"Non-iron" shirt fabrics

[Edward Bainbridge]

Are there drawbacks in non-iron shirts fabrics? I bought one more or less by coincidence, and it doesn't feel bad so far. Haven't worn it in all seasons and climate zones, though.

[Mark Seitelman]

Non-iron cotton:

1. uncomfortable;

2. does not breathe and acts like a rubberized raincoat; and

3. does not have the hand and look of traditional cotton.

I tried non-iron p.j.'s from Brooks about 8 years ago. I threw them out after a couple of wearings.

Obviously, there is a market for non-iron 100% cotton. Brooks has a large offering as does Walmart and Filene's Basement.

Carl "Cego" Goldberg told me that special machinery is needed to sew non-iron cotton and that typically non-iron shirts are produced off-shore.

[Edward Bainbridge]

The two I have are 100% cotton. I bought them from Charles Tyrwhitt, and as far as I know they produce off-shore anyway. The feel is quite good and they seem to breathe normally, though I can't say yet how this will be after they've been laundered a couple of times.

I bought a shirt from Budd the same day, and the (default, non-non-iron) fabric swishes quite a bit and looks frightfully creasy and crinkly after just a few hours of wearing, even at the placket. Again, this might be different after it's been laundered for some more times.

[Mark Seitelman]

The two I have are 100% cotton. I bought them from Charles Tyrwhitt, and as far as I know they produce off-shore anyway. The feel is quite good and they seem to breathe normally, though I can't say yet how this will be after they've been laundered a couple of times.

* * *

Brooks Brothers pioneered the cotton/dacron no iron shirt. Obviously, there is a big market for a non-iron cotton in that men want to save either the labor or cost of having their shirts ironed.

If non-iron works for you, then buy it. I tried it. Never again.

[Edward Bainbridge]

I don't mind the ironing though I like that they look crisper during the day. I'll have to see if the shirts are still tolerable after some time. I needed some shirts, they had their rather usual offer of four for £100, and in spite of the fact that they sell large amounts of shirts (also online, or maybe even mainly online), you can't have a shirt in any pattern in any type of cloth in any cut, so I had to take two in "non-iron" if I wanted that specific pattern.

[couch]

I find it depends on the maker. I have a couple of non-iron button-down shirts that I use for "business casual" needs when traveling or in a pinch. One is a Lands End country tattersall with a brushed finish that has a much more natural hand than some non-irons. I think overall the processes have improved in the last eight years, but Mark is right that mine are still less breathable and wear hotter than untreated cotton, so they are more comfortable under some conditions that others. I find my Brooks Bros. shirt works best when worn without a jacket or tie and with cuffs turned back; it stays reasonably crisp in summer this way and allows adequate ventilation. Under jackets in either hot or cold weather I find non-irons uncomfortable--there's only a narrow temperature range where their reduced breathability is not a significant drawback.

The adhesive/interlining process used to keep seams flat through the laundry cycle also makes the collars behave strangely in some of these shirts, in my experience. Mine haven't puckered at the seams, but the buttondowns do have a kind of unnatural roll, which is exacerbated when worn open with a jacket. This is hard to describe, but results from the "springy" nature of the collar. In fact, in general the cloth has a kind of odd springiness that makes a puffy drape--you can spot a non-iron shirt from 20 feet away. This decreases somewhat over time, at about the same rate that the non-iron quality wears off. The cuffs on one Brooks Bros. shirt frayed after about 3 washings (even though removed from the dryer and hung while still very damp), due also to the stiffness of the adhesive/interlining described above leading to abrasion at the edges.

So for me these are very much special-purpose, not-when-I-want-to-look-my-best items. A well-pressed shirt of untreated cotton, even after a pretty hard day, makes a better impression, in my view, and will certainly be more comfortable.

[Mark Seitelman]

I don't mind the ironing though I like that they look crisper during the day. * * *

I have a client-friend, a retired Russian merchant seaman of 81 years of age. He always dresses in tie and suit. Always neat and trim as befitting his maritime past.

He prefers some artificial fibers in his suits and shirts so that they wrinkle less and require less ironing.

[alden]

One of the benefits of bespoke shirts is the ability to choose top quality shirting fabrics that require less care. Take the shirts out of the washer, give them a good stretch, button and hang them up to dry and they require minimal amounts of ironing. I iron my own shirts and if you use the right cloth, it's a breeze.

