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Your sportcoat may get by on flash if you’re just dashing through the room. But if you plan to linger, you’ll want quality. Here is how to identify the best men’s sportcoats.

At Garmany, we assure our customers that every sportcoat we offer is among the finest garments in the world. That’s because our brands, such as Kiton and Isaia, source their materials from the best mills and rely on skilled craftspeople using time-honored tailoring techniques. To be certain that you’re choosing the best, check these categories of sportcoat greatness before you button up your purchase.

FABRIC: Color and pattern are important, especially when you opt for made-to-measure, but the actual fabric is just as crucial. To ensure the best quality, the outer fabric of the jacket should be wool or cashmere blend, which guarantees durability and breathability. Super 100s to Super 130s pure wool (a higher super count means finer and lighter fabric) are ideal.

Bonus: When dry-cleaned, a fine sportcoat (as opposed to one made of synthetic material) won’t come back with press marks or a shiny appearance.

HAND-SET COLLAR: A well-balanced and properly fitting men’s sportcoats always have a collar that’s been eased and set by hand. An easy way to check this is to flip over the collar: If you see a small part of the jacket fabric folded back over the collar felt, you’ve got yourself a quality garment. This “fold back” is seam allowance, and tailors typically do this by hand.

SMOOTH LAPEL ROLL: The lapel of a superior sportcoat always “rolls”—it should never appear as an ironed crease. A handstitched underside made of quality canvas such as horsehair will give the lapel a natural roll that holds up when the jacket is dry-cleaned or hanging in your closet.

BUTTONS: Buyer beware: Buttons made of plastic are an instant red flag on men’s sportcoats—they rarely enhance style and are usually low-quality. A well-constructed sportcoat features hard, durable buttons made of horn, mother-of-pearl or even corozo, which comes from the nut of a South American ivory palm tree and was used for button making before plastic hit the scene. Front buttons should be sewn to allow fabric to drape in between the button and the garment when fastened.

HAND-SEWN BUTTONHOLES: These are the mark of quality craftsmanship. Sure, machine-made buttonholes get the job done, but they often appear rough and include imperfections (a hanging piece of thread after the fabric is cut, for instance). When they’re hand-sewn, buttonholes are smooth and sleek because the fabric is cut before assembly and measured to fit.