The flannel trousers
€135 for a pair of pants might seem like a lot. But it’s hard to keep the price any lower: wool flannels are very expensive fabrics, especially since we chose a more durable combed wool. Furthermore, these pants require a time-consuming and meticulous manufacturing process (elastic waistband in the back, button-and-hook closure, zippered back pocket, etc.) carried out in Portugal (which is more expensive than in Eastern Europe, Turkey, or the Maghreb, but ensures better working conditions).
Coming out in October 2023
Coming out in October 2024
New wool fabric from Vitale Barberis Canonico: it has a softer, more fluffy texture and less sheen, but the wool is no longer “superwash”—the pants must be hand-washed or machine-washed on the “wool cycle” to prevent them from felting
New cut, slightly less fitted along the leg
Just soft, warm wool (no need for spandex, since wool is naturally stretchy)
Slightly brushed wool sheet (for a soft, fluffy feel and better heat retention) from the Italian mill Vitale Barberis Canonico
Fitted without being tight, the semi-slim cut follows the line of the leg
These pants are made at the Lanca factory in Portugal, with which we have been working since 2024 (on the recommendation of Drapeau Noir, a partner brand)
Techniques That Ensure Quality
Combed wool
This is wool from which the shorter fibers have been removed: according to our lab tests, it is more resistant to pilling than carded wool (i.e., wool that has not been combed).
Combed wool
Double-twisted
Super 120's
Double-twisted
The threads are twisted together (as if to make a cable) before being woven, for greater strength.
Combed wool
Double-twisted
Super 120's
Super 120's
A fabric made from very fine wool fibers (less than 18 microns in diameter), which makes it exceptionally soft.
Combed wool
Double-twisted
Super 120's
Warm and stylish pants
For these pants, we chose a soft wool flannel from Vitale Barberis Canonico, a prestigious Italian brand. They’re comfortable as well as stylish, thanks to the elastic waistband in the back and the wool’s natural stretch. Who said you have to suffer to look good?
In detail
Mottled Colors
Mélange colors are created by blending fibers of different colors. This adds depth to the hues… and makes stains less noticeable.
Back pocket with a zipper
So you don't leave coins scattered all over the couch.
Elastic waistband
For added comfort, but only on the back so as not to detract from the pants' elegance.
Hem folded inward
To lengthen the pants if necessary.
Zippered fly
YKK Zippers, the leading Japanese brand for high-quality zippers.
How to Wear It
A few ideas if you're stuck
Composition
100% wool
Origin and Certifications
- Wool: Australia, New Zealand
- Spinning, dyeing, weaving: Italy
- Manufactured in Portugal
...manufacture in Portugal instead of France? Of course, producing in Portugal allows us to sell at lower prices. But it’s also easier to produce high-quality goods there: in the 1980s, when France outsourced its manufacturing, Portugal strengthened its own. Still, others besides us manage to make very good wool pants made in France, like Belleville.
... not wool from French sheep? Unfortunately, the wool processing industry has all but disappeared in France, largely due to competition from countries in the Southern Hemisphere... Today, it’s very difficult for us to find French yarns on the market that meet our standards for price and quality, but some brands, such as Laines Paysannes and Ardelaine, manage to create beautiful pieces using French wool.
How This Product Will Age
How do we know this? We ask our customers for their feedback on the product one year after purchase. And if the product is less than a year old, we provide our predictions based on some unsolicited feedback and our experience with similar products.
These pants should age very well and avoid two common problems with pants that wear out: no fading (wool retains its color very well) and no loss of shape (wool naturally returns to its original shape after being stretched).
The only drawback of wool is that it’s less resistant to abrasion than cotton: these aren’t the pants to wear every day if you bike to work or frequently crawl on gravel (even though we’ve chosen so-called “combed” wool, from which the shorter fibers have been removed, resulting in twice the abrasion resistance of conventional wools—18,000 cycles vs. 10,000 cycles in our lab tests).
On the other hand (and this isn’t what you’d expect), since the fabric is very soft, it’s less likely to develop holes in the crotch than your thick, rough jeans—more details on why and how here.
Last but not least: this yarn is untreated—if you wash it normally in the washing machine, it will felt and shrink ( this photo shows what might happen if you do that). But if you follow the washing instructions, there won’t be any problem (hand wash or wool cycle).
Care Instructions
Wool is antibacterial, which means it doesn't trap odors. So there's no need to wash these pants—just air them out from time to time and wipe off any stains with a sponge.
Warning: These pants cannot be washed on a standard washing machine cycle. If you want to give yourself a scare, here’s a photo showing what might happen if you do. So if you want to wash them, use the wool cycle (not to be confused with the “delicate” cycle) or wash them by hand (in lukewarm water, and without rubbing, otherwise the wool may felt).
