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Fabrics for Trousers: Top 10 fabrics for your trousers (Complete Guide)

Fabrics for Trousers: Top 10 fabrics for your trousers (Complete Guide)

Trousers are an integral part of almost everyone’s style. They are the workhorses of the wardrobe, often getting frequent, heavy wear. That’s why choosing the right fabric for trousers is important – choosing the wrong fabric can mean your pants won’t look right or won’t hold up over time. 

In this article, we will be going through how to choose the perfect trouser fabric, as well as our top 10 favorite fabrics for stylish, durable trousers.

What Makes a Fabric Good for Trousers?

When sewing pants, it’s important to carefully consider your fabric choice before starting the project. There are certain characteristics that you’ll need to make sure your fabric has in order to ensure the fabric will make a long-lasting, fashionable pair of trousers.  

Discover our "Swatch-Book Josephine - Fabrics For Trousers And Jackets" and get our selection of best fabrics for trousers and jackets!

SWATCH-BOOK JOSEPHINE - FABRICS FOR TROUSERS AND JACKETS

 

Important Characteristics of Good Trouser Fabrics

Trousers get a lot harder wear than most shirts – they need to withstand walking and moving around, as well as sitting on a variety of different surfaces that could be hard on fabric over time. This means that fabric for pants needs to be strong and durable, especially for casual pants that get a lot of use. 

You’ll want to choose fabrics that are relatively densely woven, which lends to a stronger fabric. Heavier, thicker fabrics are also great choices for casual trousers that you expect will get a lot of heavy wear. 

It’s also important that you choose a fabric that won’t lose its shape or get stretched out over time. Make sure your fabric has a bit of natural stretch and good elastic recovery to allow for movement without causing permanent bagging out in the knees or seat. 

Another characteristic you will likely want in almost any trouser fabric is wrinkle resistance. Pants must hold up to a lot of moving around – bending of the knees, sitting, walking around – which will cause all sorts of unsightly creases in a wrinkle-prone fabric. Thicker fabrics or those with some percentage of synthetic fibers are often more wrinkle-resistant than thinner fabrics made from 100% natural fibers (especially linen or hemp). 

Fabric Weights for Sewing Trousers

When looking for trousers fabrics in a physical fabric store, you can feel the fabrics and get a good idea of what type of pants each one would be best for. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find great fabrics online! When you buy fabrics online for making trousers, you will want to check the weight of each one to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your project.  

These weights will usually be listed in either grams per square meter (gsm or g/m2) or ounces per square yard (oz or oz/yd2). The general thing to remember is this – the higher the gsm or oz, the heavier the fabric will be. However, that’s really not enough to base your decision on, so below is a helpful guide to fabric weights for sewing trousers so that you can quickly determine if the weight of the fabric you’re considering is right for your project. 

gsm

oz

weight

types of trousers

<136

<4

very light

too light for most trousers except specialty pants such as ultra-light, silky pajama pants

136-237

4-7

light

lightweight summer trousers, loose and flowy pants

237-305

7-9

medium

lightweight suit pants, light jeans and corduroys

>305

>9

heavy

standard suit trousers, jeans, corduroys, and more

 

Top 10 Fabrics for Sewing Trousers

If you’re looking for high-quality fabric to make that perfect pair of trousers, we have a great selection of sustainable, trouser-weight, European fabrics. Many of our fabrics have certifications ensuring their quality and sustainable credentials, so you can rest assured that you’re getting a top-notch, well-made, and eco-friendly fabric for your wardrobe or fashion line. 

 

Here are our top 10 fabric picks for durable, fashionable trousers:

 

1. Cotton Twill

Twill is versatile and it’s a common fabric for trousers. Its name comes from the weave used to create it – the twill weave. This weave pattern creates diagonal lines across the face of the fabric. These lines can be very obvious or quite subtle, depending on the thread colors used. Twill is very strong, durable, and often mid to heavy in weight, making it perfect for trousers. 

In fact, one of the most common pant fabrics, denim, is a twill weave. However, there are other types of twill fabrics out there, in many different colors, weights, and textures. This beautiful, smooth, organic cotton twill fabric would make for an awesome pair of trousers. 

 

2.  Denim

Denim, one of the most common twill-weave fabrics, is a true classic when it comes to everyday, casual trousers. Almost everyone has several pairs of denim jeans in their wardrobe that get a lot of wear. This fabric is usually thick, mid- or heavy-weight, extremely durable, and comfortable to wear. 

