[CScott&Company]

Hello, first-time poster, but I came across the site while doing some research on a couple of suits I picked up recently. One is a Hart Schaffner Marx originally from Dillards and the other, which I thought at first was a Hickey Freeman, I think is not, and is instead from a make named H. Freeman. I will include a pic of the label. Not know hardly anything about suits, would you guys be able to tell me which one is the better suit? I can take pictures if needed. I was wanting to know because I need to have them altered slightly, whichever one I go with, and want to choose the better quality suit. I don't know if either is fused, 1/2 Canvased, etc. Both suits were a steal though, $13.00 each, so it was worth a gamble. Oh, and I need this for a wedding of a friend that is coming up in a month and a half. The HSF suit has a pair of matching pants, but for the H. Freeman suit, I would have to buy some pants. Any insight, guidance, and help are appreciated! The two pics included are the logo of the H. Freeman suit and a closeup of the material.

For a number of years I had the opportunity to be involved with the development of H. Freeman made-to-measure program. Based on the label, the coat was produced in the Island Ave. facility before moving production to the English American facility in Westminster, MD. H. Freeman garments were and still are full canvas garments. They are about 80-90% hand tailored. The collar, sleeves, buttonholes, and lining are handsewn. They use a hymo canvas, sewn in by machine. However, this was for consistency in the soft feel.

Hart, Shaffner, & Marx typically were half canvas. However, when production was moved to the Peerless facility in the early 2000, after they were sold. I can not speak to.

 

[CScott&Company]

Yes. H.Freeman dropped the “Son” part after they moved from Philadelphia. H. Freeman suits were hand-tailored with exception to the pad stitching in the chest, and naturally the long seams. H. Freeman is owned by the same parent company that owns Oxxford Clothing in Chicago. H. Freeman was tailored to be one level below Oxxford. The garments produced in Philadelphia lived up to that. The fit and feel were far superior to that produced at English American. That are still a good value at $995 to $1595, either readymade or made-to-measure.