Shirt Fabrics Explained: Poplin, Twill, Oxford, Pinpoint and More

A shirt fabric is the sum of three choices: the fiber, the yarn and the weave. Almost every good dress shirt is cotton, so in practice the yarn and the weave decide how a shirt looks, how it feels against your skin, how much it creases and whether it belongs under a business suit or with jeans. Shirtmakers' fabric books use the same short list of names again and again: poplin, twill, oxford, pinpoint, royal oxford, end-on-end. Once you know what each name means, you can choose the right shirt for the occasion, the climate and the amount of ironing you are willing to do.

What are the main types of shirt fabric?

Shirt fabrics are named mostly by their weave: the pattern in which the lengthwise warp yarns and the crosswise weft yarns cross. A plain weave crosses them one over, one under. A twill shifts each crossing one step along on every row, which builds a diagonal line. A basket weave crosses yarns in pairs or groups. Color adds another layer: weave a colored warp with a white weft and you get the soft, two-tone surface of oxford, chambray or end-on-end. The table compares the fabrics you will meet most often.

What is poplin shirt fabric?

Poplin is a tightly woven plain weave with a smooth, flat surface and very little sheen. It usually has many more warp threads than weft threads, often about twice as many, which gives it body and a crisp hand. In the United States much the same fabric is sold as broadcloth. A freshly pressed poplin shirt is the sharpest shirt you can wear, which is why it is the classic choice under a business suit and for formal occasions.

Poplin has two drawbacks. It creases more readily than twill or oxford, so it shows a day at a desk. And a fine white poplin can be slightly see-through, so wear an undershirt close to your skin tone, or choose a denser weave, if that bothers you. Very light poplins are cool in summer; heavier ones are crisper and more opaque.

What is twill shirt fabric?

In a twill, the weft passes over and under groups of warp yarns, and the crossing point moves one step along on every row. That shift creates fine diagonal lines on the face of the fabric. Twill is softer and drapes more than poplin, usually has a slight sheen, and is a little thicker and warmer. Its big practical advantage is that it resists creasing and is easy to iron, which makes it the best fabric for a shirt that has to look good at the end of a long day.

Twills range from fine, almost invisible diagonals to bolder versions such as cavalry twill. Herringbone is a twill that reverses direction at regular intervals, creating a zigzag said to resemble the backbone of a herring. It feels and performs like twill but adds visible texture, so it suits sport coats and cooler months. Denim is also a twill, usually with an indigo warp and an undyed weft.

Oxford vs pinpoint vs royal oxford: what's the difference?

The three oxford fabrics share a name but differ in look and formality. Classic oxford and pinpoint oxford are both basket weaves, in which yarns cross in pairs instead of singly; pinpoint simply uses finer yarns in a tighter weave. Royal oxford is a refined, more elaborate variation of the oxford weave in fine two-ply yarns, and despite the name it is the dressiest of the three.

A quick test in a shop: look closely at the fabric in good light. Classic oxford shows a clear, slightly uneven grid of thick yarns with white flecks. Pinpoint shows a much finer, more regular texture that looks almost smooth at arm's length. Royal oxford shows a raised pattern with a gentle shine that reads as texture even from a few feet away.

End-on-end, chambray, dobby and other textured weaves

• End-on-end (fil-à-fil in French) is a plain weave in which colored and white yarns alternate in the warp, usually with a white weft. From a distance it reads as a solid color; up close it has a fine, mottled texture. It is light, breathes well and is a favorite for warm-weather business shirts.
• Chambray is a plain weave with a colored warp, often blue, and a white weft. It looks like a lighter, softer denim and is a casual fabric for weekends and relaxed jackets.
• Dobby fabrics are woven on a dobby loom, which lifts warp yarns in small repeating patterns: tiny dots, diamonds, ribs or stripes, often in the same color as the base. A white dobby adds quiet interest to a formal shirt.
• Piqué, also called marcella, has fine raised cords or a small honeycomb texture. In dress shirts it is used mainly for the fronts of evening shirts; see our guide to tuxedo shirts.
• Jacquard fabrics come from a more complex loom that can weave larger, detailed patterns. They look dressy in small, tonal designs and loud in large ones.
• Melange fabrics use fibers or yarns in two or more shades for a flecked, heathered look that softens a plain color.

What is the best shirt fabric for hot weather?

