Our Fabrics
At (SUBTRACT), fabric selection is at the heart of our conscious manufacturing processes. We use fabrics that provide you the best aesthetics and optimum comfort without leaving a huge carbon footprint. It is also our intent to promote fair trade practices in the fabrics industry which ensures that all people involved from farmers to factory workers are paid fair wages and work in satisfactory conditions. To ensure this, we source our fabrics from vendors who support fair trade practices.
Our motto: You don’t need to damage the planet to make beautiful clothes.
1. Cotton:
Premium quality cotton, with optimal strength, absorption and comfort, is what makes for durable clothing. Our cotton clothing is made keeping in mind that they are wardrobe staples which will be loved and used frequently. The fabric allows easy breathing and ages beautifully, getting softer with each use.
2. Organic Cotton:
Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. It is cultivated without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. Our organic cotton fabric is completely chemical free. It is planet positive, eco-friendly, skin friendly and has a soft hand-feel. Its durability also makes it economical in the long run.
3. Recycled polyester:
Polyester is one of the most popular materials for comfortable, long lasting clothing. Its lightweight, water repellent, stain- resistant and wrinkle free qualities make it favourable for use in everyday formal wear and athleisure clothing. Recycled polyester allows us to incorporate these features into our garments without causing any additional harm to the environment.
4. Lyocell/ Tencel:
Manufactured from wood pulp, tencel fibres are known for their super soft feeling. We combine tencel with other fibres like cotton and recycled polyester to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of fabrics. Their great strength, efficient moisture absorption and gentleness to skin make our fabrics extremely comfortable to wear.
5. Elastane/ Spandex/ Lycra:
We add 2-5% elastane to select shirts and trousers for stretchability. This stretch helps increase comfort, breathability and range of motion. This property of elastane makes it indispensable in clothing industries which is why organisations like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) allow for any garment to have upto 5% spandex while still being labelled organic.
Fabric Weaves
Weave refers to the pattern in which threads are assembled during fabric manufacturing. Different weaves help provide different aesthetics and functionalities to the same cloth.
1. Poplin/ Plain weave:
Its criss-cross pattern is the simplest weave pattern which forms a very strong, versatile, and durable cloth. Its high density makes it a stable weave.
2. Twill weave:
This type of weave creates a pattern of diagonal lines which make for strong, high density durable fabrics preferred in denims, over shirts etc. Its thickness makes it wrinkle free and the pattern helps hide dirt and stains. The twill weave also drapes well on wearing.
3. Sateen weave:
This weave features long distances between interlocking yarns (called floating yarns) which creates a lustrous appearance on the fabric. Satin is known for its soft and smooth feel which makes it ideal for use in dress shirts and pants.
4. Oxford weave:
This weave has a basket-weave pattern in which threads of a single colour are crossed with a white thread, which makes the fabric look more textured with a two-tone colour appearance. The texture makes the fabric thicker and warm, perfect for a casual button down shirt on cool days. Oxford shirts tend to hold their shape well and are often more durable.
5. Dobby weave:
The dobby weave is a highly unique and beautiful weave. It gives rise to a textured bumpy geometric print fabric useful for making dresses, blouses, suits and the like. A dobby weave makes use of a special piece of equipment called a Dobby that is attached to the loom when creating the fabric. This equipment helps to incorporate small geometric prints into the fabric. Fabrics produced by the Dobby weave usually are made by two coloured threads so that the patterns and designs are noticeable. The alternative to Dobby weaving is printing the design onto the cloth.
Dyeing
All our fabrics are dyed using GOT certified natural processes that cause no harm to the environment.
Interlining
We use 100% cotton interlining which is placed inside the collars, cuffs and some plackets of shirts and in the waistbands of casual/formal trousers to provide rigidity for a crisp look.
Other trims
Our wash care and neck labels are made of recycled polyester. The branded leather id hand sewn onto the garment is made of corn paper/recycled leatherite and can be removed by the wearer if they prefer to do so.
