There's something quietly fascinating about a shirt that refuses to surrender its crispness after a full day's wear. When we first encountered Eton shirts, it was this precise quality that caught our attention—not through flashy marketing or bold claims, but through the simple observation that these garments seemed to possess an almost mysterious ability to maintain their composure from morning meeting to evening reception.
Extra-long Staple Fibres
The shirt just hangs beautifully. Image: Eton Shirts.
This performance lies in the fabric and the cotton the brand uses for their shirts. Centring around long-staple fibres, which form the basis of Eton’s high performance shirts. These aren't just our everyday cotton fibres—these are extra-long staple (ELS) cotton, where only the top minute amount of the annual cotton harvest would qualify for consideration.
The difference, we've discovered, is remarkably tangible. Long-staple cotton fibres are much longer, and much stronger than conventional varieties. This translates into fabric that better resists pulling, breaking, and tearing while maintaining an almost silk-like lustre that catches light in the most subtle way. The longer fibres also mean fewer exposed ends, which contributes to that smooth, refined surface that makes these shirts feel so distinctive against the skin.
Eton’s Signature Twill
Eton's most iconic fabric, their Signature Twill, showcases the performance of these cotton fibres to their best.
Long-staple fibres means fewer exposed ends for better resistance. Image: Eton Shirts.
What truly sets this fabric apart is its wrinkle-resistant treatment, which enhances the natural characteristics of the fibers rather than masking them. Through what we understand to be a specialised Swiss finishing process, the cotton fibers are stretched and re-fixed into their natural position, creating a fabric that actively resists creasing throughout the day.
This explains why these shirts maintain their sharp appearance from plane, to boardroom, to after-hours. They're quite literally engineered to do so.
How Eton Shirts Fit
Image: Eton Shirts.
The fit of their shirts, we’ve found, are very practical. And this comes from and demonstrates their genuine research into how people actually wear shirts.
Eton’s Contemporary Fit is a thoughtful middle ground between a traditional regular fit and a slim fit. Slight shape so that it’s not billowy, yet more forgiving than an extreme slim cut. It's designed for those who want definition without restriction, acknowledging that comfort and appearance don’t need to be mutually exclusive.
Their Slim Fit takes a similarly considered approach, providing a neat silhouette while maintaining sufficient room for natural movement. They also have a Classic fit, for those requiring more room in the body.
Neat and clean silhouettes indicate well-fitting shirts. Image: Eton Shirts.
You can tell they’ve extensively done their research, and this translates into garments that accommodate real bodies rather than idealised proportions.
Crushed Mother-of-Pearl buttons. Image: Eton shirts.
For button choices, Eton uses a crushed mother of pearl buttons that give their shirts that polished yet consistent look. These buttons are remarkably durable, resistant to chipping, cracking, and fading, which we’ve experienced ourselves after witnessing their pristine appearance even after repeated wear and washing.
Collar & Cuff Construction
Sew-in interlining is used to provide consistent structure across the collar & cuffs. Image: Eton Shirts.
For cuffs and collars, they use a sewn-in interlining, which provides a consistent structure that wears well over many wears and washes. Fused (basically, glued) interlinings beneath, while cost-effective, can delaminate over time, reducing the shirt's lifespan.
Stitch Count
Image: Eton Shirts.
The stitch count is a critical but often overlooked quality indicator. We've found Eton shirts meets premium standards, with The Gentleman’s Gazette citing Eton having around 12,000 stitches on average per shirt.
This might seem excessive, but it really isn’t. This amount ensures seams can withstand the rigours of regular wear while maintaining their structural integrity. A quality that we’ve observed and enjoyed with our Eton shirts.
Darts
Darts are added to provide shape, but are also easily removable for more comfort. Image: Eton Shirts.
Another small detail that brings us satisfaction about their shirts… is that their darts are chain-stitched rather than plain-stitched. Chain stitching offers greater flexibility and can be easily removed by a skilled tailor should alterations be necessary.
Why does that matter?
Say you’ve grown a bit this winter and notice it’s slightly snug around the waist (from a few too many hot foods this winter, we’re guilty of this), you could bring it to a tailor, or back to us, and it’ll only take less than a minute to remove. Plus, to us, the stitches are very satisfying to remove when done right.
The end result is a shirt that fits nicely in all areas including your waistline. A thoughtful detail for makers who understand that truly well-fitting clothes might require minor adjustments over time.
Signature Collar Style
What particularly stands out to us is Eton’s signature cutaway collar style on a lot of their business shirts. Every time we’ve paired our Eton’s shirts beneath tailored jackets, we always find satisfaction in neatly they sit, with or without a tie.
What we like seeing: No gap between the collar points and the jacket. Image: Eton Shirts.
It’s a nice balance. Rather than the extreme spread of some contemporary designs, their version sits elegantly between an extreme cutaway and a pointed collar. This versatility means it works equally well with or without a tie and sits cleanly under a sport coat without creating that awkward gap we've all noticed when collar points don't align properly with lapels.
Image: Eton Shirts.
The collar construction itself involves sewn-in collar stays rather than removable ones, providing consistent structure that won't be lost in the laundry. This design choice, while simple, reflects their philosophy that prioritises long-term performance over short-term convenience.
Brand History
Early days Eton Shirt-making. Image: Eton Shirts.
The Eton story began in 1928 when cousins Annie Pettersson and Febe Lidar started sewing in a small workshop in Gånghester, Sweden. What began as a modest operation during the Great Depression has evolved into a global enterprise, yet their philosophy set by Annie in 1945 remains unchanged: "Never hand over a shirt until you are completely satisfied with it". And you can definitely
Eton Shirt’s Founders, Annie Pettersson and Febe Lidar. Image: Eton Shirts.
This commitment to quality guided the company through various innovations, including the introduction of their iconic Signature Twill in 1990 and the world's first wrinkle-resistant cotton shirt in 1992.
To this day, the brand has grown to become a global one, yet its design philosophy continues to remain in their commitment to quality and innovation.
Image: Eton Shirts.
Conclusion
What we find most satisfying about Eton shirts isn't any single dramatic feature—it's the accumulation of thoughtful decisions that all come together to make a great shirt. Both in their construction and in their care, which becomes more and more apparent through regular wear.
The way the fabric moves with you throughout the day, maintaining its structure without feeling restrictive. The subtle luster that catches light without calling attention to itself. The durability that shines after months of regular wear and proper care.
Their shirts’ may cost more than your average shirt, but we’re confident their cost-per-wear over time will be much less compared to your average shirt. And this quality over quantity principle aligns with us really well.