Today we are going to continue with our topic on “What Makes a Shirt Great” by enlightening you on the meaning of “Ply” and how it affects your choice as a consumer. Just so you know, we have talked about “Yarn” in our preceding article, so be sure to catch up on that one if you’ve missed it.
What is “Ply”?
In the shirt industry, “Ply” refers to the thickness of the yarn thread in your clothing. They usually consists of single ply or double-ply (also known as 2-ply) fabric which simply means two fine threads twisted and intertwined together to form a single, strong thread.
Which is better: Single ply or 2 ply?
If you are looking for high-quality wear, 2-ply shirts are the way to go. They are remarkably soft, more durable and offer a whole new level of comfort – when compared to single ply shirts. They are also directly linked to the yarn number of your shirt: yarn numbers above 80 are generally 2-ply because of the fineness of the thread.
What about 2-1 ply and 2-2 ply shirts? What’s the difference?
A shirt fabric is weaved using yarn threads, one which runs vertically, known as warp, and the other runs horizontally, known as weft. 2-1 ply shirts basically mean the warp used to form the shirt is 2 ply (2 strains of fine thread combined into 1); while the weft is only 1 ply (only 1 thread). 2-2 ply shirts means both the warp and the weft are made using double-ply yarn threads.
Should I go for 2-1 ply or 2-2 ply shirt?
A 2-2 ply shirt is softer when compared to a 2-1 ply shirt because of the fineness of the thread running through the shirt on both the warp and weft. However the sheer number of threads used in 2-2 ply shirts will also mean it will be denser and a little heavier than 2-1 ply shirts. So all you have to do is to decide whether you want a softer shirt with a little weight or sacrifice a little softness in favour of lighter wear.
From now on, do remember to take note of both the ‘Yarn Number’ and ‘Ply’ when shopping for a shirt. Do note that this only applies to cotton and other numbering systems may apply for other fabrics.
Now that you know the essence of what makes a great shirt, be sure to share this article with your family and friends. Do remember to “Like” our Facebook Page and stay tuned for our next article.
A shirt fabric is weaved using yarn threads, one which runs vertically, known as warp, and the other runs horizontally, known as weft. 2-1 ply shirts basically mean the warp used to form the shirt is 2 ply (2 strains of fine thread combined into 1); while the weft is only 1 ply (only 1 thread). 2-2 ply shirts means both the warp and the weft are made using double-ply yarn threads.
Should I go for 2-1 ply or 2-2 ply shirt?
A 2-2 ply shirt is softer when compared to a 2-1 ply shirt because of the fineness of the thread running through the shirt on both the warp and weft. However the sheer number of threads used in 2-2 ply shirts will also mean it will be denser and a little heavier than 2-1 ply shirts. So all you have to do is to decide whether you want a softer shirt with a little weight or sacrifice a little softness in favour of lighter wear.
From now on, do remember to take note of both the ‘Yarn Number’ and ‘Ply’ when shopping for a shirt. Do note that this only applies to cotton and other numbering systems may apply for other fabrics.
Now that you know the essence of what makes a great shirt, be sure to share this article with your family and friends. Do remember to “Like” our Facebook Page and stay tuned for our next article.
If you are interested in our shirts do visit www.waynelowe.com
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