What Is Gabardine Fabric?

November 6, 2026

Gabardine is a tightly woven twill with a steep diagonal rib, which makes it smooth, dense, and resistant to wrinkles and light rain. Wool gabardine suits tailored trousers and suits, while cotton gabardine suits trench coats and workwear. The weave is the same; the fibre decides the garment.

The twill does the work

Gabardine is a twill weave, which means the weft threads pass over two warp threads and under one, stepping sideways each row to form a diagonal rib. In gabardine that diagonal is steep and the weave is tight, so the surface is smooth and dense rather than soft and open. Run a finger across it and you feel the fine diagonal lines, not a nap.

That density is the fabric's whole value. A tight twill resists creasing because the yarns have little room to shift, and it sheds light rain because water has no easy path through. It is the reason gabardine has dressed soldiers, police, and trench coat wearers for a century. It is built to be worn hard and still look pressed.

Wool gabardine vs cotton gabardine

Wool gabardine is the tailoring version. It drapes cleanly, holds a crease in trousers, and breathes better than most people expect, which is why it shows up in suits meant for year round wear. It is also the more expensive version, and it wants dry cleaning or careful hand washing, since wool and hot water are a bad combination.

Cotton gabardine is the outerwear version. It is the fabric of the classic trench coat, and it takes rain, dirt, and machine washing in stride. It creases a little more than wool gabardine and it is heavier in the hand, but it costs less and it survives the kind of wear a trench coat actually gets. Polyester blends sit in between, cheaper and more wrinkle resistant, with less breathability.

What gabardine is made for

Trousers are gabardine's best garment. The fabric holds a front crease, resists bagging at the knees, and keeps its shape through a long day of sitting. Suits in wool gabardine are the workhorse of a professional wardrobe for the same reason: they look the same at six in the evening as they did at eight in the morning.

Trench coats, skirts with a clean A-line, and structured dresses all benefit from the same properties. Gabardine is a poor choice for anything that needs to drape softly or stretch, like a bias cut dress or close fitting knitwear. The fabric has a mind of its own, and that mind is structured and straight.

Care and the shine problem

The one flaw to watch for is shine. Gabardine's smooth twill surface can develop a sheen at pressure points, the seat of trousers and the elbows of jackets, where the yarns get polished flat by friction. Press with a cloth between the iron and the fabric, and never press the seat of a pair of trousers directly.

Wool gabardine should be dry cleaned or hand washed cold and dried flat, and it should be brushed after wear to lift dust out of the twill. Cotton gabardine can go in the machine on a cool cycle and be hung to dry. Either way, hang gabardine garments on proper hangers. A wire hanger leaves dents at the shoulders that the dense weave remembers.

Keep reading: Quick answers, About The Fabric Files, and What Is Seersucker Fabric? The Pucker Is Woven In, Not Pressed On cover the nearby cases in this series.

Frequently asked questions

Is gabardine waterproof?

No, it is water resistant, not waterproof. The tight twill sheds light rain and drizzle, which is why trench coats use it, but sustained heavy rain will eventually soak through. A trench coat with a waterproof membrane or a DWR finish handles real rain; plain gabardine handles a shower.

What is the difference between gabardine and twill?

Gabardine is a type of twill, not a separate weave. Twill is the family of diagonal weaves, and gabardine is the steepest, tightest member of that family. Chino twill, denim, and herringbone are all twills too, just with a different angle and density.

Does gabardine wrinkle?

Much less than most fabrics, which is its main selling point. The tight twill resists creasing, and wrinkles that do form usually fall out when the garment hangs overnight. It is one of the better choices for travel for exactly this reason.

Is gabardine good for summer?

Wool gabardine in a lightweight weave breathes well and works for summer tailoring, though it is warmer than linen or seersucker. Cotton gabardine is heavier and better suited to spring and autumn. For a hot climate, a tropical weight wool gabardine is the pick, not a standard one.