WEAVES
POPLIN/BROADCLOTH
Poplin or Broadcloth weave is the most simple and commonly produced weave in fabrics. It is made by alternately passing weft yarns over and under the warp yarns along the full length of the fabric. These are tightly woven flat fabrics with very little sheen, given the lack of texture. Poplin weaves are thus ideal for professionals and for office wear.
TWILL
The Twill weave is easily identifiable by the diagonal texture or pattern in the fabric. Depending on the count and construction, Twills vary from being very fine and noticeable only on closer inspection (Royal Twills), to having very thick and prominent diagonal cords. Twills will almost always have more sheen, opaqueness and wrinkle resistance to Poplins. They are also not as crisp and hence drape better than Poplins. These thus make good smart casual shirts.
FIL-À-FIL
In a Fil-à-Fil weave (also known as End-on-End weave), the fabric is woven by alternating a white thread with a colored thread, resulting in a heathered effect. Variations are created by alternating light and dark warp and weft threads, to give an inconsistent yet rich texture. Fil-à-Fils work well as under-the-suit shirts, since they look solid from far and only when closer you see the pattern. These are extremely cool and comfortable fabrics and often worn with a pair of jeans or cotton trousers.
CHAMBRAY
Similar to Fil-à-Fils, Chambrays have a colored thread inter-woven with a white thread creating an irregular color to it. However, chambrays are generally much heavier and more appropriate for casual wear than Fil-à-Fils since they have a faded look, with soft colors, rather than sharp shades. Chambrays work well for summer and resort wear.
SATIN
Satin is the weave with the most shine or luster. It is woven by interweaving four or more weft yarns over a single warp yarn or vice versa. It thus has a “loose construction” which drapes really well and often used in garments for women. The luster gives a very exclusive impression and is often worn under the suit
OXFORD
The oxford weave has been immortalized by the classic button-down shirt. Oxfords are soft, durable and slightly heavy weaves. It is woven in a symmetrical basket type pattern with one yarn crossing two yarns. The Pinpoint Oxford is a variation of the oxford weave in which the yarn is finer and tighter than the regular oxford.
ROYAL OXFORD
Although they share the name, Royal oxfords are not to be confused with the oxford weave. It is softer and a slightly looser weave which breathes better than oxfords. It is characterised by its distinctive shine and texture. Royal oxfords are ideal for dress or formal shirts with visible texture.
HERRINGBONE
Herringbone is a variation of the Twill weave, in which the twill is repeatedly broken to create a zig-zag “V-shaped” look. It is also known as a Broken twill weave with the resulting pattern resembling the bones of a fish. Herringbone weaves dry quickly and are easy to iron.
HOUNDSTOOTH
Houndstooth is another variation of the Twill weave, characterized by broken checks or abstract four-pointed shapes. Different versions can be achieved by using different colored threads and weaving patterns. The simplest version is known as pinwheel which is made by weaving two weft threads over and under the warp.
DOBBY
A dobby weave is an advanced construction to produce a texture in the fabric. There could be an unlimited variation of the dobby weave as they can be woven with different yarn sizes, weaving techniques and thread color to produce different patterns and effects.
SLUB
The Slub weave contains slight knots, which can be seen as thicker, raised threads on the fabric surface. These ‘imperfections’ are either a characteristic of the yarn (particularly natural fibres), or created purposely with the intention of giving the fabric an organic look and feel.
JACQUARD
Jacquard weaves are produced on special looms, which are programmed to raise each warp thread independently of the other threads. Jacquards are characterized by complex woven-in designs, often with large design repeats or effects. This weaving process is more time consuming and labor intensive than a basic weave. However, they can provide beautiful and soft gradations of color tones and bold outlined patterns that are very complex, such as landscapes, portraits, and unique designs.
