Vitale Barberis Canonico, one number at a time
Vitale Barberis Canonico Super 130s, explained
Super 130s is a measure of yarn fineness, roughly 17 microns, nothing more. On Vitale Barberis Canonico's Four Seasons book, the 40 styles we hold in Shanghai, it is also the top of the range we actually stock: the book runs Super 100s to Super 130s, cut to order in 14 to 20 working days from a one-piece minimum. Anything finer than that, a Super 150s or higher, is not something we hold, and we say so plainly rather than let the number imply otherwise. Centi Sartoria buys this cloth as an ordinary customer of the mill. We are not an authorised dealer, a licensee or a representative of Vitale Barberis Canonico.
Super 100s vs Super 130s vs Super 150s
| Super 100s | Super 130s | Super 150s | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yarn fineness | ~18.5 micron | ~17 micron | ~16.5 micron |
| Feel | Crisp, robust | Soft, still has body | Very fine, silky |
| Durability in daily wear | Most hard-wearing | Balanced, holds up to weekly rotation | Most delicate, creases and shines sooner |
| Best sold as | First suit, travel, daily business | A step-up suit worn weekly | Occasion wear, worn a few times a month |
| Held in Shanghai (VBC Four Seasons) | Yes, cut in 14 to 20 working days | Yes, the top of the book we hold | No, outside our Four Seasons range |
Fineness and durability move in opposite directions past roughly Super 120s. Super 130s is the point on VBC's own Four Seasons book where softness is still paired with a cloth a client can wear weekly, which is why it is the top of the range we hold rather than a compromise stopping point.
Glossary
The terms that actually decide what a Super 130s garment will be like to wear.
- Super number
- A measure of wool yarn fineness defined by the IWTO. Super 100s is roughly 18.5 microns; each step of 10 is about half a micron finer. It describes fineness alone, not weave, weight or how long a garment lasts, so a well-finished Super 100s can outlast a poorly chosen Super 150s.
- Four Seasons
- The VBC book Centi Sartoria holds cut and ready in Shanghai: 40 styles running Super 100s to Super 130s, in the roughly 240 to 280 gram year-round weight band. It is built to be worn across most of the year, not the tropical band a mill this size reserves for a separate summer-only book.
- Cloth weight
- The fabric's weight in grams per metre, which decides the season, not the fineness. Under 240g creases in real heat. 240 to 280g, where Four Seasons sits, is the year-round band most business suits belong in. Over 320g is autumn and winter.
- Reseller, stockist, authorised dealer
- Three different words the trade uses loosely. A reseller buys cloth and sells it on, no permission needed. A stockist holds inventory of it. An authorised dealer is formally appointed by the mill and can speak with its authority. Centi Sartoria buys VBC cloth as an ordinary customer, the first group only. We are not appointed by, or a representative of, Vitale Barberis Canonico.
- One-piece minimum
- Centi Sartoria makes a Super 130s garment from a single piece, at the same ex-factory price structure as a full run. There is no bulk minimum to clear before a shop or client can order it.
Frequently asked questions
What does Super 130 mean on Vitale Barberis Canonico cloth?
It measures the wool yarn's fineness alone, roughly 17 microns, defined by the IWTO. It says nothing about weave, weight or how the garment will actually wear. On VBC's Four Seasons book it also happens to be the finest fineness in the range, which is a separate, useful fact from the number itself.
Is VBC Super 130s good for an everyday suit?
Yes, in a sensible weight. Within Four Seasons' roughly 240 to 280 gram range, Super 130s is soft enough to feel like a step up from Super 100s while still holding up to a weekly rotation. We would not make the same claim for a Super 150s or higher; past that point durability drops faster than the softness gain justifies for daily wear.
Super 130s or Super 150s, which should I choose?
For a client wearing the suit weekly, Super 130s. It is the point on VBC's own range where fineness and daily durability are still balanced. Super 150s and above is finer to the hand and creases and shines sooner, better reserved for a suit worn a few times a month than one in daily rotation.
Does Centi Sartoria hold VBC Super 130s cloth in stock?
Yes. It is the top of VBC's Four Seasons book, the 40 styles we hold cut and ready in our Shanghai atelier. A finished garment ships in about 14 to 20 working days from a one-piece minimum. Anything finer than Super 130s, such as a Super 150s bunch, sits outside this book and is not something we currently hold.
Is Centi Sartoria an authorised Vitale Barberis Canonico dealer?
No. We buy this cloth as an ordinary customer of the mill, the same standing any tailoring house has. We are not an authorised dealer, a licensee, an appointed stockist or a representative, and nothing on this page should be read that way.
What is VBC's Four Seasons book?
The one VBC collection Centi Sartoria holds cut and ready in Shanghai: 40 styles, Super 100s to Super 130s, in a roughly 240 to 280 gram year-round weight. It is built for the three-and-a-half seasons a business suit actually sees, not the hottest climates, which is why we do not sell it as a summer cloth.
Order a Super 130s suit, from one piece
Centi Sartoria cuts VBC's Four Seasons book, up to Super 130s, in our Shanghai atelier, factory-direct, in about 14 to 20 working days from a single garment.