Full canvas lining

One of the less well-known features of men’s suit construction is the variation possible when it comes to “canvassing”. The canvas is the interlining – traditionally made of canvas horsehair – placed between the lining and the fabric.

This interlining plays an important role in maintaining the proper balance, structure and shape of the suit, and protects it from deforming and sagging over time.

The cheapest approach used a fused interlining that is glued on to the wool shell of the suit; this helps the jacket to keep its shape, but it cannot conform to the individual wearer and so will lack the natural drape of a canvassed jacket.

A full canvas lining, by contrast, is sewn in. This means it is able to move slightly; and one long-term effect is the way the canvas itself begins to conform to your body’s shape over time, thereby becoming a better fit the more you wear it.

To check if the jacket of a men’s suit has a full canvas lining, try pinching the fabric between the buttonholes. If you can feel three layers, it confirms that the jacket is fully canvassed. If you find two, a half canvas jacket – in which case the sewn canvas extends only over the shoulders and upper parts of the jacket. If you find a single layer, the lining is either glued or fused.