Printed Silk vs. Woven Silk: Which Necktie Is Right for You

Walk through our collections and you'll notice two very different kinds of ties: printed silk and woven silk. Both start with the same fine mulberry silk, but the way the pattern is created changes how the tie looks, feels, and wears. Here's how to choose between them.

How Printed Silk Is Made

Printed ties start as plain woven silk, usually a fine twill, onto which a pattern is printed in layers of color, much like fabric printing for a scarf. This process allows for intricate, colorful designs, from medallions to florals to paisley, that would be difficult or impossible to weave. Our Printed Silk collection leans into this, with bold medallions and conversational patterns that make a statement.

How Woven Silk Is Made

Woven, or jacquard, ties are created on a loom that weaves the pattern directly into the structure of the fabric using different colored threads. Stripes, dots, and small geometric patterns are classic woven designs. Because the pattern is woven rather than printed on top, it has a subtle texture you can feel, and the reverse side often shows a soft mirror of the design. Browse ours in the Woven Silk collection.

Which Should You Choose?

If you want something bold and eye-catching for a rehearsal dinner, a client pitch, or simply to stand out, printed silk gives you more room to play with color and pattern scale. If you're building a foundation of ties for the office or want something that reads as classic and understated, a woven stripe or small woven neat is nearly impossible to get wrong.

Mixing the Two

Most well-dressed men own both. A rotation of two or three woven ties for the office, paired with a couple of printed statement ties for when you want to be remembered, will cover nearly every situation life throws at you.

Not sure where to start? Our Stripes collection is a great entry point into woven silk, while our Printed Silk medallions make an easy first statement piece.