White Rose fabric is keeping the England team cool in Brazil

Marks & Spencer was tasked with providing the national team’s suits for the tournament, which gets underway on Thursday, and the retailer turned to long-term suppliers Alfred Brown in Bramley, Leeds to supply the ‘steel grey’ dyed fabric.

The 99-year-old firm is one of the few remaining British fabric manufacturers with a capacity big enough to produce large orders for high street retailer and it is making 100,000 metres of this particular fabric for M&S. As well as the England World Cup squad donning the suits, the fabric is being used to produce replicas for the public to buy online and at 99 selected M&S stores this summer, priced £199.

To come up with a lightweight material that would make the suits comfortable for the England players to wear in the oppressive heat of South America, Alfred Brown sourced premium wool and mohair to create a fabric composed of 95 per cent of the former and five per cent of the latter, and the cloth is produced in a plain weave. Ian Brown, the firm’s joint managing director, said: “A plain weave is a lightweight weave suitable for warm climates. It is also known as a ‘panama weave’ and often referred to as a ‘tropical’ due to its ability to keep the wearer cool in hot climates.

“Being connected with such a high-profile team and international event is very prestigious for us.”