What Makes a Shirt Premium?

If you browse our selection of European Shirts and take a closer look at any of the fabric descriptions, there’s one word you can expect to pop-up time and again: “premium.”

It’s an accurate way to describe our selection of fine European Shirts, but only so long as the word “premium” has meaning. So in the interest of unpacking that descriptor, we’re going to dig into just what makes a shirt premium.

Fabric Sourcing
The origin of the fabric used to make our European Shirts is the precise opposite of a mystery; indeed, it’s right there in the name. But it’s from where—and more importantly, from who—in Europe that really counts. 

We’re proud to be working with two of the biggest names in heritage shirting, Albini (established in 1876) and Thomas Mason (established in 1796). Both labels mill their fabric in Italy, and are able to exercise a unique level of control over the process from the sourcing of raw materials to the design of the fabric itself.

Ply Count
You may also notice that the phrase “2-ply cotton” is often used in the description of our European shirts. Defining ply count is a subject worthy of a deep dive, but here’s a quick explainer: “ply” refers to the number of yarns required to create a single thread. A shirt with a higher ply count will have a tighter weave, which also gives it a silkier, smoother handfeel and a crisper appearance. 

Styling
As our two-ply European shirts are intended for professional and office wear, we’ve concentrated on styles that better translate to the workplace. That means you won’t have to worry about whether any of our European shirting fabrics are dressy enough for the 9-to-5—they all are, from pink poplin to blue faded tattersall to grey micro-check.