Technology to save suits from water and wine

Tag : Cloths Trousers


The £2,300 bespoke suits, developed using nano-technology, repelspillages causing them to bead up and roll off garments.

The suits use Nanobloc, a stain and water resistant cloth finish,which was developed by a Yorkshire textile finisher and applied tothe cloths by a Savile Row cloth merchant and fabric weaver.

Toby Luper, director of Hemingway, which has made suits forpresenters Vernon Kay, Davina McCall and Chris Evans and footballerRio Ferdinand plus trousers for comedian Johnny Vegas, tested thesuits' water-resistant qualities by stepping into a fountain inLeeds.

He said: "I got absolutely drenched and within 10 or 15 minutes Iwas bone dry. It creases but they fall out quickly. It is anamazing fabric."

Nanobloc was created by Huddersfield based textile finishers WTJohnson and Sons. Hemingway said the finish does not affect thesoft feel or breathing of luxury cloths.

Holland and Sherry has applied the technology to a wide range ofcloths, including worsteds woven at Joseph H Clissold in Bradfordand Hemingway Tailors.

Mr Luper's firm, which already markets its products as far
away as Canada, has sold 12 of the Nanobloc suits in three weeks.

He believes that demand will increase in spite of the economicdownturn which has forced consumers to reign in their expenditure.

He said: "Clients are buying strongly into this new technology.Nanobloc cloths are ideal for businessmen on the move, particularlyin countries with high humidity, and also for our own inclementweather.

"Whenever things are tough financially people like to dress up moresmartly .