By Bernhard Roetzel.

I used to be fairly satisfied that Everlasting Fashion readers wouldn’t want an evidence of the time period ‘Loden’. Nonetheless, I questioned whether or not a really English retailer like Cordings felt the necessity to outline the phrase, so I searched it their web site. 

I discovered 27 merchandise product of Loden there, together with probably the most well-known garment made within the cloth, the Hubertus coat (above). The ‘type description’ describes the material as “a tightly woven wool which is then felted to present it a sturdy but supple deal with, naturally heat and waterproof”.

It’s appropriate that Loden is a woven materials, historically of woollen yarn. It’s not felted although, it’s fulled. The distinction between felting and fulling, felt and Loden is necessary. Felt is created by fulling wool fibres in scorching water, earlier than weaving them. Fulling woollen cloth that has already been woven leads to Loden.

Fulling principally means soaking woollen fabric in scorching water and cleaning soap, earlier than somebody kilos and wrings the material together with his fingers or stamps it together with his ft. The result’s that the floor of the material turns into denser, the sample of the weave disappears, and each wind and water are saved outdoors.

(Under: outdated after which trendy fulling processes)

It’s unknown when and the place fulling was invented and first used to complete materials. By the Center Ages it was already well-known in northern and center Europe. Quickly after the method began to be mechanised with the introduction of water-powered fulling-mills. There the materials had been pounded with picket hammers to create the specified outcome. 

Within the Alps fulling mills have been round roughly because the sixteenth century. Peasants often spun the fibres of their sheep at residence, the materials had been woven on website by travelling weavers, and the peasants then carried their fabric to a neighborhood fulling mill, the place the Loden was created. 

In the course of the nineteenth century Loden began to be produced on an even bigger scale as a consequence of its rising recognition. In the identical method Queen Victoria made tartans and tweeds widespread in England, Austrian royalty began a trend for nation put on product of Loden of their empire, after which in neighbouring Germany. 

The unique Loden cloth was product of wool from the sheep residing within the mountain areas. Their hair was pretty coarse, which meant a equally coarse kind of Loden. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century weavers began including merino, cashmere or Angora to create softer, lighter or luxurious variations. Extra just lately a small share of artificial fibre has typically been added, to make the material extra water repellent and to decrease the price.

Inexperienced Loden remains to be extensively worn for the huntsman and forester in Germany and Austria (beneath), despite the fact that trendy looking garments made of synthetic fibres are extra widespread. For on a regular basis looking, cheaper Loden materials are often used. Loden usually has the benefit for the huntsman of being noiseless.

Loden is available in many colors these days. Initially gray, inexperienced and brown had been the most typical. Essentially the most well-known gray is the Schladminger kind (second picture beneath), which is a mixture of totally different shades of gray and black. Internationally inexperienced stays the color most individuals consider, largely due to the recognition of the inexperienced Hubertus coat.

The unique Loden is woven in Austria and Germany (as the true tweed comes from Scotland or Eire, despite the fact that ‘tweeds’ are additionally woven in Spain and Italy). All the weavers are fairly small, most of them are outdated, and lots of are nonetheless household owned. 

Loden has develop into a distinct segment product so these weavers often promote their materials to makers and tailors all world wide. The perfect recognized are:

• Leichtfried (beneath)
• Steiner
• Lodenwalker
• Moessmer
• Mehler Tuchfabrik
• Kreutner

I discussed earlier that the Hubertus coat is offered in Cordings. This says one thing concerning the standing of the coat in England. Regardless of having continental origins, it’s accepted as a traditional of the English gentleman’s wardrobe.

In all probability as a result of German relations of the Windsors, the Hubertus was worn by some senior members of the Royal Household within the Seventies-Nineties. The late Duke of Edinburgh was continuously seen in a Hubertus coat. The Duke of Kent additionally wears it though much less continuously now. (All pictures beneath.)

In 1980 Girl Diana Spencer was snapped carrying a inexperienced Hubertus coat over her night costume by the Royal photographer Jane Fincher, when the Princess-to-be arrived at The Ritz for Princes Margaret’s fiftieth celebration.

British makers of coats and countrywear use Loden as a change from the same old British overcoatings. Loden is similar to tweed in the best way it performs however it presents a unique appear and feel. Chrysalis and Personal White VC each use Loden for subject coats and overcoats too, giving it an fascinating twist.

