makes people look so good in linen. Sure it’s casual, but for a summer wedding or a garden party, the nonchalance of a slightly rumpled linen Summer suit will elevate you to a level of elegance your friends and acquaintances will talk about for Summers to come.
For some occasions, it is also the perfect fabric for a suit - especially in climates found in Spain, Italy, Greece, Thailand, etc. Linen suits are unfortunately not for every occasion. They will, without a doubt, wrinkle a lot and give off a slightly shrubbier vibe. Don’t let this deter you, it is precisely this rakish quality that makes people look so good in linen. Sure it’s casual, but for a summer wedding or a garden party, the nonchalance of a slightly rumpled linen Summer suit will elevate you to a level of elegance your friends and acquaintances will talk about for Summers to come.
Silk suiting is one of the more underrated fabrics. Pure silk shares many of the same qualities as linen - breathability, moisture-wicking, light weight, hypoallergenic - but it reads very differently. Silk is soft and smooth. It doesn’t have that rough crunchiness that linen is known for.
Silk suits drape elegantly, and for the more formal Summer events, it will keep you cool while maintaining a high end, luxurious aesthetic. 100% silk isn’t so common these days, but if you find it, I highly recommend trying it out. You won’t regret it.
Silk suits drape elegantly, and for the more formal Summer events, it will keep you cool while maintaining a high end, luxurious aesthetic. 100% silk isn’t so common these days, but if you find it, I highly recommend trying it out. You won’t regret it.
These classic fabrics are all great choices, but linen and silk can be a bit much for most people. They aren’t particularly versatile and if one doesn’t wear suits very often outside of work, it might seem like the kind of garment that hangs in your closet waiting for the “right” occasion to be worn. If this is you, let me introduce you to the king of Summer suiting fabrics… wool, linen, silk blend.
This is an unbeatable fabric. It has the lightness and breathability of linen, the sheen and smoothness of silk, and the durability and structure of wool. This can pass well in the office, at a wedding, Summer parties, or a night on the town. If one is looking for comfort while still maintaining that put together traditional image, look no further. Minimal wrinkles, maximum style.
This is an unbeatable fabric. It has the lightness and breathability of linen, the sheen and smoothness of silk, and the durability and structure of wool. This can pass well in the office, at a wedding, Summer parties, or a night on the town. If one is looking for comfort while still maintaining that put together traditional image, look no further. Minimal wrinkles, maximum style.
Don’t let the dreaded Summer heat keep you down. If you pack up your grey flannel suit for the Summer, you’re not off the hook. This should not be an excuse to show up to your nephew’s baptism in jeans. You just need the right fabrics!
Summer suiting is easy when you know what you’re looking for. As you see here, there are many choices, and if you start blending the fabric compositions together, the options are nigh unto endless. The sun is coming back to us. Days are getting longer and in most of the world, the snows are melting away. Take a look at some exceptional Summer suits and equip yourself for the months to come… without getting a heat stroke at your brother-in-law’s wedding.
Summer suiting is easy when you know what you’re looking for. As you see here, there are many choices, and if you start blending the fabric compositions together, the options are nigh unto endless. The sun is coming back to us. Days are getting longer and in most of the world, the snows are melting away. Take a look at some exceptional Summer suits and equip yourself for the months to come… without getting a heat stroke at your brother-in-law’s wedding.