Sources for good quality cotton gabardine and ventile fabrics?

[Rorschach]

Hi people,

I am considering making some DIY garments, a simple shirt in ventile fabric and simple trousers in ventile, trousers in gabardine cotton. I mean the type of windproof cotton gabardine that was used in the proper windproof smocks of the British army.

Are there sources for good quality gabardine and ventile fabrics? I am looking for black, olive and tan fabrics, not camo. Out of principle, I will not buy anything out of China, so preferably a supplier from the western hemisphere.

There is Stotz for ventile but I do not know if they sell to people or just to businesses.

Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[leaky5]

Hi people,

I am considering making some DIY garments, a simple shirt in ventile fabric and simple trousers in ventile, trousers in gabardine cotton. I mean the type of windproof cotton gabardine that was used in the proper windproof smocks of the British army.

Are there sources for good quality gabardine and ventile fabrics? I am looking for black, olive and tan fabrics, not camo. Out of principle, I will not buy anything out of China, so preferably a supplier from the western hemisphere.

There is Stotz for ventile but I do not know if they sell to people or just to businesses.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Good luck with the search. I have tried many times to get cotton gabardine, eventually I got some from a shop in brick lane in London. Not sure how wind proof it is, I have about 3 m knocking about, if you want I can sent you a sample to see if it is what you are looking for


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Limaed]

Profabrics sells Ventile amongst lots of other useful outdoor fabrics: https://www.profabrics.co.uk/

 

[Jared]

https://www.extremtextil.de

sells Stotz's EtaProof, EtaDry, and EtaSkin

 

[Rorschach]

Thanks guys, those tips cover ventile nicely. There's a local store here, Shelby, that has cordura fabrics etc. for sleeves and hem:
https://www.shelbyoutdoor.com/?cPath=402_22

Leaky5, is that place still selling gabardine? If I obtain a sample and it seems like the right stuff, I may buy some from them.

 

[leaky5]

Thanks guys, those tips cover ventile nicely. There's a local store here, Shelby, that has cordura fabrics etc. for sleeves and hem:
https://www.shelbyoutdoor.com/?cPath=402_22

Leaky5, is that place still selling gabardine? If I obtain a sample and it seems like the right stuff, I may buy some from them.

Drop me your address and I will send you a bit. I think it was Epra fabrics in brick lane


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Billy-o]

There maybe hope for gabardine availability in the future. You have probably seen that alongside people like Hilltrek, a lot of fashion brands like Nigel Cabourn, Margaret Howell, Snow Peak, Tilak etc etc have turned to ventile as a possibility.

One can see the same thing happening with gabardine to a lesser extent. But, gabardine is cheaper and lighter than ventile, so may step into the fray with more confidence in the future.

For example, a little French company, Arpenteur make a couple of nice gabardine jackets - their Mayenne is a good one. Imagine a superlight and absolutely windproof BDU. https://www.heddels.com/2018/03/arpenteur-mayenne-work-jacket/. My point is that there are a bunch of people at it now, and maybe the stuff will become easier to find.

In the end though, a Miltec/Teesar ripstop BDU will do the job, if in rougher fashion

 

[Erbswurst]

Does Tencate tent fabrik would work?

I had a jacket from it over years. It was fine!

 

[Rorschach]

Billy-O, yes, I have noticed a similar trend. Ventile seems to be slowly gaining popularity among the fashion community. Perhaps gabardine availability will also get better.

Erbswurst, is the Tencate fabric similar to gabardine, i.e. completely windproof and rain resistant? I have never heard of this one.

 

[Rorschach]

I did find out that Stotz Twill (bottom of page: https://stotzfabrics.ch/en/outdoorfabrics/ ) is actually the classic gabardine used in the British army smocks!

Here's what I wrote to Stotz:

"I was on Stotz website reading about your Twill fabric which is listed alongside the EtaProof versions. Is Twill the same fabric as the cotton gabardine that was used in many British army SAS windproof smocks? The diagonal pattern on the face of the fabric looks the same but the specs of your Twill seem even better in comparison (i.e. water resistance). I assume it is completely windproof?"

Stotz reply:

"in fact, Twill 230 was used for the Army at the time. We still produce it. The fabric was technically improved in the meantime.

This fabric is windproof.

We have it in black, dark moon, natogreen and white available."

I think this is great news. There is source for the classic gabardine!

 

[Nomad]

Any idea how one would order Stotz fabric? There doesn't seem to be a means on the web site, and it looks like they deal with manufacturers.

 

[Rorschach]

Any idea how one would order Stotz fabric? There doesn't seem to be a means on the web site, and it looks like they deal with manufacturers.

Perhaps one of the stores mentioned in the messages above could order it if requested?