Know Your Shirt Fabrics!
Know your shirt fabric:
There are so many different names associated with different types of cottons that it’s almost impossible to decipher what YOU should wear. Different cloth are appealing to different folks; some like a heavier fabric, and some would rather have thin and light. Here’s the overview of what you need to know:
Broadcloth: This fabric is thin and light. It’s tightly woven giving it little pattern and texture so if you’re wearing a white broadcloth shirt, an undershirt might be a good idea! Poplin cotton is pretty much the same thing for the purpose of performance on all variables, so distinguishing the two is impractical for the practical consumer.
Oxford: A popular choice for business casual without a tie, Oxford cloth is a looser weave. Also, Oxford tends to be a little heavier. It’s also going to show wrinkles, although it’s not a faux pas to wear a little wrinkled when not tucked in and worn more casually. The benefit is that it’s quite durable, so you do still tend to see it in an office environment.
Pinpoint (Oxford): A heavier version of the broadcloth but a lighter version of the Oxford. Dressy enough to wear for formal yet light enough to be comfortable, with added durability to boot. It’s a popular choice for the fact that it encompasses nicely the best of all worlds when durability, formality and lighter weight are all desirable.
End-on-End: A generally very lightweight fabric with some pattern to it. Will look solid from far away but will have some texture up close. It’s a popular dress-shirt choice.
Sea Island Cotton: Pima and Egyptian cottons are technically sea-island as well, but be careful because the term has been bastardized by the industry; not all Pima, Sea Island and Egyptian cotton are created equal – some are just given the name (thus bastardizing the term) without qualifying for the standard it needs to meet (or be certified). A true Sea Island cotton is very high thread-count (and therefore smooth) and is the highest quality of cotton that goes into a shirt. Egyptian and Pima, by definition also describe the same type of cotton that goes into a shirt. A great indicator of whether it’s the “real deal” is the price of the shirt; remember, you get what you pay for, so be weary of “discount shirts” that are “Sea Island.” All companies are subject to commodity prices and Sea Island cotton is the highest end.
Twill: A shirt with a diagonal weave that you can see, it’s very tightly woven and therefore not crisp, but on the upside very wrinkle resistant!
Royal Oxford: Dressy and sometimes with a sheen. Great for Tuxedo shirts or other very-formal event shirts! If “crisp” is your word, then this is your shirt.
