Piqué versus jersey: the structure that makes it a polo
Piqué is a waffle-like knit with a textured face. It holds its shape, resists creasing and lets air through, which is why the classic polo is piqué and not jersey.
Jersey polo shirts exist and are cheaper to make. They drape more, wrinkle more, and read as a t-shirt with a collar — which is sometimes exactly what a promotional buyer wants.
The first question on a polo quote is therefore not "cotton or poly". It is piqué or jersey, and at what weight.
The four parts that decide the price
Collar. Knit-to-shape collars are knitted as a collar on the machine; cut-and-sew collars are cut from fabric and fused. Knit-to-shape holds a roll and costs more. A flat fused collar is the single clearest sign of a cheap polo from three metres away.
Placket. A separate placket with a proper button stand is a different construction from a simple slit. The difference is visible when the shirt is unbuttoned and is the first thing to distort after washing.
Buttons. Two-hole versus four-hole, and whether they are sewn with a lock stitch. On a promotional polo this is where a button falls off.
Side vents and hem. A straight hem with side vents sits better untucked; a plain hem is cheaper and rides up.
Weights that make sense, and where they stop
180–200gsm is a light retail polo: cool, cheap to ship, and the fabric shows the body slightly in light colours.
200–220gsm is the working range for corporate and uniform polos: opaque in white, holds a collar, survives washing.
Above 240gsm the fabric starts behaving like a knit shirt rather than a polo: less breathable and heavier to ship without looking more expensive.
- 180–200gsm: light retail, cheapest freight.
- 200–220gsm: uniform and corporate standard.
- 240gsm+: closer to a knit shirt; weight stops adding value.
Cotton, polyester, and the blends in between
100% cotton piqué is the reference: it takes a print well, feels familiar, and shrinks 3–5% on the first wash. Poly piqué (often sold as dri-fit) wicks, holds colour, and does not shrink — which is why uniform programs choose it.
Poly-cotton blends are the compromise that buys usually choose for volume: less shrinkage than cotton, less shine than poly, and cheaper than either at 100%.
Ask for the blend by percentage, not by name. "Cotton-rich" is not a specification.
How polos fail after three washes
Collar curl, on fused collars that were pressed too hot. The roll reverses and cannot be pressed back.
Placket twist, when the placket was cut on a different grain from the body.
Cuff and hem relaxation, where rib or elastane was specified but not tested.
Colour fade on poly, when the dye was selected for a cotton process. This is why the fabric and dye route have to match.