November 02, 2023
Our Ultimate Guide to Fall Fabrics
When the leaves turn golden, our wardrobes welcome back cozy corduroy and warm wool. The seasonal embrace is one that our designers consider carefully, from the materials and where they’re sourced to what you’ll feel the most joy wearing.
Some fall fabrics are timeless (we see you plaid patterns and corduroy) while others are fresh takes for autumn wearing. Not sure what fabrics you should be looking for this fall? Dive into our ultimate guide to embracing this season’s textures, warmth, and comfort in sustainability and style.
Mix in some fun details and some interesting (and functional) fabric textures for the perfect fall outfit.
Our favorite fabrics this fall include the classics, but also some fun blends:
British textile manufacturers later developed the classic corduroy ridges we know today, called wales. The term comes from walu, an Old English word meaning weal or stripe. Wales added durability to the fabric and the term is still used as a marker for the thickness of corduroy ridges. For example, you’ll see us talk about a fine-wale cord (lighter weight, like our Scouter Cord) or a classic 14-wale cord (heavier weight, like our Jet Cord Pants).
It's still debated when this fabric became known as corduroy, though the first use of this term dates back to the 18th Century and has French etymology. Thanks to its durability, the fabric gained popularity for working men’s clothes after the Industrial Revolution and then took off as trendy men’s and women’s corduroy pants and jackets in the 1970s.
Corduroy continues to be a timeless and easy to style staple thanks to its lasting durability, softness, and – we’ll say it – stylishness. We love it so much we designed it in all forms, from dresses to shorteralls, pants, jackets, and overalls. Corduroy pairs effortlessly with t-shirts and sweaters, or layered over a button down or dress. We love letting it pack the textural punch to an outfit or add cozy interest to softer fibers, like wool.
Wool has a lot going for it: warmth and insulation against cold temps, classy styling, inherent odor control, and repelling water. The oldest known wool textile dates back to 1500 BC and has developed significantly since then, including the processing of fibers.
We only use recycled or certified non-mulesed wool (AKA cruelty-free) in our clothes and have embraced wool in our fall-wear, and we're also working on adding a third certification to all our wool. The Responsible Wool Standard is a certification process that takes into account animal care and land impact. Our itch-free wool claim to fame comes down to aforementioned sourcing and sustainability, quality, and fiber blends.
Merino wool (one of our faves) comes from Merino sheep and is a fine, softer-than-most type of wool (peek it in our best selling Heartfelt Hoodies). For our heavyweight and warm Folk Yeah Shirt Jacket, recycled wool is brushed to soft perfection and combines powers with recycled polyester for structure and durability. Speaking of combining powers, we also blended alpaca and Merino wool for the ultimate duo of softness and strength in our Toddy Sweater and Toddy Sweater Dress.
No matter what textures, colors, or styles you lean into this fall, you’ll find coziness, comfort, and Mother Nature’s stamp of approval on everything we make. Plus, our clothes have a timelessness that lasts season after season. Dare we say it, you can even wear fall fabrics into spring and summer too (hey, we love a good season mix-and-match 😉).
Some fall fabrics are timeless (we see you plaid patterns and corduroy) while others are fresh takes for autumn wearing. Not sure what fabrics you should be looking for this fall? Dive into our ultimate guide to embracing this season’s textures, warmth, and comfort in sustainability and style.
How To Dress For Fall
Our favorite autumnal styles have all the comfort combined with temperature swinging versatility. Think layers, long sleeves, and sweaters. Traditionally darker and earthier tones of red, orange, purple, and green settle in, but we personally don’t shy away from a dopamine hit of color here and there.Mix in some fun details and some interesting (and functional) fabric textures for the perfect fall outfit.
Fall Fabric Fundamentals
Different fabrics and how they’re made serve a purpose for every season, from warmth to breathability. For example, wool is a fantastic and natural insulator even when wet, and our corduroy, made from 100% organic cotton (or organic cotton and hemp depending on the style), is durable and breathable.Our favorite fabrics this fall include the classics, but also some fun blends:
- Flannels in different weights, made from 100% recycled materials or organic cotton
- Wool that’s recycled or non-mulesed
- Corduroy made from 100% organic cotton
- Balsam Seeded Denim that’s made from unbleached 99% organic cotton
- Fleece made from 100% recycled fibers (either recycled polyester or primarily a blend of recycled polyester and recycled wool
The Corduroy Chronicles
The predecessor to today’s version of corduroy came about in Egypt way back in 200 BC. The material was a heavy cloth with a raised texture, similar to velvet or moleskin but without the distinctive ridges. It traveled to Europe during medieval times and was used to line gowns and doublets for warmth.British textile manufacturers later developed the classic corduroy ridges we know today, called wales. The term comes from walu, an Old English word meaning weal or stripe. Wales added durability to the fabric and the term is still used as a marker for the thickness of corduroy ridges. For example, you’ll see us talk about a fine-wale cord (lighter weight, like our Scouter Cord) or a classic 14-wale cord (heavier weight, like our Jet Cord Pants).
It's still debated when this fabric became known as corduroy, though the first use of this term dates back to the 18th Century and has French etymology. Thanks to its durability, the fabric gained popularity for working men’s clothes after the Industrial Revolution and then took off as trendy men’s and women’s corduroy pants and jackets in the 1970s.
Corduroy continues to be a timeless and easy to style staple thanks to its lasting durability, softness, and – we’ll say it – stylishness. We love it so much we designed it in all forms, from dresses to shorteralls, pants, jackets, and overalls. Corduroy pairs effortlessly with t-shirts and sweaters, or layered over a button down or dress. We love letting it pack the textural punch to an outfit or add cozy interest to softer fibers, like wool.
Wool Clothing
If wool conjures up itchy, uncomfortable, how-much-longer-do-I-have-to-wear-this? thoughts – hang with us. This fiber has come a long way and we’re here to make sure you never have to endure scratchy wool again!Wool has a lot going for it: warmth and insulation against cold temps, classy styling, inherent odor control, and repelling water. The oldest known wool textile dates back to 1500 BC and has developed significantly since then, including the processing of fibers.
We only use recycled or certified non-mulesed wool (AKA cruelty-free) in our clothes and have embraced wool in our fall-wear, and we're also working on adding a third certification to all our wool. The Responsible Wool Standard is a certification process that takes into account animal care and land impact. Our itch-free wool claim to fame comes down to aforementioned sourcing and sustainability, quality, and fiber blends.
Merino wool (one of our faves) comes from Merino sheep and is a fine, softer-than-most type of wool (peek it in our best selling Heartfelt Hoodies). For our heavyweight and warm Folk Yeah Shirt Jacket, recycled wool is brushed to soft perfection and combines powers with recycled polyester for structure and durability. Speaking of combining powers, we also blended alpaca and Merino wool for the ultimate duo of softness and strength in our Toddy Sweater and Toddy Sweater Dress.
No matter what textures, colors, or styles you lean into this fall, you’ll find coziness, comfort, and Mother Nature’s stamp of approval on everything we make. Plus, our clothes have a timelessness that lasts season after season. Dare we say it, you can even wear fall fabrics into spring and summer too (hey, we love a good season mix-and-match 😉).