Orchard Nine United Kingdom: Zip-Front Jacket Built on Cotton/Spandex Scuba Double Knit
Orchard Nine, based in United Kingdom, needed a zip-front jacket that delivered colour fastness in dark shades without moving away from a clean, commercial silhouette. The finished fabric was Cotton/Spandex Scuba Double Knit.
Project brief and fabric selection
The fabric selected combines Scuba Double Knit (compact foam-like double knit) with combed cotton with elastane, giving natural hand with shape retention. Construction is compact foam-like double knit at 260-320 GSM. The brief also asked for plus a smooth face. Each lot was checked against ISO 105-C06 before cutting began.
Construction and fit decisions
Pattern and construction were adjusted around the chosen fabric: seam placement moved away from high-friction areas, stitch density was matched to the elastane content, and the fit block was revised once the first wear trial showed the panel tension distribution. The development brief set the outcome as wash fastness reached grade 4-5 on all shades.
Dyeing and finishing approach
Finishing was limited to processes that support colour fastness in dark shades. Soft handle came from construction rather than heavy softening, which keeps performance stable through repeated washing. Consistency between repeat lots mattered more to Orchard Nine than an isolated best result.
Measured results
Measured outcome: wash fastness reached grade 4-5 on all shades, verified by ISO 105-C06. Size sets were checked after five home washes to confirm that dimensional change stayed inside the agreed tolerance before bulk release. Fabric Cotton/Spandex Scuba Double Knit supplied the base behaviour for colour fastness in dark shades.
Repeat order performance
The style moved to repeat orders after two seasons. Bulk fabric is now booked against a fixed recipe, with test reports issued per lot, and the Scuba Double Knit construction is used for additional colourways in the same programme. The United Kingdom market requires documentation, so reports shipped with every lot.
