Fabric type
Serge Suiting for Uniforms
A heavy, fiber-dyed twill with the rib on both faces, for formal and service dress.
Serge is a twill. Like every twill it is woven on a diagonal rib, but in a serge the construction is balanced so the diagonal shows clearly on both faces of the cloth. It is the cloth long associated with service dress and formal uniforms, and the name tells a buyer the construction, not the fiber.
Ours is Serze Italian Premium, the heaviest suiting in our range: 405 grams per running metre on a 147 cm width, which works out to roughly 275 GSM. That weight gives it the substance to hold a tailored line on jackets, tunics and formal trousers, where a lighter suiting would collapse at the shoulder or bag at the knee.
It is fiber dyed. The colour goes into the fiber before it is spun into yarn, so the shade runs right through the cloth rather than sitting on its surface. That is what gives fiber-dyed serge its depth of shade, and it is why the colour stays even across the roll and holds through repeated dry cleaning, the way formal dress is usually cared for.
Serze is held in six core shades: jet black, ink black, navy, maroon, bottle green and red, the colours formal, ceremonial and aviation uniforms are usually built around. Stock shades ship from 50 meters, so a small batch of ceremonial jackets or a top-up for new joiners does not wait on a full production run.
Properties
- Rib on both faces
- A balanced twill, so the diagonal reads cleanly on either side.
- Heaviest in the range
- 405 g per metre at 147 cm, enough body to hold a tailored line.
- Fiber dyed
- Shade runs through the yarn, even across the roll and through dry cleaning.
- Six core shades
- Blacks, navy, maroon, bottle green and red, held in stock.
Best for
- Formal and ceremonial uniforms
- Aviation and cabin crew jackets
- Service dress and law enforcement
- Corporate blazers and suits
Serze Italian Premium specification
Our serge quality is Serze Italian Premium: a fiber-dyed poly-viscose serge twill at 405 g/m on a 147 cm (58 inch) width, with a wash-fast finish. It is held in jet black, ink black, navy, maroon, bottle green and red.
Its end uses are blazers, ceremonial uniforms, formal jackets and executive suits where depth of colour and a firm drape matter more than light weight.
Where it is used
Serge is often the cloth for the one garment that has to look its best: a school or regimental blazer, a pilot's jacket, a ceremonial tunic or a wedding jacket. Because the colours are fiber dyed and held in a fixed palette of deep shades, a blazer reordered years later can be matched to the same colour as the ones already in use.
Construction, care and comparison
Serge is a tight, even twill with a clear diagonal on both faces. Fiber dyeing colours the fiber before it is spun, so the shade runs right through the yarn and stays deep after repeated wear and cleaning.
Brush the garment between wears and press through a cloth to avoid shine on dark shades. Dry cleaning or a gentle wash at a cool temperature keeps the surface at its best. Compared with standard twill suiting, serge is heavier and more formal. Compared with premium PV twill such as Power Gold, it trades a softer drape for more structure and depth.
Stock shades ship from 50 m per shade, and custom shades are woven to order from 500 m per shade after lab dip approval. Price is on request.
Fabrics
Our Serge fabrics
Individual fabrics in this weave from our range. Composition, GSM and colour cards available on request.
Uniform programs using Serge
FAQ
Serge Suiting: common questions
- What is serge suiting?
- Serge is a twill. Like every twill it is woven on a diagonal rib, but in a serge the construction is balanced so the diagonal shows clearly on both faces of the cloth. It is the cloth long associated with service dress and formal uniforms, and the name tells a buyer the construction, not the fiber.
- Which Benny Cotts fabrics are serge suiting?
- Serze Italian Premium. Every fabric ships with spec and MOQ.
- What uniforms is serge suiting used for?
- Formal and ceremonial uniforms, Aviation and cabin crew jackets, Service dress and law enforcement and Corporate blazers and suits.
- What is the minimum order for serge suiting?
- 50 m per shade from ready stock, and 500 m per shade for custom shades or constructions woven to order.
Need Serge for your uniform program?
Tell us your specs and volumes. We'll match the right weave, weight and shade for your order.