If you think it's too long, you can take it to a tailor to have it hemmed. If you think it's too short, you can ask the tailor to unpick the hem that's been folded inward.
The downside of wool is that it’s less abrasion-resistant than cotton: that means these aren’t the pants to wear every day if you bike to work or often crawl on gravel. But here’s the good news: holes can be mended… if you see any holes appearing, take them right away to your local tailor—since the color is mottled, the repair will be very discreet.
Do not tumble dry, but ironing is recommended—iron on the reverse side and use a low heat setting to avoid leaving marks.
Environmental Cost
This environmental cost is calculated using the official methodology of the French environmental labeling system (to be rolled out starting October 1, 2025).
The label above shows the product’s environmental cost according to the official French environmental labeling methodology. This represents what its production “costs” nature when considering its impact on climate change, ocean acidification, its toxicity to freshwater, and so on. Currently in use in the textile sector, this label should soon appear on many everyday consumer products (food, cosmetics, furniture, etc.) to help you make more eco-friendly purchasing decisions.
The flannel pants therefore have an environmental cost of 1,938 impact points*.
By comparison, a garment of equivalent weight, made of 100% polyester, manufactured in Bangladesh, and sold by a fast-fashion brand, has an environmental cost of 2,240 points*.
Why is there this difference? Here are the main reasons:
- Countries of origin: Manufacturing in Portugal or France requires less fossil fuel energy than in Bangladesh (one of the leading producers of low-cost clothing). As a result, this more local manufacturing reduces the impacts on climate change, ocean acidification, and resource depletion.
- The material: Wool has a fairly significant environmental impact, particularly because sheep emit methane—a potent greenhouse gas—during digestion. For this reason, the difference between the environmental impact of our product and that of fast fashion is not very significant. However, unlike polyester, wool has major advantages: it is warm (thanks to its insulating properties), retains its shape (the fiber is very elastic), breathable (it wicks away sweat), and odor-resistant (it prevents the growth of bacteria).
- Sustainability: Fast-fashion retailers encourage purchasing—in particular by rapidly refreshing their collections and offering a vast number of styles—and they discourage repairs by charging rock-bottom prices. This, in turn, increases the number of garments sold per person and reduces the number of times a garment is worn. In contrast, at Loom, we’ve chosen to adopt business practices that encourage our customers to keep their clothes for as long as possible.
Even though we've done everything we can to minimize it, this product's environmental impact is not insignificant. So before you buy, make sure to get the most use out of your clothes.
*Calculations performed by Loom on August 24, 2026. Click on the links to access the simulations from the official Ecobalyse tool and get more details on the assumptions used. Please note: The number of points is not always exactly the same on Ecobalyse (whose methodology changes regularly) as on the official environmental label (based on Ecobalyse version 7.0).
Reviews of this product
The standard practice is to send review request emails a few days after the purchase. We wait a month—the minimum amount of time needed to form an informed opinion.
Customer Review Policy
When do you ask customers for reviews?
We’ll send you a review request one month after we receive your order. We believe this is the minimum amount of time needed to have worn and washed an item several times and to form a truly informed opinion. After that, all your reviews are published within a week, whether they’re positive or negative.
Do you request reviews for 100% of the products ordered by customers?
We used to do that at first, but then we realized we were starting to send way too many emails to certain customers who shop with us regularly. In short, we were spamming them a bit. Plus, it was starting to take the team way too much time to respond to reviews—since we want to reply individually and privately to almost everyone who leaves us a review. Today, we no longer ask for reviews on products that meet the following two criteria: 1/ There are enough reviews posted on the site for potential buyers to form an informed opinion about the product. 2/ We on the Loom team have read enough reviews to understand how to evolve the product into the next generation.
Just a quick thought: What proof is there that we aren't manipulating reviews by giving 5-star ratings to everything?
Honestly: nothing—we’re just giving you our word. Just like with everything else, actually: where we manufacture our products, where our wool comes from, our lab test results, and so on. The only times we might edit what you write is if your message contains spelling mistakes (and even then, quite a few slip past us) or if it’s racist, homophobic, etc. (but that’s never happened so far).
Asking for feedback after just one month isn't enough to know if the clothes are really durable, is it?
You're right—that's why we send you another email asking for a review one year after your purchase—we even ask for a photo to see how your garment has aged. We use the responses to improve our clothing and to provide information on “how this product will age” on our product pages. To avoid unnecessarily bothering our customers, we don’t ask for reviews on 100% of the products ordered: as soon as we have enough data to understand where we can improve, we stop asking for reviews after one year.