What’s On the Inside Counts

Full canvas construction has always been the best, and correct way to make a tailored clothing jacket. First some sartorial anatomy.

The exterior fabric of your suit is connected to the interior lining. Unlike a shirt, a jacket has a foundation that the fabric attaches to by way of glue (fused) or threads against canvas, the best version being hand stitched threads.

Department store suits, while being incredibly affordable, are glued or fused, together. It’s just what is sounds like, hot glue suiting may be flattering for one wear, but one trip to the dry-cleaner will create immediate changes in the shape of a fused, or "hot glue” suit.

The better way a suit can be constructed is by using thread and before mentioned canvas. Suiting canvas is typically made of natural fibers like linen, cotton felt, and sometimes horsehair; all of these textiles are malleable when they interact with body heat. This creates a “living” garment that will actually wear better over time.

Half Canvas vs. Full Canvas

As we’ve identified that having a canvas suit is far better than the glue option, any cursory search will bring you to the half canvas vs. full canvas question. I’m going to let the cat out of the bag; there is absolutely never an occasion that a half canvas suit is better than a full canvas in any serious suiting conversation. The only beneficiary of a half canvas suit is the company that sells that construction as it less expensive than full canvas.

Automobile vernacular is an appropriate analogy here where half canvas would be a four cylinder and full canvas would be 8+ cylinder. It is called half because of how far the interior canvas extends down the front of the jacket; half usually extends to the middle or top button instead of extend to the bottom skirt as in full canvas construction.

The Red Herring that companies often present is to conflate canvas construction to lining style; don’t be fooled. Canvas construction is a completely separate conversation as you can have a fully canvassed suit jacket that is unlined, 1/2 lined of fully lined.

At Beyond Measure Custom, we take pride in our fabrics and textiles we use on the outside of all of our suits which is why we only create full canvas suiting for the ultimate engine and construction built to last for years and decades to come.