Michael

[uppercase]

The worst, most uncomfortable shirt I've ever worn is a Brooks non-iron.

I was told that it is treated with embalming fluid. Seriously!

[AndyM]

I have tried a number of different brands of non-iron shirts but gave up as none of them were satisfactory. Some of them felt uncomfortable even if they were 100% cotton and none of them draped well. I was considering them for travel but decided I preferred to risk looking slightly rumpled in better quality shirts! I find that a good cotton twill packs well and still looks good straight out of a suitcase or at worst just needs a quick iron to revive it.

[Edward Bainbridge]

One of the benefits of bespoke shirts is the ability to choose top quality shirting fabrics that require less care. […] if you use the right cloth, it's a breeze.

I get more than 150 results when I search the lounge for "shirtings" and probably more with similar words. I'll certainly have a look at them, but do you have any knee-jerk winner for summer and for winter, each in top and budget? Or maybe does it make sense not to have summer vs winter, but summer vs three-season with shirtings? I don't easily shiver and tend to wear layers under and above shirts anyway. As I said, I haven't a problem with ironing, but I don't like a shirt to be full of little wrinkles and creases up to the cuffs before I even reach for the tie, and I don't like swishing, rustling shirts.

[Mark Seitelman]

The worst, most uncomfortable shirt I've ever worn is a Brooks non-iron.

I was told that it is treated with embalming fluid. Seriously!

A Brooks non-iron shirt would be a good choice when one is laid to rest.

[AndyM]

"A Brooks non-iron shirt would be a good choice when one is laid to rest."

I would not want to be seen dead in one!

[Costi]

An iron-free shirt never looks as crisp and fresh as a properly ironed non-treated cotton shirt, it retains a micro-rumpling that, if not distinctly discernible, contributes to an unpleasant impression (in my mind); it looks passable, but not its best. Also in my mind, there is a difference between this look and that of a quality cotton shirt that was well ironed before it was put on and then got rumpled and creased with wear during the day; I see no problem with this latter look - the shirt is simply fine enough to record the fact that we are very much alive and kicking (apropos Uppercase's post and the funny comments it triggered ).
To me, the principle of "neatness" in masculine dress is not about mainting an out-of-the-box look throughout the day; just as we love patina in a twenty-year-old pair of good shoes, perhaps we should learn to appreciate this type of short-term "patina" that a clean and well-pressed suit and an impeccably ironed fresh shirt develop by the end of a busy day (which is quite different from the look of one who never has his suits pressed and puts on an already rumpled - or yesterday's - shirt).

[Rowly]

An iron-free shirt never looks as crisp and fresh as a properly ironed non-treated cotton shirt, it retains a micro-rumpling that, if not distinctly discernible, contributes to an unpleasant impression (in my mind); it looks passable, but not its best. Also in my mind, there is a difference between this look and that of a quality cotton shirt that was well ironed before it was put on and then got rumpled and creased with wear during the day; I see no problem with this latter look - the shirt is simply fine enough to record the fact that we are very much alive and kicking (apropos Uppercase's post and the funny comments it triggered ).
To me, the principle of "neatness" in masculine dress is not about mainting an out-of-the-box look throughout the day; just as we love patina in a twenty-year-old pair of good shoes, perhaps we should learn to appreciate this type of short-term "patina" that a clean and well-pressed suit and an impeccably ironed fresh shirt develop by the end of a busy day (which is quite different from the look of one who never has his suits pressed and puts on an already rumpled - or yesterday's - shirt).Costi

I agree with this completely. I have also tried some Charles Tyrwhitt shirts in the past, and have settled for non Iron, as that was the only way to get the pattern I wanted. I would not do it again. The cloth feels unnatural and synthetic and the patterns ( some very nice ones) seem to be printed on and not woven into the fabric. I'm not sure either is the case but, that is my impression and it feels phoney to me.
I always like to iron my good shirts while they are still a bit damp. This requires timing, and I don't always get it right. I know they are easier to iron damp but was wondering whether ironing a bone dry shirt with a steam iron actually does any damage..or is it simply a more arduous task? If ironing dry was fine for the shirt it would free up my style choices for shirt selection..big time!