What is Gabardine?

Gabardine is a strong, very densely woven twill fabric with fine, pronounced diagonal lines on its face. According to Kadolph it is warp-faced, with far more warp yarn than weft; TRC Needles also writes that the face shows far more warp than weft and that the back is flat. The TDK (Turkish Language Association) dictionary defines gabardin as a kind of thin wool or cotton fabric woven densely (our translation). Gabardine is used in trousers, jackets, suits, uniforms and raincoats.

Gabardine structure

Gabardine belongs to the twill family: a diagonal line forms on the face (CottonWorks). According to Kadolph, the fabric’s distinguishing features are:

• Warp density: There is far more warp yarn than weft, often about twice as much.
• Diagonal angle: The line angle is 45° or 63°. Steep (63°) gabardine is common in menswear and regular (45°) gabardine in womenswear.
• Surface: Fine, slightly raised lines on the face and a flat back (TRC Needles). The luster is matte (Kadolph).

CottonWorks lists gabardine among heavy bottom-weight fabrics woven in 3×1 twill; in a 3×1 twill each warp yarn passes over three weft yarns and under one, which gives higher tear strength. Gabardine is a woven fabric, so its stretch is limited by yarn properties and weave structure (Dönmez, 2008).

Fiber and yarn

Gabardine is generally woven from wool; the best qualities use two-ply worsted yarn (Kadolph). According to Kadolph, gabardine exists in many fiber types, weights and qualities; TRC Needles describes the original fabric as worsted wool, sometimes with cotton added. TDK mentions wool and cotton types.

Gabardine weight (GSM)

Kadolph gives gabardine weight as 7–11 oz/yd². That is roughly 240–370 g/m² (1 oz/yd² ≈ 33.9 g/m²; the conversion is ours). This is a general range from an encyclopedia entry, and the weight of commercial gabardines may differ. Request the weight from the technical data sheet and verify it by ISO 3801 (woven fabric) or EN 12127 (small specimen).

Properties

Kadolph describes gabardine as a strong, durable fabric with a hard or clear finish. Thanks to the tight construction and the firm finish it repels dirt and water and does not crease easily. These properties vary with the fiber, the yarn and the finish; not every gabardine behaves the same way.

Uses

Kadolph writes that gabardine is used in trousers, jackets and suits, uniforms, skirts, raincoats and coats suited to all weather, sportswear, riding clothes, ski clothing, hats and fabric shoes. The fabric is associated with the trench coat: Burberry says its founder developed gabardine in 1879, and TRC Needles says Thomas Burberry patented the fabric in 1888. The dates differ between sources (development and patent may be separate events).

How gabardine differs from similar fabrics

What to specify when sourcing gabardine

1. Write all the components: fiber and percentage, yarn (single or two-ply), warp and weft density (ISO 7211-2), diagonal type (45° or 63°) and weight.
2. Ask for the weight in g/m² and with the test method: ask whether the value was measured by ISO 3801 or EN 12127. A value given in oz/yd² can be converted to g/m² by multiplying by about 33.9.
3. Have a water-repellency claim documented: Kadolph describes the tight construction and hard finish, and TRC Needles describes the yarns of historic gabardine being treated with lanolin before weaving. The name gabardine alone does not give water repellency; ask for the finish and a test report.
4. Put the shrinkage figure in the report: width and length change of gabardine is measured to ISO 5077, and washing and drying follow ISO 6330.

For a general classification of fabrics see the fabric types guide; for gabardine suppliers see the gabardine category.

Frequently asked questions

Is gabardine the same as twill?

Gabardine is a twill fabric, but not every twill is gabardine. Gabardine is a warp-faced, very densely woven twill with fine diagonal lines (Kadolph); twill is the general name of the weave and also covers other fabrics such as denim (CottonWorks).

Does gabardine wrinkle?

According to Kadolph it does not crease easily because of its tight construction and firm finish. This varies with the fiber, yarn and finish of the fabric.

What fiber is gabardine made of?

Gabardine is the name of a structure. It is traditionally woven from wool (worsted), and also from cotton, other fibers or blends (Kadolph; TRC Needles; TDK).

Is gabardine waterproof?

Not every gabardine is waterproof. The tight weave and firm finish help repel dirt and water (Kadolph); according to TRC Needles, the water resistance of Burberry’s historic gabardine came from treating the yarns with lanolin before weaving. Ask for a test report for any water-repellent or waterproof claim.