A Gentleman’s Guide to Shirting Fabrics

At Gangotra 1916, every Made to Measure shirt begins with fabric of uncompromising quality. Our collection is sourced exclusively from the world’s most renowned mills, ensuring that each weave embodies excellence and refinement.

Crafted from the finest Egyptian cottons, these fabrics are celebrated for their luxurious softness and truly unforgettable feel against the skin. Predominantly woven in two ply construction, they offer superior durability and resilience compared to single yarn fabrics meaning your shirts not only look exquisite but also stand the test of time.

Poplin is one of the most versatile and refined shirting fabrics, celebrated for its smooth texture and lightweight feel. Woven in a plain, tight structure, it produces a fabric with a flat surface and no visible texture, giving shirts a crisp and polished appearance. This makes poplin an excellent choice for those who value understated elegance and a clean silhouette.

Despite its lightness, poplin is remarkably durable. The tight weave ensures strength and resilience, allowing shirts to maintain their sharp look even with regular wear. Its breathability also makes it particularly comfortable in warmer climates, offering ease and freshness throughout the day.

The natural sheen of poplin lends itself beautifully to formal dress shirts, where a refined finish is essential. It pairs seamlessly with suits and ties, creating a sophisticated look for business or evening occasions. At the same time, its versatility means it works equally well in smart casual styles, such as button-downs worn with chinos or layered under a blazer.

Poplin’s adaptability across seasons and styles is further enhanced by its ability to take dye with clarity and precision. Whether in classic whites and blues or more contemporary patterns and stripes, poplin delivers shirts that are both timeless and modern. For those seeking a shirt that embodies comfort, durability and elegance, poplin remains a cornerstone fabric in any discerning wardrobe.

Fil à fil fabric is crafted using a plain weave construction where alternating threads, typically a coloured yarn paired with white are closely intertwined. From a distance, the fabric appears as a solid block of colour, but up close it reveals a delicate two tone effect, giving shirts a unique character without overwhelming patterns. This understated detail makes fil à fil a favourite for those who appreciate quiet sophistication.

The fabric is celebrated for its softness and comfort, thanks to its fine weave, while also being durable and resilient enough to withstand regular wear. Its tight structure offers a degree of wrinkle resistance, ensuring shirts retain their neat appearance throughout the day.

Fil à fil works beautifully in formal dress shirts, adding subtle interest to office attire or special occasions without distracting from the overall ensemble. A light blue fil à fil shirt, for example, pairs effortlessly with a navy suit and tie, offering refinement with a touch of texture. Equally, it adapts to smart casual looks, worn with chinos or jeans for a relaxed yet polished style.

Because of its breathable nature, fil à fil is well suited to year round wear, offering comfort in warmer months while layering elegantly under jackets in cooler seasons. Its versatility across colours from pale greens and blues to deeper tones ensures it remains a staple fabric for any discerning wardrobe.

Oxford cloth is defined by its basket weave structure, where two yarns are woven over and under in a repeating pattern. This creates a fabric with a subtle texture, a soft hand feel, and excellent durability. Traditionally made from cotton, Oxford fabric breathes well while resisting wrinkles better than plain weaves, ensuring shirts remain neat and comfortable throughout the day.

The fabric’s versatility is one of its greatest strengths. Plain Oxford is often used for casual button down shirts, offering a relaxed yet polished style. Pinpoint Oxford, woven with finer yarns, delivers a smoother finish suitable for business wear, while Royal Oxford provides a more lustrous and refined look, perfect for formal occasions.

Oxford shirts have long been associated with timeless menswear, particularly the Ivy League style, where the Oxford cloth button down became iconic. Today, they remain a wardrobe essential, equally at home under a blazer for the office or worn open collar with chinos for weekend ease.

Royal Oxford is the most luxurious member of the Oxford family, distinguished by its rich texture and refined sheen. Unlike the classic basket weave Oxford, Royal Oxford is woven with finer yarns in a more intricate pattern, creating a fabric that feels exceptionally soft while displaying a subtle lustre.

