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The fabric of choice in dress shirts is cotton. The natural breathability, comfortable feel, and overlay of cotton is what makes it so popular for shirt making. Polyester/cotton mixes can be found on occasion for dress shirts that need specific characteristics such as extra strength or wrinkle resistance. Though the polyester is usually the smaller ratio in the blend, otherwise the fabric will lack in breathability. Some dress shirts have silk blended in with the cotton, and this gives the shirt a strong sheen, though it loses some breathability.

Originally the dress shirt was always white, though in time this naturally changed and now you will find shirts with many vibrant colours and patterns. In country areas the checked patterns gained popularity quickly, and in the city, metropolitan areas the stripped shirts took over. The next section goes over the variations of fabrics used in the making of fine shirts.

One of the longest stapled cottons is Egyptian- staple refers to the length of the cotton fiber. Egypt has perfect growing condition as it is moist and the rich soil along the Nile River. The long staple makes for a tough fabric that still remains soft to the touch and has a beautiful appearance. You will often find bath textile products made of Egyptian cotton as it’s extra long staples absorb water very well. Futhermore, this ability to absorb liquid make it perfect for dying. Unlike some fabrics, especially synthetic, Egyptian cotton absorbs dyes incredibly well, thus can be dyed with vibrant colours. Egyptian cotton one of the cottons of choice in fine dress shirt making.

In the 19th century the modern founder of Egypt, Mohammad Ali Pasha, brought Gossypium barbadense, a species of cotton, to Egypt to be cultivated. This turned out to be a huge success as the fertile moist lands just around the Nile were perfect for the cotton. During the Civil War in the United States there was a lack of cotton growth, so Egypt filled the demand and made it’s cotton famous around the world.

The other famous cotton in men’s luxury dress shirts is Sea Island cotton. Just off the coast of Georgia, in the United States, are the Sea Islands. This cotton comes from the same species as it’s rival Egyptian Cotton, and in fact is very similar. It is also a extra long staple, though it is ever so slightly softer than Egyptian. Both cottons are on a level playing ground, and most consider it a matter of personal preference which fabric they prefer.

Sea Island cotton is from the Gossypium barbadense species. During the American Civil War, cotton growers attempted to relocate and introduce this cotton to Bermuda, but were unsuccessful because Bermuda does not have the specific climate conditions that this cotton plant requires. These very rare climate conditions are found in the Sea Islands, and that is what makes Sea Island cotton one of the world’s most sought after cottons for dress shirts.

A more common cotton is Pima. This cotton has a slightly shorter staple than Egyptian or Sea Island cotton, though it is probably the most common cotton. Your typical t-shirt is made of Pima cotton, as well many dress shirts are. Even luxury dress shirt makers use Pima cotton. It’s thick staples make it perfect for sox or such clothing requiring durability. This cotton is grown primarily in America, in the southwest part.

Pima Native Americans were the first to cultivate this cotton, and that is why it is named Pima. In the 1900s the United States Department of Agriculture started a campaign to cultivate the Pima cotton across America. By the mid century a pima seed was developed that had an increase in strength and yield. From this Pima cotton took off and became the most popular cotton in the United States.

A variant of Pima cotton is Upland Cotton. Now this cotton is the primary cotton found in the United states, accounting for over ninety percent of all production. It comes in long staple and short staple, the long staple being the most common. Generally this cotton is used is less luxurious products.

To the surprise of many in the United States, it is believed that Gossypium hirsutum (Upland cotton) actually was first cultivated in the Tehuacan Valley in Mexico. Remarkably, for nearly 5000 years it was cultivated there.

The major advantage of polyester fabric is that is does not wrinkle, since polyester fiber is much stiffer than cotton fiber. A 100 percent polyester fabric will maintain a permanent press, virtually never requiring ironing. Despite this, the fabric is not “breathable” in comparison to a natural fabric, making it undesirable for clothing in its 100% form. This is why polyester is often blended with cotton: this combination provides wrinkle resistance to the cotton fabric, while allowing the cotton to maintain its breathability and softness. In a 40% cotton-60% polyester blend, the fabric generally does not require ironing — though this combination produces a significant loss of breathability. In an 80% cotton-20% polyester blend, on the other hand, the shirt provides strong wrinkle resistance but will usually need to be ironed after washing. This latter percentage ratio is often used in dress shirt fabrics because it produces a virtually pure cotton feel as well as breathability, while maintaining strong wrinkle-resistant qualities.

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