The best shirt fabrics for hot weather are light, open weaves in fine yarns: voile, zephyr, end-on-end and fine poplin in cotton, and linen or cotton-linen blends. Air passes through an open weave, and a light fabric holds less heat against your skin. Avoid heavy twills, classic oxford and anything brushed.

• Voile: a very light, open plain weave made with highly twisted yarns. Cool and slightly sheer.
• Zephyr: a fine, light plain weave with an equal number of warp and weft threads. Fresh and crisp.
• End-on-end: light and breathable, and smart enough to wear with a suit.
• Linen: woven from flax, cool and dry to the touch, and quick to dry. It creases easily; a cotton-linen blend creases less and still breathes.
• Seersucker: puckered stripes hold the fabric slightly away from the skin. Casual.

Color matters in heat too. White and pale blue reflect more sunlight and show sweat less than mid-tones such as light gray. For the rest of the outfit, see our guides to staying cool in a suit and the best suit fabrics for hot weather.

What does yarn count mean on a shirt?

Yarn count tells you how fine the yarn is. In the English cotton count used for shirting, the number is how many hanks of 840 yards it takes to weigh one pound. A 100s yarn means 100 hanks, or 84,000 yards, weigh a pound; a 140s yarn is finer still. Shirtings run from about 30s in heavy casual fabrics to well above 200s in the rarest luxury fabrics.

This is not the thread count you see on bedsheets, which counts threads per square inch. When a shirt brand quotes a thread count of 120, it usually means 120s yarn. Other things being equal, a higher count gives a smoother, silkier, lighter and more expensive fabric. It also gives a more delicate one.

Is two-ply better than single-ply?

Ply is the number of single yarns twisted together to make one thread. In a two-ply fabric, two fine yarns are twisted into each thread, usually in both the warp and the weft. Shirtmakers write this as 100/2, meaning two 100s yarns twisted together, and you may see a fabric called 2x2 when both directions are two-ply. Most shirtings above about 100s are two-ply, because twisting two fine yarns together makes a much stronger thread.

Two-ply is generally the better choice for a dress shirt. It is more durable, smoother and more even, and it holds up better at the collar and cuffs, where shirts wear first. Single-ply fabrics are lighter and cheaper, and many casual fabrics, such as classic oxford and chambray, are normally single-ply. Modern compact spinning also makes single yarns smoother than they once were, so judge a single-ply fabric in your hand before dismissing it.

Egyptian, Sea Island or Supima: does the cotton matter?

The best shirtings use extra-long-staple cotton, meaning fibers at least 1⅜ inches (about 35 mm) long. Long fibers spin into fine, strong, smooth yarns with fewer loose ends, which is what makes high yarn counts possible. The well-known names are Egyptian cotton, including the rare Giza 45 variety; Sea Island cotton, one of the rarest; and Supima, the trademark for American Pima cotton.

A cotton name on a label tells you about the raw fiber, not the finished fabric. Spinning, weaving and finishing matter as much, and a fabric from a careful mill in ordinary long-staple cotton can outlast a poorly made one in a famous variety. Well-known shirting mills include Albini in Italy and Alumo in Switzerland, and a good shirtmaker can tell you which mill made your fabric.

Which shirt fabric should you wear, and when?

For a first set of business shirts, choose white and light blue in poplin, twill or pinpoint. Add a royal oxford or a fine dobby for occasions, end-on-end or linen for heat, and oxford for weekends. Our guide to matching a tie, shirt and suit covers color and pattern.

Which shirt fabrics wrinkle the least?

Twill and herringbone resist creasing best among the standard cotton weaves. Oxford and pinpoint come next, because their texture hides small creases. Poplin and linen crease the most. Two-ply yarns help, and so does a slightly heavier fabric. Non-iron or easy-iron shirts are treated at the finishing stage to resist creasing; they save time, usually at the cost of a slightly firmer, less natural feel. For travel, a two-ply twill is the best untreated choice.

How to care for different shirt fabrics

Whatever the fabric, take out collar stays, pre-treat the collar and cuffs, and avoid high dryer heat, which shrinks cotton and sets stains. Our step-by-step guides cover how to wash dress shirts and how to iron a dress shirt.

What to ask a shirtmaker about fabric

If you buy one shirt fabric, make it a white or pale blue two-ply twill or poplin. It works under any suit, irons cleanly and lasts. For fit, see how a dress shirt should fit, and for made-to-measure and bespoke shirts, our guide to Jermyn Street shirtmakers explains how ordering works.

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