Cotton twill is the sturdy, structured choice for straight and tapered trousers; linen is the coolest for wide summer trousers and creases heavily; Tencel (lyocell) twill drapes like a heavy viscose and makes the softest wide-leg or jogger-style trousers; ponte is a firm double knit for pull-on trousers that look tailored but stretch. Pick twill for chinos and workwear, linen for summer, Tencel for drape and ponte for comfort with a clean line.
How do the four trouser fabrics compare?
| Feature | Cotton twill | Linen | Tencel (lyocell) twill | Ponte (ponte di Roma) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber | Cotton, often with 2–3 % elastane | Flax | Lyocell, a regenerated cellulose | Viscose or polyester with nylon and elastane |
| Construction | Woven, diagonal twill | Woven, plain weave | Woven, twill or sateen | Double knit |
| Weight | 200–340 g/m² (6–10 oz/yd²) | 180–260 g/m² (5.3–7.7 oz/yd²) | 180–250 g/m² (5.3–7.4 oz/yd²) | 280–380 g/m² (8.3–11 oz/yd²) |
| Drape | Structured | Crisp, softens with washing | Fluid, heavy | Firm, with stretch |
| Stretch | None, or 10–20 % with elastane | None | None | 25–50 % crosswise, good recovery |
| Wrinkling | Low | High | Low to moderate | Very low |
| Breathability | Good | Excellent | Very good | Low to moderate |
| Durability | Very high | High; wears at the knees over years | Good; can pill with friction | Good; viscose ponte pills, polyester ponte less |
| Sewing difficulty | Easy | Easy, frays | Medium: shifts, shows pin marks | Easy with a stretch needle |
A trouser fabric must carry its own weight at the seat and knees, so most of these are mid-weight: around 200 g/m² (6 oz/yd²) or more. Lighter fabrics make trousers that show every line and wear through fast.
When is cotton twill the right choice?
Twill is a weave with a diagonal rib, and cotton twill is the fabric of chinos, workwear and most ready-to-wear casual trousers. It is dense, resists wear at the seat and knee, hides creases and presses to a sharp line. Weights from 200 g/m² (6 oz/yd²) for summer chinos to 340 g/m² (10 oz/yd²) for work trousers.
Pure cotton twill has no give, so a fitted trouser in it needs the right amount of ease at the hip and thigh; a twill with 2–3 % elastane (sold as stretch twill or stretch chino) adds enough movement for sitting and cycling without changing the look. Twill sews easily with a universal 80/12 or 90/14 needle and polyester thread, and it takes topstitching well.
Choose twill for straight, tapered or slim trousers, shorts and anything with pockets and a waistband that must hold their shape. It is also the most forgiving fabric for a first pair of trousers: it stays where you put it on the cutting table and the seams press flat.
When is linen the right choice?
Linen is the coolest trouser fabric and the most relaxed. A mid-weight linen of 200–240 g/m² (6–7 oz/yd²) makes wide-leg and straight trousers that breathe, swing and look better with every wash. Lighter linens of 150 g/m² (4.4 oz/yd²) are for shirts, not trousers: they show every line and wear through at the seat.
The cost is creasing. Linen trousers crease at the lap and the back of the knee the first time you sit down, and that is part of the look. A linen-cotton or linen-viscose blend creases less and drapes a little more. Linen frays heavily, so finish the seams with a serger, zigzag or flat-felled seams, and prewash twice: it can shrink 5–10 % in the first wash. Sewing with linen covers needles, pressing and finishing, and sew wide-leg linen trousers with pockets walks through a pair step by step.
Choose linen for summer wide-leg or straight trousers, pull-on styles with an elastic waist and loose shorts.
When is Tencel the right choice?
Tencel is Lenzing's brand name for lyocell, a cellulose fiber made from wood pulp in a closed-loop process. Woven into a twill, it has the drape of a heavy viscose with better strength when wet and less shrinkage. Tencel twill trousers fall in soft folds, feel cool and smooth, and have a slight sheen; many ready-to-wear wide-leg and jogger-style trousers are made from it.
