The term poplin can be traced back to Avignon, France in the 15th century where a fabric called papelino was created and then named in honor of the Pope’s nearby residence. The French also used the term papelaine during that same period for a heavier fabric made of silk. In fact, up until the 20th century, most poplins were used to make heavyweight dresses, outerwear and even upholstery.

Originally, poplin was considered a type of fabric created by weaving together silk and wool yarns. However, the term itself really refers to the specific weave of the fabric, so a cotton poplin shirt is a cotton shirt with a poplin weave. Today, a poplin (also known as broadcloth) may be made of cotton, wool, silk, rayon, polyester or any combination thereof.

A typical poplin plain-weave is one where the weft (horizontal) and warp (vertical) fibers cross under and over one another, not unlike the simple weave of a basket. When made from quality cotton, the result is a smooth, durable, tightly woven fabric that is soft to the touch, less prone to wrinkling and easy to iron.

At Hugh & Crye, all our poplins are made from 100% pure, Egyptian cotton, with high thread counts, from the renowned Italian mill, Tessitura Monti. The result is a light to medium weight, silky, smooth material that is ideal for formal dress shirts as well as more casual shirts. Versatile and durable, we use it in a variety of styles, but when properly ironed and pressed, there is no better choice for a formal occasion.

Shop for poplin weave shirts.