3 Secrets to Spotting Cheap and Flimsy Bow Ties

The Downsides of Cheap Bow Tie Construction

You might be excited about the price, but when you get that "cheap" bow tie in the mail, you instantly know when it hits your hands...

...it feels paper thin, scratchy, and flimsy. 

In addition, when you tie it on your neck, the knot easily loses it's shape in a matter of minutes, and you're stuck trying to adjust it throughout the day. 

This can be summarized as:

Thin, Low Quality Fabric, Flimsy, and Pain in the @#$

Not exactly the way you want to "stand out" when wearing a bow tie. 

The Three Factors Influencing Bow Tie Quality

1. Fabric: Weight, Density, and Type
2. Interlining (a.k.a. Interfacing)
3. Design Weave and Texture

These three factors are the things a bow tie shopper should always look at if they want to FEEL like, and be KNOWN as a dapper guy or gal.

Secret #1: Assess the Bow Tie Fabric

First, always check the fabric type.

If you want a luxurious feel, then silk is the only way to go. Cotton bow ties are great for casual/work outfits, and it depends on your style, but beware of shops selling "cotton" or "microfiber" bow ties that are for a more formal setting. 

Fabric weight is the next thing to assess. 

A heavier weight of fabric increases the quality leaps and bounds. 

The problem is, most sellers are not transparent about the "weight" of the fabric they use. 

If a manufacturer wants to cut costs, they’ll use low grade silks. The grade of silk is also known as “Momme Weight”. Momme weight describes the weight of 100 yards of silk, 45 inches wide, in pounds. If a fabric is listed as 9mm then it means 100 yards of fabric weighs 9 pounds. In general, high quality silks tend to be at around the 14-16mm range.

We've bought $50 bow ties from a typical big box department store...and honestly, the fabric felt like it was a weight of around 8-9mm. 

At The Bow Tie Guy, all of our bow ties are specified to be produced with a minimum of 16mm weight, and we can do this at an affordable price.

Secret #2: Assess The Bow Tie Interlining

The interlining of the bow tie is used to help give a bow tie shape, integrity, and overall “fullness”.

Some manufacturers don’t add in an interlining to help reduce costs.

As a result, the bow tie tends to lose its shape over time as the fabric gets worn down. The bow tie also feels a bit thin. You might not know how to describe it, but the bow tie is lighter and more dainty.

During our competitor assessment, a $55 bow tie we bought from the Department store felt as though it had no interlining at all! I could tell by just picking it up and feeling it in between my fingers. Terrible.

Here's what a bow tie with a thick interlining looks like:

The best thing that a thick interlining offers is a weighty and "Anti-Floppy" bow tie that keeps a full knot all day.

This is why we spent over 12 months perfecting a 3-layer interlining that gives the highest performance and luxurious fee.

(Read below to see how we designed our Luxe Collection Bow Ties)...

Secret #3: Assess the Design Weave and Texture

There are a few ways you can put a design on a bow tie.

The first is by printing a design on the fabric.

This is generally the lowest quality and most "cost effective" way, and thus how many of the big box bow tie companies put designs on their bow ties. 

We do this as well, but it's only for very intricate designs with our casual bow tie styles--it's something to be aware of when shopping. 

Second is by weaving the design and texture into the fabric, when the fabric is created. 

This comprises most of our bow tie designs...as it works well with high quality silk, and gives a very nice luxurious texture (and look) to the bow tie. 

Last is by embroidery.

If you are placing a logo on a bow tie, this is a high quality method to do so. 

Our Luxe Collection Bow Ties Were Designed to Maximize All 3 Factors

Interested to see how we took all 3 factors and spent 12 months designing the most high quality bow ties you will find online?

Keep reading below to find out...

LUXEFLEX™

3-Layer Interlining

The Lushest We've Ever Made. Finally, a bow tie that isn't floppy.