PROVENANCE [ WORSTED CLASSICS ]

Traditionally the ‘London Shrunk’ finishing process incorporates folding cloth in ‘damping sheets’, the folded pile of cloth generates moist heat. It is left at this stage for 12 to 24 hours before the cloth is pulled out, ‘drawing the damping’, and hung up to air. This stage results in moisture being evenly distributed throughout the cloth. It is then checked for quality, highlighting any faults in the weave, before being refolded with cardboard between each layer of cloth and put in a hot steam press. This gives it an even steam, resulting in the even finish. The excellence of the finish is down to these last stages, the process of the cloth drying over a precise period of time. It allows the weave to shrink and remain in that state, making the cloth needle ready for the next tailoring stages.

Modern-day London Shrunk methods still adhere to the finest of outcomes, the fabric is unstrained and forms well with a permanence that will not be altered during the tailoring process and steam pressing.