This fabric is celebrated for its elegance and sophistication, making it ideal for formal dress shirts and occasions where refinement is paramount. Its smooth finish pairs beautifully with suits and ties, offering a polished silhouette that elevates business and evening wear.

Despite its delicate appearance, Royal Oxford retains the durability and comfort of traditional Oxford cloth, ensuring shirts remain both resilient and breathable. Available in a wide range of colours, it lends itself to timeless whites and blues as well as richer tones, each enhanced by the fabric’s natural depth and sheen.

Ultimately, Royal Oxford is the fabric of distinction, luxurious, versatile and perfectly suited to those who seek shirts that embody both elegance and enduring quality.

Pinpoint Oxford is a finer, more polished variation of traditional Oxford cloth. Woven with thinner yarns in a basket weave, it produces a smoother surface and a subtle sheen while retaining the durability and breathability Oxford is known for.

This balance of strength and refinement makes Pinpoint ideal for business shirts, crisp enough for suits and ties, yet comfortable for long days of wear. Its texture is less casual than classic Oxford but not as lustrous as Royal Oxford, placing it perfectly between everyday ease and formal elegance.

Versatile and timeless, Pinpoint Oxford offers shirts that transition seamlessly from office to evening, embodying understated sophistication with enduring practicality.

Panama fabric, often called Cotton Panama, is created using a basket weave construction, where warp and weft threads interlace in pairs to form a criss cross pattern. This gives the fabric a subtle texture and a sturdier feel compared to plain weaves. Its medium weight, similar to denim, makes it both strong and comfortable, while the breathable cotton fibres ensure wear ability across seasons.

One of its defining qualities is durability. Panama fabric resists fraying and tearing, making it ideal for garments that need to withstand regular use. It also softens beautifully over time, much like denim, while retaining its structure

In shirting, Panama fabric offers a casual yet refined look. Its textured weave adds quiet character without being overly bold, making it suitable for button downs and smart casual styles.

Overall, Panama fabric blends strength, comfort, and understated texture, making it a practical yet stylish choice for shirts.

Twill is a classic shirting fabric known for its distinctive diagonal weave, soft drape and refined finish. The angled texture gives it a subtle character while maintaining a smooth surface that feels comfortable against the skin.

Twill’s weave makes it slightly heavier than poplin or fil à fil, giving shirts a richer body and excellent durability. It resists wrinkles better than lighter fabrics, ensuring a neat appearance throughout the day. The fabric’s natural sheen also adds a touch of elegance, making it well suited to both business and formal shirts.

Versatile in style, twill works beautifully for dress shirts worn with suits and ties, yet its softness and resilience also make it a reliable choice for smart casual looks. Available in a wide range of colours and patterns, twill offers depth and sophistication while remaining practical for everyday wear.

Fine Twill is a sophisticated variation of the classic twill weave, prised for its smooth finish and subtle elegance. Woven with finer yarns in a diagonal structure, it produces a fabric that is softer, lighter and more refined than standard twill, while retaining the durability and resilience that twill is known for.

The delicate diagonal lines give Fine Twill shirts a gentle texture and a natural sheen, creating a polished look that works beautifully for formal dress shirts. Its lighter weight makes it comfortable to wear all year round, while its wrinkle resistance ensures a neat appearance throughout the day.

Fine Twill is especially suited to business and evening shirts, offering a balance of elegance and practicality. It pairs seamlessly with suits and ties, yet its softness also makes it a pleasure to wear in more relaxed settings. Available in a wide range of colours, Fine Twill delivers shirts that embody refinement with enduring quality.

Herringbone is a distinctive shirting fabric recognized by its elegant V shaped weave pattern. Named after the bones of a herring fish, the alternating diagonal lines create a subtle zigzag effect that adds depth and character without being overly bold.

Soft yet durable, herringbone offers a smooth hand feel and a gentle sheen, making it a versatile choice for both formal and smart casual shirts. Its textured weave provides visual interest while maintaining a polished appearance, ensuring shirts look refined under a suit or equally stylish when worn open collar.

