Hello all-
I am new here and have not backpacked for about 40 years (go ahead, laugh!).
Right now I am searching for a synthetic breathable lightweight fabric, sort of like Columbia's "Titanium" but I do not care if it is name brand or not. I want to experiment with having a business suit made out of it because I am in the middle east on business frequently. Any guidance welcome! Thanks

From my experience, I wouldn't say the Columbia Titanium fabric is breathable by any means. It is 100% tight-weave nylon, which has very little breathability. Hence, they utilize vents on their shirts to help with the issue. If you made a suit with this material, you will probably feel like you're wearing a sauna suit. The natives in the middle east usually wear loose knit cotton, which is very breathable. Most synthetic fabrics do not excel in breathability unless they are the loose weave "meshy" type of fabric.

-Sid

The Brits came up with the linen suit for good reason. The conditions in India and other sweltering colonial locales demanded something airy and breathable.

This is what you want:

Dear Sanad Toukhly & others-
The Columbia titanium I have seen (in trousers and shirts) is a fairly loose weave and is HIGHLY breathable. Maybe you are taling about something else?
I understand all about cotton and linen, and have a couple of linen suits. But even that is pretty deathly when it routinely hits 50 degrees Celsius and very high humidity, so I thought high-tech fabrics might be worth a try.
Getting back to the point, does anyone know a source for looser-weave, breathable synthetic fabric that might be suitable (ha ha)?
Thanks!

Bruce, a favored source of fabrics for the Make Your Own Gear crowd at BPL is Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics . I don't have personal experience with them, but they have an extensive range, and you might well find what you're looking for there.

Rolf

Bruce,
I own a Columbia long sleeve shirt and pants, both made with their Titanium fabric. This fabric claims a UPF 50 sun protection rating... most manufacturers that claim a UPF 50 utilize a tight-weave in order to achieve that rating. As I said before, this is the reason they utilize vents on their shirts, to aid with the fact that this fabric is not breathable. It is rare to see cotton shirts with vents because they don't need them. I realize this fabric is very thin, but it would be a mistake to assume that makes it breathable. If you hold the titanium fabric up against a light, you will notice the "pores" which the light passes through are extremely tiny. If you try to do this with a loose weave cotton (or synthetic) shirt, you will notice much bigger "pores" where the light shines through. Obviously this isn't a proper way to test for breathability, but it certainly gives you a good idea of how breathability compares between the fabrics.

-Sid

I just put the fabric up to my mouth and try to blow air through it.

My summer shirts are all "easy blow through".

My summer raingear is "pretty impossible to pass wind", and it gets sweaty easy.

"Titanium" is a branding name for Columbia. They have 'Titanium" rain gear which is "sweaty". They have the same "Titanium" on their 3-in-one jacket systems. Both of these "Titanium" fabrics are polyurethane or similar coating applied on the inside for "Waterproof-Breathable" (sweaty) performance.

The "titanium" in their shirts isn't the same "Titanium" as in their jackets.

It is just a branding trick, means nothing except more cost.

The advise to investigate historical dress suits for the tropics is probably excellent.