Poplin and Shirting Fabric Manufacturers in Turkey

Poplin is a fine, tightly woven plain-weave fabric; the Collins dictionary describes it as a durable, fine-ribbed fabric that is usually cotton. According to the Turkish Language Association (TDK) dictionary it can be woven from cotton, linen or silk: poplin is the name of a fabric, not of a fiber. This category covers poplin together with the other fabrics woven for shirts: oxford, twill shirting, dobby, end-on-end and flannel. The list includes mills that weave these fabrics, companies that dye or print greige fabric and fabric merchants selling ready fabric. For other woven types see woven fabrics; for workshops that will sew these fabrics into garments, see shirt manufacturers.

What does the shirting fabric category cover?

Shirting is not one weave: dictionaries define it simply as fabric used for shirts (Random House, Collins), so have the quote state the fabric name together with its weave. The category includes:

• Poplin: a densely woven, fine-ribbed plain weave.
• Oxford: a derivative of plain weave and, according to CottonWorks, a common construction for shirting; two warp yarns are woven as one, and the weft yarn is usually at least twice as thick as the warp.
• Twill shirting: shirting woven in a twill weave, which shows a diagonal line on the surface (CottonWorks).
• Dobby (armür in Turkish): fabric woven on a dobby loom; according to CottonWorks, dobby designs are usually small and geometric.
• End-on-end (fil-a-fil in Turkish): searched under this category; have the quote state the weave and the color arrangement.
• Flannel: woven fabric that is brushed after weaving to raise the surface fibers, which adds cover and softness (CottonWorks).

For shirting woven from linen fiber, see linen fabric. Coated polyester oxford is a technical fabric, not shirting; for it see technical fabrics.

Have the quote define the fabric completely

Different fabrics can be offered under the same “poplin” or “shirting” name. Ask for:

• Composition: 100% cotton or a blend? Give percentages, and the elastane percentage too if you want stretch.
• Weave and surface: the weave (poplin, oxford, twill or dobby) and, for flannel, whether and how it is brushed.
• Yarn and density: Yarn count (Ne), warp and weft density, weight and open width. Dense weaving is part of the definition of poplin, so do not compare two quotes whose density is unknown.
• Finish and shrinkage: Is there a shrinkage-control or easy-care (crease-resistant) finish? Cotton fabrics are prone to dimensional change (Cotton Incorporated, ISP 1009), so ask for a report in which the sample was washed to EN ISO 6330 and measured to EN ISO 5077.
• Air permeability: For summer products, ask for the EN ISO 9237 result; how to read the measurement is covered in our breathable fabrics guide.

Minimum order, samples and prints

If you are buying printed fabric, have the quote state whether the minimum applies per design or per color, and which printing method is used; for plain-dyed fabric, settle the number of colors early. A swatch card is for choosing the color only. Check color fastness (EN ISO 105-C06 for washing, EN ISO 105-X12 for rubbing), dimensional change and sewing behavior on a washed sample.

Sewing shirts

CottonWorks notes that plain weave is less prone to seam slippage and skewing of the fabric. This can make life easier when sewing shirts that need clean collars, cuffs and plackets. For weaves that are not plain weave, such as twill and dobby, do not assume this. In every case, test the fabric in your own style, with the thread and needle that will be used in production.

In shirting fabric, fiber, yarn and density drive the price

For poplin and other shirting fabrics, the price is set by fiber (cotton or blend), yarn fineness, weaving density and weave, with finishing (including brushing for flannel), dyeing or printing and order quantity added on top. If you are given a price per meter, compare quotes at the same width and weight; if density and weight are not equal, a price per meter alone does not give a fair comparison. The causes of shrinkage problems are explained in our article on how to prevent fabric shrinkage.

Where are shirting fabric companies in Turkey?

TOBB, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, has a product code for yarn-dyed cotton fabrics for shirts and blouses (13.20.20.31, 200 g/m² or less). Most of the 23 firms with a valid capacity report (a document recording a plant's production capacity) under that code are in Bursa and Denizli (October 2026; TOBB). The code covers only yarn-dyed cotton shirting; it does not represent all poplin, oxford and other shirting fabrics. Use the province filter for current addresses.