Reader Question

What does it mean if a suit jacket is fused?

Suit coats have a layer of cloth between the outer fabric and the inner silk lining that helps give the jacket its shape.  On higher quality jackets this layer of cloth is a floating canvas shell made of horsehair combined with other materials.  On lower quality jackets the canvas is replaced with much cheaper fusing.  Fusing is a synthetic material that essentially turns to glue when heated.  Because the fabric is glued together the jacket will not drape as elegantly as one with a canvas shell.  A bigger problem with fusing is the potentially disastrous effect of dry cleaning on the jacket.  If you have ever seen someone wearing a jacket where the fabric looked "bubbled," then you have witnessed the unwelcome result of dry cleaning on a fused coat.