Because of its medium weight and resilience, herringbone is well suited to cooler seasons, offering warmth while remaining breathable. Available in classic whites, blues and understated tones, it delivers timeless sophistication with a touch of individuality.

Fine Herringbone is a sophisticated variation of the classic herringbone weave, offering subtle texture with a polished finish. Woven with finer yarns, its delicate V shaped zigzag pattern is less pronounced than traditional herringbone, giving shirts a smooth, elegant appearance while retaining the fabric’s distinctive character.

Soft and breathable, Fine Herringbone delivers comfort alongside durability, making it suitable for year round wear. Its gentle sheen and refined texture make it especially well suited to formal dress shirts, pairing seamlessly with suits and ties, while still versatile enough for smart casual looks.

Fine Herringbone is the fabric of understated distinction, perfect for those who appreciate shirts that combine timeless elegance with a touch of individuality.

Chambray is a lightweight, plain weave fabric that combines casual ease with refined simplicity. Woven with a coloured warp and white weft, it creates a soft, subtle two tone effect similar to denim but with a smoother, lighter finish.

Breathable and comfortable, chambray is perfect for warmer seasons, offering shirts that feel airy yet polished. Its versatility makes it equally suited to relaxed button-downs or smart casual looks, pairing effortlessly with chinos, blazers, or even layered under jackets.

Durable yet understated, chambray delivers timeless style with a relaxed sophistication, ideal for those who value comfort without compromising elegance.

Flannel is a soft, brushed fabric celebrated for its warmth, comfort and relaxed elegance. Traditionally woven from cotton or wool, it is lightly napped to create a gentle texture that feels inviting against the skin.

Its medium to heavy weight makes flannel ideal for cooler seasons, offering insulation while remaining breathable. The fabric’s casual charm lends itself to button down shirts, often in checks or solids, that pair effortlessly with jeans, chinos or layered under jackets.

Durable yet cosy, flannel embodies laid back sophistication, perfect for those who value comfort without sacrificing style.

Jersey is a soft, stretchy knit fabric prised for its comfort and casual elegance. Unlike woven shirting cloths, jersey is made using a knitting technique that gives it natural elasticity, allowing shirts to move easily with the body.

Its smooth surface and gentle drape make jersey ideal for relaxed styles, from polo shirts to casual button downs. Breathable and lightweight, it offers year round wear ability, while its resilience ensures it retains shape even after repeated washing.

Durable yet inviting, jersey delivers effortless comfort with understated sophistication, perfect for those who value ease without compromising style.

Seersucker is a lightweight cotton fabric distinguished by its puckered texture and breezy comfort. Created through an alternating tension weave, it produces a crinkled surface that lifts slightly from the skin, allowing air to circulate freely.

This natural ventilation makes seersucker ideal for warm weather shirting, offering coolness without sacrificing style. Its casual charm pairs effortlessly with summer tailoring, from relaxed button downs to unstructured blazers.

Traditionally seen in stripes or checks, seersucker carries a timeless appeal, easy going yet refined, perfect for those who value comfort with style and character.

Linen is a timeless shirting fabric celebrated for its natural texture, breathability and effortless elegance. Made from flax fibres, it has a distinctive crisp hand feel and a subtle slubbed surface that adds character to every shirt.

Its lightweight, airy weave makes linen ideal for warm weather, offering coolness and comfort even in the hottest climates. The fabric’s relaxed drape and tendency to wrinkle are part of its charm, lending shirts a casual sophistication that feels both refined and easy going.

Available in soft neutrals and vibrant hues, linen adapts beautifully to both smart casual tailoring and relaxed summer styles. Durable yet comfortable, it softens with age, ensuring each shirt develops a unique personality over time.

Linen embodies understated luxury cool, breathable and effortlessly stylish. Perfect for those who value comfort with natural elegance, it looks refined in both short and long sleeve style shirts.