Poplin is a plain weave cotton fabric with very fine horizontal “ribs” that results in a strong, crisp fabric with a silky, lustrous surface. It is commonly used in men’s and women’s shirts, women’s dresses, and items like sportswear and raincoats.

Since poplin is such a commonplace, staple fabric, you can find it in a variety of clothing items that you can wear throughout the year. Both women’s and men’s shirts are made with poplin, as well as women’s dresses and skirts, and men’s pants and jackets. It’s a versatile fabric with a subtle sheen that adds beauty as well as drape to any piece of clothing.

Poplin is a relatively low maintenance fabric. Poplin clothing typically does not need to be dry-cleaned. Wash poplin clothing according to the care instructions.

Poplin is naturally wrinkle-resistant. A light steam or low tumble dry is enough to smooth it out.

Poplin does not stain easily and if it’s 100% cotton, it will also release odors well in the wash.

Though poplin is sometimes conflated with twill, poplin and twill are not woven in the same way. While twill is also a plain-weave fabric, poplin is woven with a fine warp yarn and a thicker weft yarn. While both are strong materials, poplin is often softer than twill. Poplin is also more breathable.