The Oxford Cloth Button Down is widely regarded as one of the essential pieces of a Man's wardrobe. As ubiquitous as a t-shirt. By making America's Oxfords since 1933, we've learned a thing or two about this iconic staple product. We want to untangle the mystery of the fabric itself.
The Origin Of Cloth
There are two competing 'origin stories' of the Oxford Cloth. Neither are well documented so it's worth sharing both. The first lore places the genesis of Oxford Cloth was developed for polo players in British colonial India. Lauded for its breathability.
The second story is more often cited, but equally unverifiable. This narrative states that a Scottish mill wove four different cloths in the latter half of the 19th century. As a marketing ploy, he named each cloth after one of the four most prestigious universities in the world; Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford. The Oxford cloth as an instant commercial success. Through our research we have not been able to find the construction of any of the other three cloths. Even the name of the mill was lost to history.
(Photo By Jesse Burke)
Down To The Fiber
The best oxford cloth is inherently subjective and there are many different variations. Most traditionally made with cotton, the length of the plant fibers can drastically impact the finished hand feel of the product. Cotton fibers themselves can come in short staple, long staple, or extra long staple fibers. The longer the staple, the more 'luxurious' and soft the yarns will be. One might read about '40's single yarns' or '80's two ply yarns.' This speaks to the construction of the fibers into the yarns used to make up the fabric. This information can set one cloth far apart from another, even when both are woven in the same 'oxford pattern' (more on the pattern below).
Oxford cloth sometimes combines cotton with polyester or rayon to create wrinkle resistance or other attributes for the finished cloth. However purists agree that the true Oxford should be 100% cotton.
Construction Details
Fabric smiths have been tweaking the recipe for Oxford Cloth at least since the early 1900s. The weave of the cloth is an unbalanced 2 x 1 (and sometimes a 3 x 1) basket weave. Fabric looms specify Warp Yarns meaning the vertical yarns that run the length of the fabric from 'end to end'. Weft Yarns 'often called picks' go from left to right a shorter distance across the fabric. Most Oxford Cloth use a high twist thin '40s single' yarn in the warp (lengthwise with the grain), doubled up and woven with a coarse white yarn across the weft.
Finishing
Many Oxford Cloths come with different finishes. Some to make a shirt wrinkle resistant. Some to make a shirt moisture wicking. Some to adjust the drape of the fabric. Most traditional Oxfords are mercerized; meaning the fabric is 'treated' to swell the cotton fiber and makes its cross-section rounder rather than flat and ribbon-like. This process increases luster, improves dye uptake for colors to come out more saturated; and it increases tensile strength. Most 100% cotton Oxford cloths are already mercerized at the factory. Beyond mercerization, a natural fiber Oxford Cloth looks better over time. Our recommendation is to skip the other finishes and start improving your pressing skills. It's a meditative morning practice and will keep your shirts lasting years longer.
(Photo by Jesse Burke)
Fabric Benefits
What does it all add up to? That 2x1 structure with unbalanced thicknesses gives the fabric its characteristic 'checkerboard' look where you can see the white yarns mixed together with the colored yarns. This construction makes for a durable, breathable fabric that gets softer the more you wash it and wear it. The longevity of the fabric directly contributes to the cloth's icon status.
Many Variations
As mentioned, many variations exist of this same construction. Mixing different fiber content, fiber dimensions, and density of how tightly packed the weaving structure, you can create an entirely different weight and handfeel of the fabric. Pinpoint Oxfords are a common variant using a thinner and more formal version of Oxford fabric. Royal Oxfords use more luxurious yarn diameters to create a silkier more formal handfeel.
