In specifically addressing sky blue wool for use in repro Federal trousers, many makers today select their woolens based on four generally accepted or agreed upon qualifications -

COLOR
WEAVE
WEIGHT
CONTENT

     However, satisfying these requirements are based on each individual makers idea or opinion of what he or she feels should be represented in their product - and of course the specific market they target. Some makers prefer to satisfy WEAVE and COLOR requirements while others may feel that COLOR and WEIGHT are more important. On the other hand, there are some makers who feel that COLOR alone is all that counts as well as those who say "a 100% pure wool CONTENT is all that matters".

      While I have resumed working in 100% pure woolens, I also continue to make available trousers made in the Woolrich wool blend (85% virgin wool fiber and 15% synthetic fiber) as a matter of customer choice. From my own personal observations of original Federal trousers (both issued and unissued original relic pieces), I find that this particular Woolrich fabric satisfies what I find satisfactory in not only COLOR and WEAVE, but also WEIGHT. These are visible factors that contribute to rendering an authentic looking pair of trousers. The synthetic CONTENT of this fabric is invisible and cannot be seen.

     Some gents when they hear "15% synthetic" expect to find this fabric shining like 100% polyester! To their surprise there is absolutely no way to visually identify this fabric as having any synthetic content. In order to identify the synthetic content you would have to do a fiber analysis. One pard summed it up very well when he made this post (here in part) on the Authentic Campaigner website concerning a pair of my "museum grade" trousers:

                              "Chris Sullivan makes a very fine set of Deering contract trousers,
                               with very good attention to detail. There is some debate about the
                               use of the 85/15 wool/modern content fabric, but I can`t see, feel,
                               or smell any difference between his kersey and that of the others.
                               No, I haven`t tasted it. :-)"

In addition to the above testimony I would also like to submit this product review of my trousers as well.

     Many reenactors ask why the mill weaves in the synthetic fiber in the first place. The answer in the case of the Woolrich wool blends is simple; fabric strength. In that regard, one of my customers put it best when he said he was in his fifth year with his Stony Brook trousers and that "they wear like iron."

     I have reviewed many of the other top grade sky blue woolens used in today's repro trousers and they all look nice. However, since the Woolrich blend fabric satisfies three out of four primary requirements for what I believe constitute a good (authentic) looking pair of repro Federal trousers, I am perfectly content to continue to offer the Woolrich blend fabric. In this decision I have the continued support (as well as repeat business) of my customers are who are apparently likewise pleased with the wool regardless of CONTENT.

     Changing pace here for a moment, I get many e-mails asking about the accuracy of all the various fabric colors, weaves and weights used in making reproduction trouser today. Many gents ask outright "What is the RIGHT stuff!?" Historically speaking I personally believe the answer to this is two-fold. First, there is what the government outlined on paper for what they wanted in weave, weight per liner yard and color. As for content, of course it was all 100% wool. There was also a strength requirement where any given fabric had to support so many pounds per square inch. So on paper there were strict standards laid out as for what the government wanted from the contractors. The other part of the answer deals with what the government actually GOT from the contractors. Many times these were two different things! For todays reenactors this may bring up an interesting point to consider (when speaking strictly in terms of the visible elements) - do I want something that reflects what was outlined on paper or do I want something that reflects pretty much what was actually issued to the boys in the field? Again, there are many instances where these were two very different senarios.

     To demonstrate the wide variety among goods, in this case trousers received from manufacturing or distributing sources, I offer this bit of information courtesy of Smithsonian Institution records. In a letter dated March 1862, a quartermaster officer at the St. Louis Depot wrote to Army Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs regarding a shipment of trousers and trouser material received from the Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia. This officer wrote ...

What's interesting about this is that this non-conforming variety is coming from a government run source - the vaunted Schuylkill Arsenal - and NOT some dubious contractor making allowances or substitutions (at least not this time anyhow! LOL!). What is also interesting on the side is that this challanges the idea that some fellows unwaiverable maintain that Eastern manufactured goods never got out "West".

     Using the Federal sack coat just as an example to assist with making the point about color variation, here's an image I've had on file for a number of years. The photo, taken by Paul McKee, was shared with me by John Wedeward (both former members of Thomas' Mudsills).

Here is a clear-cut visual reference to a variety of dark blue shades among sack coats as well as the color of their liners; even some of the patterning differs (length, finish, etc). So in light of the question "What is THE correct color?" (meaning shade of dark blue in this specific case), how would you respond after looking at this photo? Federal sky blue items share the same diversity. Therefore, when discussing "the right color" of Federal uniform pieces bear in mind that what was specified by the Feds (in sealed samples) and what was manufactured and issued were sometimes two VERY different things; as evidenced by this quite unique photograph.

     Therefore, historically we can see there can be and certainly was a variety in the shades of blue of finished uniform items as well as in their weave (texture) and weight. It has been proven to exist during the war so it is certainly accurate to have it exist today. Only difference today is that we have choices and can select garments that reflect the specifics we wish to have as for color, weave, weight, etc. When the boys cracked open boxes or bales of uniforms back then, there simply was no choice.

     A number of various woolens - be they a blend or 100% pure - used in todays reproduction uniforms certainly exhibit this variety. Many of the shades of sky blue used today are a pure blue ("pure" meaning having no trace of any other color in it) and other sky blue fabrics possess a greenish cast to it. All of these fabrics are historically accurate based on original relic Federal sky blue uniform pieces I have seen over the years. Sure, there are logical parameters to this but for those sky blue fabrics that fall within these parameters, they are historically accurate.

     There also has been a fair amount of conversation about correct weave as well as color. Here again based on what I personally have seen, the trend in the hobby today to "must see" a sharp diagonal weave I feel is pushed perhaps a bit far. To be sure specification kersey ("specification" meaning as strictly outlined by the government as for the type of yarn used, weave characteristics, weight per linear yard, threads per square inch, etc., etc., etc.) indeed possessed a distinct visible diagonal weave to it. This is evident in sealed fabric samples in possession of the Smithsonian Institution. However, of the Federal relic uniform pieces I have seen not all possessed this distinctive weave. Therefore not all of the Federal uniform items were manufactured from specification kersey simply because of the need to meet wartime production demands. Sometimes the overall "big picture" of historical supply source and manufacturing can get blurred as trends gain a foothold in the hobby. Trends start off well-meaning but many times people can get lost in the minutia of it all.

     Finally, since I like the idea of choices, Stony Brook Company will continue to manufacture in the Woolrich blend woolens as well as manufacture trousers in Woolrich's new 100% all wool fabrics.

     In the end everyone wins ... the guys who have no problem with Woolrich blend fabric, the 100% pure wool guys whom we are happy to manufacture 100% wool trousers for, the guys who can swing the price for the 100% and the guys who can't.

     At this point I would be at a loss as to what's wrong with the idea of offering the guys some choices.

Thanks gang!