The use of tweed became widespread at the end of the Victorian era in England for the practice of old sports (such as hunting) or new ones (such as cycling or golf). Good society appreciated tweed for its country spirit and rusticity, as opposed to the smoother, more formal fabrics used for city clothes like the morning coat or the frac.
Tweed was strong, warm and durable because it was woven from very strong woolen spun. Many regions of northern Europe produced tweeds of various qualities: Harris tweed in the north of Scotland, Shetland tweed in the islands of the same name, Donegal tweed with speckled effects in Ireland, softer Saxony tweed in Germany, etc… Therefore, tweed is not material (like wool or cotton) nor a way of weaving (like flannel or velvet). It is in fact a word that designates a rather rustic fabric (wool, wool & cashmere, why not lambswool) woven in canvas or herringbone, plain or checked.
At Scavini, we classify fabrics that fit this description as tweed. Tweed is a rustic and warm spirit for winter. A fabric with a character that smells like walks in the woods and fishing parties. Very pleasant in the city too, as a complement to a Barbour.

Clothmaker Albano Morgado is a newcomer to Scavini. Located in Castanheira de Pera, Portugal, it specializes in fabrics made from worsted virgin wool, the most natural and closely related to sheep’s wool. Their tweeds have nothing to envy those from the UK, and we wove a few hundred meters of them with undisguised pleasure. As well as a rare blend of camel hair and wool, for pants that are as soft as they are warm for winter. Working with a Portuguese draper enables us to continue producing high-quality garments, particularly pants, in Western Europe, with an ecological and social conscience.

A pair of trousers is not just fabric. It also includes a belt lining, pocket linings, and buttons. And they are all Italian!

The belt lining consists of three layered fabrics. The upper band is made of Oxford cotton, and the lower band is made of undyed ecru cotton, separated by an embroidered anti-slip piping by Scavini. The pocket linings are cut from the same undyed ecru cotton. The absence of dye is the best option from a hypoallergenic perspective. It also allows for a discreet appearance of the pocket linings behind the light-colored fabrics. The belt lining and pocket linings are pre-manufactured by the Italian company FVL, founded in 1990, ensuring ISO and GOTS-certified quality standards. FVL is particularly committed to sustainability and ethical and social protocols, with continuous control of production processes and a fast and efficient traceability system.

As for the buttons, we don’t go far either, still in the Veneto region. We chose to exclusively use corozo buttons, also known as vegetable ivory, which is natural and biodegradable. Corozo is the hard, white albumen found in the seed of a tropical American palm tree. Bottonificio Padano, established in 1982, aims for the elimination of chemical pollutants and the use of increasingly natural pigments. Since 1982, all water used in production, including dyeing and tumbling, is purified and reused in a “”closed loop”” system, without any discharge into the environment.

Our development is accompanied by a great awareness of quality, while favoring local production, we have directed our research in Italy during the year 2021. After many months, we found a small traditional workshop south of Naples that is a blessing.

Our genius craftsman created his workshop at the age of eighteen, in the year 2000. Before that, his parents had also had their own trouser workshop. His only limitations were the space and the recruitment of seamstresses. Apart from that, what finesse, everything is possible! With our new workshop, we develop our volumes and bring a great craft aesthetic. We can work in-depth on models and details, far from the large industrial platforms.

A close collaboration that allows us – it’s very nice – to go to Italy from time to time and come back with a head full of new ideas. The keywords of a Scavini pant are now refinement, craftsmanship & localism. A very luxurious pant, cut from Italian or English fabric. The equivalent of the models of great luxury brands.

Dry cleaning is highly recommended for wool product. However, it should not be done often: only once a year, or even less! A simple steam ironing at home or at the dry cleaner’s is enough in most cases to remove odours, bacteria and to make the trousers look good again.