I had a book from before mid-century that focused in every chapter on how to tell quality - silks, woolen, furs, leather and so on. The difference in grades and which materials were most suitable for the typical wear they would get - gloves, handbags, etc. Nowadays, people like to focus on natural fibers and are pleased to find them. Then, it wasn't enough to just buy wool. What grade of wool, what weave?
I recently read a menswear article that explained how different woolen weaves, length of fiber, combing technique produced either a softer, slightly fuzzier wool flannel or else a much smoother, crisper, harder-edge woven. Now I finally understand how a women I happened to be walking behind in the city years ago had such a beautifully crisp green and white donegal-looking tweed jacket. It's not just pressing and construction. It had the look of tweed but was polished to a fare-thee-well.
