The making of a man’s tie

There are three different ways to sew a tie:

The simplest way is to sew the fabric-tube with a regular sewing machine. The disadvantage here is that the seam consisting of upper and lower thread is quite inflexible and thus the necktie cannot be tied easily.

The second method is with the LIBA machine. The tie is turned inside out and will be sewn with a single thread. Then it will be turned back to the original side.

The last, but not least, is our handmade bespoke ties. The tie will be cut manually, brought into the right form, fixed with pins and finally sewn with needle and thread. Quality ties are solely manufactured by the two latter methods, while it is often a combination of both.

Cutting

The fabric will be spread over the cutting table and then cut. After length and width are specified by design led templates; patterned fabrics are often be cut by hand, one by one, to guarantee an appealing design when the tie is completely sewn.
Quality work can be seen at first sight: the pattern is straight and runs down the centre towards the tip of the tie.

The Interlay and the Lining

Parallel to cutting the outer fabrics, interlay, lining and the fabric for the loop at the back are prepared. The interlay consists of cotton or wool, depending on weight and yarn count of the outer fabric.

Our bespoke ties have full interlay from tip to tip finished with TWTC “self-tipping”, alternative option is made available on request. The correct fit of the interlay is vital to ensure that the necktie can be easily tied. It should fill out the outer material exactly up to the rim. If it is too wide, the outer fabric of the tie will crinkle, if it is too narrow, it will slip back and forth.

The Sewing

Handmade ties are brought into the final form, fixed with pins – so that they will not shift around when sewing – and then closed manually with the so-called “slip stitch“.
You can recognize this by the rest thread, which can be found at the inner side of the wide end of a completed tie. You should never cut it off since the tie might unravel. Next, the keeper and the label will be sewn onto the back. As the last step, the tie has to be steamed carefully to remove possible pressure marks.

Jacquard woven or printed twill?

The selection of ties seems innumerable and ambiguously arranged. Actually there are two main classes of ties – printed silk or polyester and Jacquard woven silk or polyester – but what is the difference?

Print on silk means that the manufacturer prints patterns or motifs onto white silk polyester twill fabrics with the screen-printing technique. A separate screen must be fabricated for each colour printed. If an image or pattern consists of 8 colours, it goes through the print process 8 times. Thus, the greatest precision is a must to avoid overlapping of colour applications.

Jacquard woven ties the colours, patterns and images are formed during the weaving process when different coloured yarns are used. Through warp and weft, on the loom, any patterns can be designed, from single-coloured ties with significant diagonal stripes of twill weave to the filigree Paisleys.

Which style one prefers is matter of taste? Jacquard woven ties are usually a bit heavier than screen-printed silks and thus preferably worn all year around. The screen printed silks are especially suitable for the warmer seasons since they are usually made of lighter fabrics. Many tie lovers have both kinds, since each has its own charm.