Huddersfield Cloth Makes 'Green Jacket' For Masters Winner

If you follow golf, then you’ve definitely heard of the prestigious Green Jacket. But we’re most interested in how it was made. This year’s US Masters winner and recipient of the green coat will be sporting luxury wool produced in England’s Huddersfield region, before heading down to London to be beautifully tailor made. The famous jacket this year is being made from cloth produced by textile company, Bower Boebuck. Once woven, the wool is moved for dying to English firm DP Dyers, to achieve that essential ‘Masters Green’ hue. Dubbed Pantone 342, this particular green is shared with Ralph Lauren Polo, as well as Cleveland and Colorado state universities. Next, the cloth will be sent to WT Johnson & Sons for finishing, and to London it will go, where Savile Row tailor, Henry Poole & Co. has been contracted to craft the jacket to fit the yet-to-be determined golf champion for 2015. Hosts of the tournament, Augusta National Golf Club started the Green Jacket tradition in 1937 when members started wearing green on the fairways. From here, it became synonymous with the club and its annual Master’s tournament; the loutish Green Jacket first presented to the 1949 winner as part of official Master's ceremony. When the tournament wraps up in April 12, the winner will have measurements taken at the club, which will be sent to Henry Poole London so that a custom-made Green Jacket can made. But the jacket's English links weren't always so. Since 1967, the Hamilton Tailoring Company in Cincinatti oversaw the jacket's manufacturing; from sourcing the fabric to determining the green color (which always varied year to year). The Hamilton style was single breasted, with three buttons and a center vent. The club badge was on the pocket too, matched by the brass buttons made by Waterbury Companies. The fabric was termed a tropical-weight mix of wool and polyester, lined with Bemberg rayon. When Henry Poole took on the tailoring contract in the mid-Nineties, the dismal polyester blend had to change.  A team decided on using the Super 100 cloth - a pure wool, twill weave with a superior serge finish. Seeking the best in Britain, the fabric was sourced from the green pastures of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Crafting the iconic Green Jacket is just one of several prestigious contracts held by wool mills in England’s West Yorkshire region. Huddersfield’s location, where the Colne and Holme Rivers join, has facilitated the production and trade of wool fabric. During the Industrial Revolution, the local weaving community discovered how to harness waterpower for large-scale production, and the modern wool industry was born. Huddersfield Cloth is one of these quality wool suiting mills in the region. Bearing the distinct 'Made in England' trademark, all of its textiles are produced in-house. Fabric designs are developed on site and manufactured in Yorkshire by skilled weavers and dyers. In January, Huddersfield Cloth’s suit fabrics were handpicked by Savile Row for use in the 'Kingsmen' film, in conjunction with the team at Twentieth Century Fox. Huddersfield Cloth formed part of the film’s costume attire, worn by the actor, Colin Firth. Following this, Mr. Porter launched a commercial collection of men’s suits now available on website, which like the Green Jacket, boasted the luxurious quality of Huddersfield wool.