Suitable
What is poplin?
Poplin, also known as popeline or tabinet, is a weaving technique that uses plain weave: the threads simply go over and under each other alternately. This technique is mainly applied to cotton, to make a smooth and thin fabric. Poplin was first developed in the fifteenth century in the French region of Avignon, at the time the seat of the pope, and that is where the name comes from: popeline goes back to the word for papal.
Properties of poplin
Thanks to the fine weave the fabric is very soft and feels pleasant on the skin. Poplin does not have to be cotton; the most expensive versions are made from a combination of wool and silk. The fabric is supple, strong and resistant to creasing, and it is exactly that combination that makes the technique so suitable for making casual and smart shirts. A poplin shirt also looks smooth and slightly glossy, which makes it a bit more formal than a coarser weave such as oxford.