ABOUT OUR SHIRT WEAVES

You probably know that our shirts are crafted from fine fibres, but there's more to top-
quality fabric than just that. The way the cloth is woven is key to determining its look
and feel. At Charles Tyrwhitt, we use several different types of shirt weave to create
styles for every occasion, from laid-back weekends to formal events.

Here's a closer look at how shirt fabric texture can change the appearance of a
garment and, indeed, your whole outfit.

LIGHTER WEIGHT WEAVES

Breezy weaves for summer dressing and smart layering

POPLIN

The fibres in cotton poplin are closely woven in a simple criss-cross pattern. This means the fabric is strong yet lightweight, making a poplin shirt an excellent choice for warm days. The finish is smooth and silky, which brings a refined touch to your outfit.

Try our 100% Egyptian cotton poplin shirts, made with two-fold 100 cotton that's woven from extra-long and silky fibres. The result? A supremely soft and light fabric that's exceptionally comfortable to wear.

LINEN

Naturally breathable and cool, linen is a favourite for summertime dressing. It's woven from the strong fibres of the flax plant, which creates a fabric with a light texture that softens over time. Part of linen's charm is its tendency to crease – adding some cotton to the mix keeps things smoother. The longer cotton fibres improve the fabric's elasticity, reducing wrinkles.

CHAMBRAY

Chambray is the light and supple cousin of denim. It has a plain fabric weave that combines a dyed warp yarn (usually blue) with a white filling yarn. Thanks to its soft texture, it makes the ideal fabric for off-duty shirts and relaxed sunny-day styles.

MID-WEIGHT WEAVES

Versatile shirts with distinctive textures and an elegant drape

ROYAL OXFORD

As the name suggests, a Royal Oxford shirt is the most refined of the Oxford styles. The fabric has an elaborate weave that creates a soft, fine cloth, which drapes superbly and has a slight sheen. This is the weave to choose for formal events – it looks ultra-sophisticated and is reliably comfortable.

DOBBY

This classic cotton weave creates a subtly patterned cloth. Using fine yarns results in an understated finish that's perfect for adding character to a formal shirt, while thicker threads make a more robust fabric. Choose one of our 100% Egyptian cotton dobby shirts to enjoy strength and silky softness combined with a distinctive texture.

OXFORD

The popular Oxford shirt has a basket weave with interlinking warp and weft threads. This weave often combines coloured and white fibres to create a two-tone appearance. It tends to feature in casual shirts, as it has a thicker, more robust texture, which also makes a great choice for cool-weather wear.

Take a look at shirts in our Washed Oxford – as well as having natural stretch for easy movement, they've been garment washed to give them an extra-soft feel.

PINPOINT OXFORD

This Oxford shirt is made for the office. The pinpoint weave has a finer appearance than the classic Oxford, making it suited to formal wear. It's still a basket weave and typically uses two shades, but the finish is more subtle, thanks to a higher thread count.

TWILL

Twill is that dream shirt fabric – easy to care for and supremely smart. This is thanks to its weaving method, which uses twin horizontal yarns under and over vertical threads to produce a distinctive diagonal pattern. The resulting fabric has a flattering drape and is soft, substantial, and crease-resistant.

Herringbone is a variation of twill with a diagonal pattern resembling a reversing zigzag or a fish skeleton (which is where the name comes from). Alongside the other benefits of twill, herringbone fabrics are more water resistant and dry quickly.

CORDUROY

This casualwear staple is made from pile-cut cotton yarn, which has a warm and supersoft feel. The yarn is woven then cut into ridges (called ribs, cords, or wales), which have a distinctive velvety texture. The ribs on a corduroy shirt come in a variety of widths to create subtly different looks.

FLANNEL

For an extra-soft feel, go for flannel. Its fine twill cloth has a 'peached' finish that's achieved by lightly sanding the outside of the fabric to fluff up the fibres. Flannel is exceptionally comfortable and lightweight, making it ideal for layering on cool summer evenings and chilly days.

HEAVIER WEIGHT WEAVES

These crisp shirts are ideal for cooler weather or formal events

BRUSHED FLANNEL

Our brushed flannel shirts are made for ultimate comfort. Both sides of the fabric are peached, creating a soft and warm feel. Thanks to their dobby weave, these shirts are a little heavier than regular flannel, making them great for layering during the colder months. To double up on softness, we've also given them a garment wash.

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