Grenadine Ties 101: What They Are And When To Wear One

Don’t mistake the grenadine for a knit tie. Though they do look similar, the grenadine is its slimmer cousin.

The texture of the material makes it look interesting, but the style makes it one of the most versatile ties you can wear. Want to make an impression in the wedding photos? Wear a grenadine. Want to look dashing at the dinner party? Wear a grenadine.

Usually made by proud craftsmen, ties made of grenadine are seeing a resurgence by men who like the finer things.

In this article, I will go over everything you need to know about this exquisite tie.

What is a grenadine tie?

Grenadine is not exactly a material, but rather a type of woven silk. When treated in this way, then the material can be called grenadine. It’s the weave that makes it unique.

It resembles a knitted tie, but there are two things that differentiate it. One is the fact that it is woven with silk so the knit is much finer and not as chunky as a knitted tie.

The other is that it uses an open weave with two yarns that twist around. This gives it a distinctive knit look while also providing a lot of strength.

To finish it off, it is interlined so light can’t pass through the tie.

Grenadine tie vs knit tie

As I mentioned in the last segment, a knit tie uses a particular knit and is actually knitted. Whereas a grenadine uses a loom since it is woven and not knitted. 

Both have similar textures, but the finer texture of the grenadine makes it much more versatile. It would be a faux pas to wear a knit tie in a formal affair where a grenadine would not look out of place. In fact, it would probably garner a few compliments as it is not your typical silk tie.

Knit ties work great with casual attire, but still slightly out of place when worn in the wrong season. A grenadine is also a good choice when dressing down slightly and can be worn even in summer due to its lightness.

How they’re made

The original and authentic grenadine tie is always made in Italy. Traditionally made from the shores of Lake COmo, you can now find artisans in other parts of Italy that make them.

They are produced by using silk yarn on a loom to make a gauze-style weave. two warp yarns are twisted around the weft which give the weave its strength. 

There are two types of patterns that make the texture what it is. Since they are made in italy, these terms are Italian. The wider pattern is called the Garza Grossa, which means large gauze referring to the weave. The finer pattern is called Garza Fina or fine gauze and is more subtle.

When to wear it

Since the grenadine is so versatile, it is what you wear it with that determines the style. In other words, it will look elegant in any setting, but if you wear it with a blazer, it looks more casual. Worn with a suit and it gives an elegant touch to a serious style.