How to Choose Shirts: Fabric, Construction, Fit and Supplier

Poplin is a plain, smooth weave, light and crisp, the default for formal and office shirts. Twill has a diagonal rib, drapes better and resists creasing more. Oxford is a basket-type weave, thicker and textured, used for button-down casual shirts. Yarn-dyed checks and stripes are woven from dyed yarn, so the pattern is part of the fabric and does not fade the way a print does.

Quote the construction: warp and weft yarn count (for example 40s x 40s), threads per inch and the weight in GSM, which usually falls between 100 and 140 for shirting. A higher count and finer yarn feel softer and cost more. Poly-cotton blends cut cost and creasing but breathe less, which matters in hot markets.

• Poplin: formal, office, school and uniform shirts.
• Twill: premium formal wear, smoother drape.
• Oxford: casual button-downs.
• Yarn-dyed check: casual and corporate patterns that must not fade.

Look at the collar first. The interlining (fusible or sewn) keeps the collar shape through washing; a poor fusing bubbles after a few washes. Check stitch density, usually 12 to 14 stitches per inch on a quality shirt, and that the seams are neat, with no puckering along the side seams and sleeve plackets. Buttons should be sewn with a shank and enough thread turns to survive repeated use; spare buttons in the pocket or on the label are a standard courtesy.

Pattern matching at the pocket, placket and yoke is a visible quality marker on checks and stripes, and one of the first things a buyer's inspector looks at.

Fit is given by a measurement chart (chest, waist, shoulder, sleeve length, collar and body length) with tolerances. Specify regular, slim or relaxed. Shirts are sold by neck and sleeve in the UK, Gulf and many African markets, and by small to extra large elsewhere, so confirm the sizing system and ratio you need.

Ask for a shrinkage limit (a common target is within about 3% in length and width after wash) tested to ISO 6330 or AATCC 135. Colour fastness to washing and to rubbing is tested to the ISO 105 series; dark yarn-dyed shirts and prints are the usual risk. Pilling resistance, tested to ISO 12945, matters mostly on poly-cotton blends.

Use AQL 2.5 for major and 4.0 for minor defects under ISO 2859-1. Inspectors measure a sample against the chart, check collar and cuff symmetry, button holes and buttons, stitching, pattern matching, ironing and folding, and the packing assortment.

• Open one carton per size to confirm the ratio matches the order.
• Check the fusing quality by gently flexing the collar and cuff.
• Check the shade within and across cartons, especially on dyed colours.

Hurain Garments Exporter is a trading and export company: our shirts are made by partner factories and we handle sampling, inspection, packing, documents and shipping. Because we buy in volume from those factories, prices are competitive and below the average wholesale price.

For shirts we agree fabric, yarn count, collar and cuff construction, fit and the neck and sleeve ratio on a pre-production sample, and inspect against that sample before dispatch.

Shirts are folded with collar support and clips or pins, polybagged individually, and packed in export cartons by size ratio. Hang-pack with hangers is available on request.

• Minimum order: Typically 1,000–2,000 pieces per style, with fabric-led minimums of 1,500 metres for yarn-dyed checks. A half container or a full container is also possible, as per your requirement.
• Lead time: 40–55 days from approved sample; 25–30 days on repeat poplin styles.
• Samples: a pre-production sample is approved before bulk; sample and courier costs are normally adjusted against the first order.
• Payment: 50% advance to confirm the order and 50% before dispatch; L/C can be discussed on request.
• Terms and documents: EXW, FOB, CFR or CIF, with commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading, plus inspection and test reports on request.
• Different garments can be combined in one consolidated FCL or LCL shipment.