Best Fabric for Jackets and coats: Top Choices Compared

The best fabrics for jackets and coats are tweed, wool and twill. The right choice depends on the look you want, the season and how much care you can give it. This guide explains the options and what to watch for.

Top fabrics for jackets and coats

Tweed: Textured, structured and warm with a classic look. Keep in mind: heavy and scratchy, so line the garment. See our tweed or the tweed guide.
Wool: Warm, resilient and naturally crease-resistant. Keep in mind: usually dry-clean only. See our wool or the wool guide.
Twill: Strong diagonal weave that wears well and resists creasing. Keep in mind: can feel heavy in hot weather. See our twill or the twill guide.
Canvas: Tough and hard-wearing, made to hold its shape. Keep in mind: stiff, and not for flowing garments. See our canvas or the canvas guide.
Corduroy: Warm ribbed pile that is durable and casual. Keep in mind: heavy, and the pile needs one-way cutting. See our corduroy or the corduroy guide.
Velvet: Rich, deep colour and a soft pile that feels luxurious. Keep in mind: warm, needs dry-cleaning, and the pile must be cut in one direction. See our velvet or the velvet guide.

How to choose fabric for jackets and coats

Pick a fabric with body and warmth. Tweed and wool give classic structure, while canvas and twill suit casual jackets.

What to avoid

Soft, light fabrics will not hold the shape.

Which fabric for which season?

Wool, tweed and corduroy are best for winter. For hot weather, the best picks for jackets and coats are wool, twill, canvas. For cold weather, try tweed, wool, corduroy.

Find jackets and coats fabric in stock

Use our fabric finder to filter by season, look and budget and see what we have in stock. You can also match a shade with the colour finder, or work out quantity with the fabric calculator.