Where to find 'Dockers' twill fabric??

[Mike K.]

Greetings ladies & gents,
I was wondering if anybody knew where to find the same fabric used in Dockers pants. I would like to have a custom blazer made in the light 'stone' color twill that would match my Dockers pants for a summer suit. I suppose I could go from store to store with a fabric swatch looking for a match, but if you have any tips to narrow my search I'd certainly appreciate your help.
Thanks!
Mike

 

[Mike in Seattle]

You're going to have a lot of trouble finding it. LOTS. Fabrics used on Dockers you buy today were contracted for a couple years ago from manufacturers who sell only to Dockers. They're not the same manufacturers who sell to the local fabric store or tailors either. You're probably going to have to settle for something that's close match, but the weave or color or weight is going to be slightly off unless you're really lucky. It's always going to look slightly different. And then the tailor's going to have to match threads & stitch, get the same or coordinating buttons, etc. It sounds like it would be pretty simple, but it's really a lot more difficult. It's something along the lines of - I have a maroon Chevy and it's got a scratch. If I don't get the touch-up paint for the same model year and make as my car, the touch-up's going to be visible. There are lots of maroon paint - getting an exact match is hard.

Next year you'll buy another pair of the pants to go with the jacket, and this year's dye lot or weave or fabric weight is going to be slightly different and won't match. Trying to match two different articles of clothing not made by the same manufacturer at the same time is virtually impossible. There will be those who notice they don't match.

You'd probably be happier getting enough of a similar fabric to have an entire suit - jacket and pants - made. That way, everything matches exactly - fabric, color, weave, stitching, seams, buttons, etc. plus the fabric will have the same wear patterns. Pants you've had a year or two, and worn a lot, are going to have a different fit, a different drape, different shadings than the brand new jacket.

 

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the advice BUT...

I found an EXACT match. Same color, same weight, originally supplied to Levis/Dockers. I even checked the material against my Dockers pants hanging in the closet. I picked up 10 yards of the 'stone' color to make my summer suit. If anyone is interested in acquiring fabric, just go to www.fabricmaster.net and order. They carry a number of fabrics including the main Dockers colors in regular twill and stretch twill (they also have canvas, etc.). Now I just need to find the blazer pattern and perhaps somebody to sew it all together. I'll post pics of the final suit once it's finished.

 

[Matt Deckard]

So do they cary the Cramerton cloth they use for their K-1 khakis?

 

[Mike K.]

Don't know Matt. I only searched for the basic twill material and also some khaki canvas to make a new safari jacket. Somebody's bound to stock it.
-Mike