Madras Shirt Fabric

Madras is a lightweight cotton fabric

typically with a patterned texture and plaid design. The fabric is common in warmer temperatures. The fabric originates from Chennai, India (formerly named “Madras”). Madras is woven from short staple cotton fiber that is carded, this results in the slub (or bumps) found in madras fabric (see picture below).

In America, madras became popular in the 1950’s with the rise of “prep.”