Full canvas (tailoring)
A jacket construction where the canvas interlining is stitched (not glued) to the wool throughout the front. Drapes naturally, breaks in to your body, lasts decades.
A tailored jacket is built around a layer of canvas interlining sandwiched between the outer wool and the lining. How that canvas is attached separates the three quality tiers of suiting:
• Fully canvassed — the canvas is hand-pad-stitched (or machine-pad-stitched in modern factories) to the wool through the chest and lapels. The jacket drapes naturally, conforms to your body over time, and the lapels develop their own roll. Lifespan: decades. Cost: usually $1,200+.
• Half-canvassed — canvas is sewn into the chest and lapels, but the rest of the front is fused (glued). Drapes better than fully fused, doesn't conform as well as full canvas. Cost: $500–1,200 typically.
• Fully fused — the entire front interlining is glued to the wool. The jacket has a flat, slightly stiff appearance, doesn't conform, and the glue can bubble or delaminate after a few dry cleanings. This is most jackets under $500. Lifespan: 3–8 years with light wear, less with heavy.
The tell: gently pinch the front of a jacket between the lining and the outer fabric. If you can feel a separate, slightly springy layer move independently, it's canvassed. If it feels like one stiff sheet, it's fused. Most brands won't advertise fusing; they'll just stay silent on construction.