Why is it important where our hire suits are designed and made?
Why We Manufacture Our Hire Suits in the EU – and Why the Cloth Matters
Hello from all of us at Jack Bunneys in Upminster.
For nearly seventy years we have been helping grooms and their parties look their best. One quiet decision that sits behind every suit in our hire department is this: we insist that the garments themselves are manufactured within the European Union, using cloth from some of the finest mills in the world – specifically Zignone, Vitale Barberis Canonico and Drago.
It is not the cheapest route. It is, however, the only route that feels right to us. Here is why it matters – to us as a family business, to the environment, to the wider economy, and on a simple moral level.
Designed in England, made in Europe
Every range in our hire collection is designed here in Upminster by our own team. The cut, the silhouette, the proportions – that is pure Jack Bunneys. The cloth comes from the historic textile district of Biella in northern Italy. And the finished suits are manufactured within the EU.
That combination – British design, Italian cloth, European manufacture – is deliberate. It keeps the entire production process under high standards of labour, safety and environmental regulation. It means we can visit the makers, understand the process, and stand behind every garment that leaves our showroom.
The cloth: Zignone, Vitale Barberis Canonico and Drago
You will see these names mentioned often in our ranges. They are not marketing decoration. They are the reason the suits feel and look the way they do.
Vitale Barberis Canonico is one of the oldest continuously family-run wool mills in the world, with records dating back to 1663. Thirteen generations of the same family have refined the art of turning the finest merino into cloth that holds its shape, drapes beautifully and lasts. Their Superfine wools and classic flannels are the backbone of many of our lounge and formal ranges.
Lanificio Zignone, also based in Biella, brings a more contemporary edge. Founded in 1968 and still family-owned, Zignone controls the entire production chain. Their fabrics – including the pure Italian wool used in our popular Monaco tuxedos – combine traditional Biellese skill with modern performance. They are known for innovation (including machine-washable pure wool) and for full traceability through their Green Trace system.
Drago is another Biella family mill that has chosen to stay fully vertical and fully Italian. From fibre selection through to finished cloth, everything remains under one roof. Their Super 130s and finer cloths deliver the soft hand and resilience that wedding hire demands – garments that must look sharp through a long day and still feel comfortable.
These mills source the best merino (largely from Australia and New Zealand), process it with exceptional care, and finish it to standards that simply do not exist in lower-cost regions. The result is cloth that holds a crease, resists bagging, breathes properly and looks expensive because it is.
Why this matters to Jack Bunneys
We are a family business that has been in continuous operation since 1958. Our reputation rests on the quality of what we put on a groom’s back. When a client tries on a Monaco tuxedo or a Windsor lounge suit, we need to know it will photograph well, feel comfortable all day, and still look smart when it is returned and prepared for the next wedding.
Cheap cloth from outside regulated markets often looks acceptable on the first wear and then collapses. Hire suits must survive multiple outings, professional cleaning and careful storage. Italian cloth from these mills does exactly that. It is an investment in longevity and in the quiet confidence that every client deserves on their wedding day.
Why it matters for the environment
Short supply chains and high manufacturing standards reduce waste and pollution. EU environmental regulations are among the strictest in the world. The mills we work with invest heavily in water treatment, renewable energy and responsible wool sourcing (many hold RWS or equivalent certifications).
By contrast, garments produced in regions with weaker oversight often carry a hidden environmental cost – in water use, chemical discharge and carbon miles. Choosing EU manufacture and premium Biella cloth is one practical way we keep that footprint as low as possible while still delivering genuine luxury.
Why it matters for the economy
Every metre of cloth from Zignone, Vitale Barberis Canonico or Drago supports skilled jobs in Biella – spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing that have been perfected over generations. Manufacturing the finished suits within the EU supports further skilled work closer to home.
When we choose these partners we are helping to sustain a living European textile tradition rather than accelerating its decline. That has a real economic effect: it keeps knowledge, machinery and employment inside a regulated, high-value industry instead of shipping everything to the lowest-cost location.
Why it matters morally
At the simplest level, we believe people who make clothes should be paid fairly, work in safe conditions and have the same basic protections we take for granted. EU labour laws provide that baseline. The family-owned mills we partner with go further – they treat their craft as a multi-generational responsibility.
We could source cheaper cloth and manufacture outside the EU. Many businesses do. We choose not to, because the difference is visible in the finished garment and, more importantly, because it aligns with how we want to run this business. Our clients trust us with one of the most photographed days of their lives. That trust feels stronger when we can look them in the eye and explain exactly where the cloth came from and under what conditions the suit was made.
The practical result for you
When you hire a suit from us you are not hiring a generic product. You are hiring a garment designed in England, cut from cloth woven by some of the best mills in Italy, and manufactured to European standards. That is why our tuxedos hold their shape, why our lounge suits drape properly, and why clients regularly tell us the suits feel noticeably better than other hire options they have tried.
It costs more to do things this way. We accept that. In return we offer something rarer: genuine quality that lasts, a clearer conscience, and the quiet satisfaction of supporting skilled European manufacture.
If you would like to feel the difference for yourself, book a free enquiry appointment. Come and try the ranges, ask about the cloth, and decide whether this approach feels right for your wedding.
We are here Monday to Saturday at 23 Station Road, Upminster. Call 01708 226255 or email [email protected].
We look forward to showing you what proper European-made wedding suits feel like.
The team at Jack Bunneys