In Italy, Spain, France and Switzerland the Hubertus can also be fairly widespread amongst classically dressed gents. In northern Italy you truly see extra inexperienced Loden coats in winter than you do in Germany. On my travels I’ve seen it in Florence, Venice, Milano and Bergamo, worn primarily by aged gents (beneath). Additionally it is widespread with classic followers in Italy, fashions made by Schneider’s from Salzburg being notably wanted.

The Hubertus coat historically comes with a deep inverted pleat on the again for ease of motion (initially for capturing). It additionally has underarm vents for air flow, leather-based soccer buttons and pockets with an inside opening (like on some raincoats) that enable entry to the pockets of your trousers or jacket.

There is no such thing as a maker or retailer who can declare to supply the unique Hubertus. Lodenfrey in Munich would in all probability object as a result of they had been the primary to weave a very water-repellent Loden in 1872, the so referred to as Strichloden. 

The surface of that cloth is completed utilizing thistles, a method nonetheless used at this time. At the moment Strichloden is woven by a number of mills, usually in a mixture of 80% wool and 20% alpaca.

Lodenfrey offered Hubertus coats product of their very own Strichloden internationally. They used to have mills in Germany and their very own coat manufacturing unit in Munich, however these days are lengthy gone.

Schneider’s in Salzburg was maybe much more famend, each in Austria and Germany and internationally however the firm went bankrupt in 2023. Schneider’s used to make their coats in Austria till they moved the manufacturing to center Europe.

At the moment Plankl in Vienna is possibly one of the best supply for a properly made and genuine Hubertus coat. You should buy off-the-rack however they may even adapt private measurements. I assume they’ve their very own manufacturing in Austria. Eduard Meier in Munich additionally shares very properly made Loden coats. 

For me the Hubertus is finest seen as a barely extra uncommon model of a covert coat, and equally versatile (additionally initially a chunk of nation clothes). You possibly can put on it as city coat with a gray or navy enterprise swimsuit. It may be worn on the weekend over a sports activities jacket and flannels or corduroys. And you’ll put on the Hubertus with sportswear, for instance denims and a chunky sweater.

Exterior the Hubertus type there two different varieties of Loden coat value : the shorter Loden Stutzer and the Lodenkotze or Wetterfleck (beneath). The latter type is a sort of cape or cloak that is made with the identical kind of collar because the Hubertus. It has vents for the arms and often two lengthy panels of cloth that mean you can hold the ‘wetterfleck’ from flying away. 

That’s historically worn over your backpack when it rains. Initially made for the huntsman, it’s now additionally worn as an alternative choice to the Hubertus coat and for climbing within the mountains. It protects from drizzle and wind, and might be simply be rolled up and carried within the backpack.

As the unique Loden is fairly coarse, heavy and heat, weavers these days primarily make lighter, softer and splendid variations. Typically they cross the road into flannel which has similarities. Loden is distinct in its roughly fulled floor; in case you don’t end it this fashion you’ll get a sort of flannel. 

Leichtfried thus sells plenty of its fine-merino Loden as a flannel. You’ll find it as an overcoat within the vary of the German clothes shop Anton Meyer, or as trousers at Scavini in Paris.

My private expertise with Loden began in childhood, as a result of my father used to put on a inexperienced unlined Hubertus coat product of a double-faced Loden. Once I was 15 or 16 my grandmother purchased me my first Loden coat in a division retailer. It was navy however reduce within the conventional Hubertus type.

In my twenties and thirties I used to be completely centered on English greatcoats. However after I discovered that among the finest dressed members of the English Royal household commonly confirmed up in Hubertus coats I began carrying the inexperienced Loden coat that my father had given me within the meantime.

About 15 years in the past I began on the lookout for classic Loden coats in second-hand outlets and on eBay. My favorite model grew to become Salko, an Austrian maker that had gone out of enterprise. I like to recommend on the lookout for the model on-line. I personal two coats from Salko now and whereas I’ve by no means had one from Lodenfrey, I’ve owned two from Schneider’s (above).

I’ve all the time envied the Brits as a result of they’ll discover a great deal of classic fits and greatcoats of their neighbourhood (I hunted for garments in Oxfam and Sue Ryder outlets in London within the Nineteen Eighties myself). However the benefit of residing in continental Europe is that you’ll find good Loden coats in every single place. Each time I am going to Florence or Milan I might come again with no less than one good classic Loden, if I solely had house in my baggage.

NB: Styling pictures above and beneath chosen by the PS workforce fairly than Bernhard, for reference in feedback/questions