It needs a little more care to sew than twill or linen. The fabric shifts on the table, so cut it in a single layer with weights; pins and an unpicked seam leave marks, so pin within the seam allowance; and it puckers if the thread tension is tight. Use a 70/10 or 80/12 needle and a 2.2–2.5 mm stitch, and press on a medium setting with a pressing cloth. Tencel can pill at points of friction, so it suits looser styles better than a slim trouser.
Choose Tencel for wide-leg, palazzo, paper-bag and jogger-style trousers, and for an elastic-waist trouser that should look dressy.
When is ponte the right choice?
Ponte di Roma is a firm, stable double knit, usually a blend of viscose or polyester with nylon and a little elastane. It is the fabric of ready-to-wear "pull-on pants that look like trousers": it holds a clean straight or slim line, stretches 25–50 % across and recovers, does not crease and does not need a zip. A good ponte feels like a thick, smooth jersey with real body.
Weight matters: 280 g/m² (8.3 oz/yd²) or heavier holds a trouser shape; lighter ponte goes baggy at the knees by the end of the day. Viscose-based ponte feels nicer and pills more; polyester-based ponte is tougher. Sew it with a stretch needle, polyester thread and a narrow zigzag or serger, with 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowances, as for any knit. The glossary entry on stretch percentage shows how to check a ponte before you buy.
Choose ponte for pull-on straight, slim or tapered trousers, leggings-style trousers with a tailored look and travel clothes.
What else works for trousers?
Cotton canvas and duck are heavier cousins of twill for workwear and utility trousers. Corduroy is a cotton pile fabric for autumn trousers; cut it with the nap running one way. Denim is twill-woven cotton, dense and durable, and needs a 90/14 or 100/16 needle. Wool suiting and wool crepe make the classic tailored trouser and press beautifully. Viscose challis and crepe make very soft, light summer trousers but show every bump and wear quickly; keep them for loose pull-on styles. Cotton sateen with elastane is a smooth, slightly shiny alternative to twill for slim trousers.
How much fabric do trousers need?
A pair of straight or wide trousers for an adult takes about 2–2.5 m (2 1/4–2 3/4 yd) of 140 cm (55 in) fabric, or 2.5–3 m (2 3/4–3 1/4 yd) of 110 cm (45 in) fabric, depending on the leg width, the length and whether the fabric has a nap or a one-way print. Sewly's pull-on trousers pattern gives the exact quantity for your length and leg width on 110, 140 and 150 cm fabric, and the guide to fabric quantities explains how to read any pattern's yardage table. Add 10 % for linen and Tencel to cover shrinkage.
Which should you choose?
- Straight, tapered or slim trousers and chinos: cotton twill, 230–300 g/m² (7–9 oz/yd²), with 2 % elastane if the fit is close.
- A first pair of trousers: cotton twill or a mid-weight linen-cotton. Both behave on the table and at the machine.
- Wide-leg summer trousers and shorts: linen, 200–240 g/m² (6–7 oz/yd²).
- Wide-leg or jogger-style trousers that should swing: Tencel twill, or a heavy viscose twill.
- Pull-on trousers that look tailored, travel trousers: ponte, 280 g/m² (8.3 oz/yd²) or heavier.
- Workwear and utility trousers: heavy cotton twill, canvas or denim.
- Trousers for a dressy occasion: wool crepe or wool suiting, or a Tencel twill in a dark color.
- You hate ironing: ponte, then twill with elastane, then Tencel. Not linen.
Whatever the fabric, buy it in the weight the style needs: a drapey style in a stiff fabric stands out like a tent, and a tailored style in a soft fabric collapses. When in doubt, hold a length of the fabric against your leg in the shop and see whether it falls or stands.