Seersucker

Although it has always been one of our most popular fabrics, Seersucker has been having a resurgence recently. Synonymous with warm weather tailoring, this incredibly versatile fabric is popular for shirts and dresses, as well as nightwear, bed linens and soft furnishings.

Seersucker is a lightweight cotton with a crinkle textured stripe. The word seersucker comes from the Sanskrit word shirushakar which means ‘milk and sugar,’ which refers to the contrasting textures of the smooth stripes and the bumpy stripes.

The texture is thought to have originated because seersucker was originally woven from a mixture of cotton and silk stripes which, when washed, will shrink at different rates. These days seersuckers are made mostly of 100% cotton and the texture is achieved by weaving the stripes in different tensions. This is called ‘slack tension weaving’ and is a labour intensive technique.

Seersucker became popular during British colonial times and in the southern states of America at the start of the 20th century. The texture of seersucker means that it naturally sits away from the skin and creates air pockets, making it a cool cotton to wear in hot weather. It also means that the fabric doesn’t need ironed making it perfect for travelling.

Classic Seersucker is blue and white striped, but we also stock coloured stripes, checks and plain colours. You can visit our seersucker collections online here.