A good denim is a versatile closet staple that will make the ultimate everyday trousers. This heavy-weight, cotton denim fabric is available in a few different shades so you’ll be sure to find the perfect one for your denim trousers.

 

3. Linen

Linen is a beautiful, sustainable fabric made from the stems of flax plants. This fabric is strong, long-lasting, and gets a more rustic, worn-in look with every wash and wear. Linen is a breathable fabric, making it perfect for summer trousers or everyday wear for hot climates. If your denim jeans make you feel too hot and clammy, try a casual pair of linen trousers – you’ll be loving your comfy, relaxed, warm-weather linen pants. The one downside to wearing linen is that it tends to wrinkle, so if you don’t like the rumpled, casual look, linen may not be for you. 

We have lightweight, certified European Flax Linen in a wide range of beautiful colors that are perfect for your summer trousers.

 

4. Linen/Cotton Blend

Love the comfortable breathability of linen, but hate the wrinkles? Or perhaps you want a less lived-in, relaxed look from your trousers? A linen/cotton blend may be just what you’re looking for. Cotton tends to wrinkle quite a bit less than linen and has a bit of a softer touch, so a blend will offer a less wrinkle-prone fabric that feels softer against the skin. 

We offer a selection of linen/cotton blend fabrics that you will love! Try this gorgeous cream 50/50 blend that is perfect for sophisticated, light-weight summer trousers.

 

5. Cotton Gabardine

Gabardine is another classic twill weave fabric that is an awesome choice for trousers and outerwear. It’s a smooth twill fabric, with a smooth face on one side and the traditional diagonal ribs on the other side. This fabric was developed by Thomas Burberry in the 1800s as a durable, tight-woven, hard-wearing, versatile fabric for garments that would be subject to heavy use.

The strength and durability of gabardine make it a wonderful fabric for trousers. We have a lightweight, cotton gabardine fabric with a bit of elastane blended in for comfort and improved elastic recovery that would be a great choice for dress pants.

 

6. Recycled Wool

Wool is a long-lasting, hard-wearing fabric that can be made into durable pants for a variety of purposes – from dress pants, to work pants, to cold weather trousers. It’s a fabric that will hold up to years of heavy use and will keep you warm and cozy while out in the cold. If sustainability in your fashion is important to you, a great thing about wool is that it can be recycled and made into fresh wool fabric, meaning you can make a great pair of wool trousers from eco-friendly, recycled wool. 

We have a huge selection of recycled wool fabrics, including this GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled wool/poly blend fabric. It’s a medium weight fabric in a sophisticated color that would be perfect for a pair of dressy winter pants. 

 

7. Stretch Wool Blend

A stretch wool blend fabric is a classic when it comes to making high-quality suits. Making a suit from a wool or wool blend means you’ll have a durable, breathable, yet insulating suit that will last for many years of wear. Blending in other fibers, such as polyester or viscose, adds wrinkle-resistance and a smoother feel. Choosing a blend that includes an elastic fiber, such as Lycra, will result in a suit with a bit of stretch, leading to a more comfortable garment to wear all day. 

We have a classic black, mid-weight, stretch wool suiting fabric that would be a great option for a high-end, comfortable, long-lasting suit.

 

8. Cotton Satin

Looking for something different and little more luxurious for your trousers? A beautiful cotton satin may be just what you’re looking for. Satin is a fabric that is created with a special weaving technique – the satin weave. This weave results in a luxe fabric with a gorgeous, soft drape and a beautiful sheen across the surface. 

Our lightweight, stretch cotton satin is available in a range of beautiful colors, perfect to make the sophisticated, chic trousers you’ve been looking for.

 

9. Hemp

Hemp is a sustainable bast fiber that is very similar in look and feel to linen. Hemp fibers are extracted from the woody stems of hemp plants and woven together to make this durable, breathable fabric. Hemp is great for lightweight summer trousers, especially those in a casual or flowy style. 

We have a selection of sustainable hemp fabrics in bottom weights available, including this navy blue, lightweight, 100% hemp fabric that would be perfect for a stylish pair of trousers.

 

10. Cotton Corduroy

Corduroy is another classic when it comes to trousers. It’s a durable fabric, usually made from cotton, with unique, striking ridges across the surface of the fabric. The ridges of corduroy can be woven in different widths, from more subtle small ridges to massive, wide ridges. This fabric is great for trousers because of its durability and unique appearance. 

Our certified organic, mid-weight cotton corduroy is available in four classic colors including beige, olive green, navy, and dark grey. Our corduroy fabric would be a great option for a pair of everyday fall trousers.

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