M1380 70% Ramie 30% Tencel Fabric 14S 190 GSM 140cm Width – for Shirts, Dresses and Summer Suits

Item M1380 is a woven 70% ramie / 30% Tencel (lyocell) blend, spun at 14s × 14s in a 54 × 52 density, finished at 190 GSM and 140 cm wide. At 190 GSM it sits just above the middle of the linen weight range — heavy enough to hold a shape on the body, light enough to be a shirt rather than a jacket. The face is a natural, textured surface with the soft pearly sheen that ramie is known for, and the fall is fluid enough that the same cloth works for a dress and for a relaxed shirt.

Pure ramie has the strength, the breathability and the natural lustre, but it is a stiff fibre and it creases readily. Pure lyocell has the softness and the drape, but it can read as too soft for tailoring. In this construction the ramie holds the structure and the texture while the lyocell softens the surface and adds the movement that a mid-weight cloth needs to hang cleanly.

Five properties decide how this cloth behaves in wear. Together they are the reason a ramie / tencel is specified instead of a pure fibre or a cheaper look-alike.

Where this weight sits. In the middle of the range, and the middle is where most linen apparel actually lives. Heavier than the 60–100 GSM cloths used for sheers and summer shirting, lighter than the 200+ GSM linens used for upholstery and heavy tailoring. That makes it the natural choice for shirting that stands away from the body, dresses and skirts that hold a shape, unlined jackets — and the honest trade-off is that lyocell wet strength is lower than ramie, so it asks for a gentler wash.

Pure ramie has the strength, the breathability and the natural lustre, but it is a stiff fibre and it creases readily. Pure lyocell has the softness and the drape, but it can read as too soft for tailoring. In this construction the ramie holds the structure and the texture while the lyocell softens the surface and adds the fluid movement that a 190 GSM cloth needs to hang cleanly.

This is where the lyocell does the most work. Lyocell has a high elasticity and recovery, and it fills the ramie fibre structure in a way that markedly improves crease behaviour — in comparative testing this blend recovered from creasing about 37% better than a comparable pure ramie. At 190 GSM the cloth has enough weight to hang with a clean line and enough body to hold a soft, relaxed shape. Garments made from it need far less pressing than a pure ramie and look less tired after a day.

Lyocell behaves differently from almost every other fibre in this range: its dry strength approaches that of cotton, while its wet strength increases. The result is a fabric that resists abrasion and tearing, and that is at least as strong in the rain or after washing as it is on the shelf — which is not something that can be said of every natural cloth.

The ramie content gives the surface its fine irregular texture and the soft, slightly pearly sheen that ramie is known for. The lyocell content fills the space between the ramie fibres, which is what removes the coarse, scratchy feel that pure ramie can have against the skin — a detail that decides whether a summer shirt is worn all day or taken off after an hour.

Ramie carries an internal cavity structure that draws perspiration in and moves it out again — moisture absorption and drying are roughly three times faster than cotton. The lyocell fibre adds moisture management on top, with absorbency better than cotton and a quick-dry behaviour. Together they produce the porous, heat-dissipating structure that keeps this cloth comfortable through a warm day rather than only at the start of it.

At 190 GSM and 120 to 190 GSM this is In the middle of the range, and the middle is where most linen apparel actually lives. Heavier than the 60–100 GSM cloths used for sheers and summer shirting, lighter than the 200+ GSM linens used for upholstery and heavy tailoring.. It crosses from shirting into light tailoring, and it is worth being clear about which end of the range a buyer is buying.

At 190 GSM this has real substance for a shirt, and it is the weight at which a ramie-tencel stops being a voile and starts behaving like a shirting. The natural texture gives it a relaxed, slightly lived-in quality that photographs well and wears in without looking untidy, and the improved crease recovery means it still looks sharp at the end of the day rather than only at the start of it.

This is where the blend is at its best. The ramie gives the structure that keeps a wide-leg trouser or a loose dress from collapsing, while the lyocell gives the movement that makes the same garment read as fluid rather than stiff. The 140 cm width gives efficient marker making for long panels, and the mid-weight handles a full skirt without being heavy.

The same breathability that works on the body works in the home: curtains, table cloth, cushion covers and lightweight upholstery. It is also widely used as a lining and supporting cloth where a breathable hand is wanted with more body than a pure lyocell would give.