Shirts are known by the quality of the raw materials used in the manufacturing process – the fabrics, threads, craftsmanship, thread count and accessories like buttons.
Shirts are known by the quality of the raw materials used in the manufacturing process – the fabrics, threads, craftsmanship, thread count and accessories like buttons. Cotton is one fabric that is breathable making it feel cooler in summer and warmer in the winter season. However, shirts that are affordable to the masses are mass produced using blends like polyester, viscose or other synthetic fibers. Blends are nothing but mixing two different materials together to achieve a look that is close to the natural fibers. Generally, cotton is mixed with other materials which reduce the cost of the shirts. Shirts are also made from silk, which is generally a soft fiber but does not give a crisp look. To overcome this problem, the silk is usually mixed with cotton to produce shirts that are not just crisp but also have a lustrous sheen on the shirts. Few brands like Brooks Brothers, Gap, Thomas Pink and PeprisMine make use of natural fibers like cotton and other luxury fabrics like Egyptian Giza cotton and pima cottons. The weaves of the shirts are as important as the fabrics while buying shirts. Different weaves of the shirts are best suited for different occasions when wearing shirts. Below are the 4 different weave types that you should know for your dress shirts.
Oxford: The oxford weave is widely used in the casual dress shirts as it more course and rough than any other weave. The oxford shirts are quite soft and offer great comfort. Of the two threads that are used for making the oxfords, one of the weaves is left as white while the other thread is dyed. Multiple yarns pass over one another in both the directions – vertical and horizontal. This gives an appearance of basket weave to the onlooker. The shirts made from the oxford weave are more affordable because of the quality of the yarns used. Because, it is rougher, it’s best to buy shirts for the casual occasions.
Poplin: Poplins are also called as broadcloth. The fabric is also light in weight which comes with a tight weave, thereby giving a lustrous finish. The poplins have are smoother in terms of texture when you compare them with the other weaves like the oxford. The best thing about the poplin is that they can be used for different dress shirts like casual as well as the formal dress shirts, depending on the thread counts.
Twill: This weave has a diagonal weave making it look like a highly rich textured shirts, suitable for formal dress shirts. Because of the nature of the weave which is diagonal, they are softer than any other weaves and are easier to iron and are wrinkle free. However, there are disadvantages with the twill weaved fabrics. The stains are hard to go in case of any spills and they aren’t as crisp as the pinpoint or the poplin weaved dress shirts.
Herringbone: The herringbone weaves are similar to the twill design except for the fact that the direction of the diagonals seen in the twill are reversed every few stitches thereby giving a more textured look on the fabric. The herringbone design is named after the herring fish as the patterns closely matches with the skeleton of the fish. With the herringbone weaved fabrics used in the dress shirts, one can see a subtle effect in case of the white shirts or any other solid dress shirts.
Author: Anup D
