Q: What does the term flannel even mean?
A: Flannel refers to any napped fabric whether it’s twill, plain weave, printed, yarn dyed or solid color, and whether it’s wool or cotton.
Q: What’s Devium’s take on Flannel?
A: We created two separate flannel collections, depending on whether you’re more of a plaid guy, or a more subtle guy. For the traditionalist, we offer a midweight USA made flannel shirt in both plaids (the Boca collection) and subtle weaves in plain colors (the Alder collection). Many guys buy some of both depending on their mood.
Q: How much do these flannels weigh?
A: Our flannels are midweight cotton (approximately 7 oz.), and double brushed (also known as double napped) for extra loft and softness. Compared to conventional cotton, double brushed cotton (brushed on both sides, just like it sounds) has fluffier fibers that are very breathable, yet feel warmer against your skin than smother, cooler-to-the-touch summer cottons. Customers have told us that they wear their Alders and Bocas consistently in the fall, winter and spring, and then keep a couple handy in the summer for cool mornings or air conditioned buildings. One customer reserves one of his shirts as solely his “car flannel”-- at the ready whenever he’s on the go.
Q: What’s the average number of Devium flannels our typical customer has in his closet?
A: Well, first we object to the word “closet” because chances are that your flannels aren’t hanging in your closet, according to what our customers tell us. Unless it’s a Florida customer in mid-August, chances are pretty good that a Boca or Alder is on his back right now. And we did the math. A Devium customer who’s been with us at least two seasons seems to have an average of three of our flannels. The “winner” in the Most Devium Flannels category is a Coloradan who owns eleven.
Q: How do I make sure my American made flannels last?
A: First, we believe that ensuring your flannels last is a joint responsibility.
On the Devium end…
- Our flannel fabrics are extra tough, extra soft, and meant to last.
- We take the extra step to prewash and preshrink the fabric before it’s sewn in small batches by our boutique USA sewing house partners, so that shrinkage stays at a minimum, and seams stay nice and flat.
- On the cutting table, our experts make sure that our shirts have the perfect amount of seam allowance (no skimping here) so that we can sew your shirt using bulletproof flat-felled seams instead of the typical (albeit cheaper, easier and faster) overlock seams. Flat felled seams are famously known for their strength and durability. We are as proud of the beauty of the inside of our flannels as we are of the outside.
- Fusing and bar tacks are in all the right places, and extra strong thread for the buttons and buttonholes ensures your flannel will stand up to heavy wear.
- We stand behind our products 100%! If you happen to get a flannel that has a manufacturing defect or a clear warranty issue - we will always stand by our promise to deliver you the highest quality goods, and it will be replaced immediately. And if you somehow manage to lose a button, just email us and we’ll send you a replacement button.
On your end….
- The most important thing you can do for your Bocas or Alders is to treat them with respect, even when you’re wearing them all the time. Wash them mindfully (see the last question below on washing and drying for details), but you don’t have to treat them like precious objects.
Q: What’s the best way to care for my Devium flannel?
A: First, and we say this with the utmost respect to all of you, please stop over-drying your flannels (and then leaving them in a bitter ball in your dryer) – and all your other clothes as well. Over-drying shortens the life cycle of apparel drastically. Here’s our recommendation:
- Wash your flannels (buttoned up) in cold water on the delicate cycle (which means that the final spin cycle is more gentle as well)
- As soon as the washer stops (stop complaining - set your phone alarm), take the shirt out and give it a couple of good hard shakes (holding it at the shoulders).
- Hang it on a hanger (or set it flat on a table or on top of the washer) and smooth the wrinkles out of the shirt with your hands. Pull the front placket taut from the top and bottom of the shirt, and give a little love to the collar so it dries the way you want to wear it. All of this takes about 60 seconds once you get the hang of it.