Ties all look identical on a quote. Four questions tell you which ones will still hang straight next year.

Is it cut on the true bias?

This is the whole question. Silk cut at forty-five degrees to the weave hangs straight and knots evenly; silk cut off-grain twists, curls and never recovers.

Bias cutting wastes about a third of the cloth, so it is always the first economy on a cheap tie. Ask directly, and ask to see the diagonal seam across the back.

What weight is the interlining?

The wool layer inside decides how large the knot sits and how well the tie recovers after a day knotted.

Heavier gives a full, firm knot and a substantial hand; lighter gives a smaller knot and softer drape. Neither is better — but a supplier who cannot give you a number is not choosing it, they are using whatever is on the roll.

Is it slip stitched and bar tacked?

A loose thread down the length with a bar tack at each end lets the tie stretch when knotted and pull back afterwards.

Without it the tie has nowhere to give and tears along the fold. It is invisible from the outside and it is the difference between one term and ten years.

Woven or printed?

Woven for crests, stripes and anything that should feel like part of the cloth — a woven crest has physical depth that a printed one cannot fake at close range.

Printed for gradients, photographs and very fine multi-colour illustration that a loom genuinely cannot resolve. Printing is a capability, not a cheaper way to do a crest.

What to send when you ask for a quote

Your crest or stripe details, quantities, lengths needed, and whether the ties are worn daily or occasionally. For a match, send an existing tie — it is worth more than any colour reference.