Just like there are many uses for the polo shirt, there are many different materials as well. Some popular materials for polo shirts include piqué, cotton, polyester, and poly performance. The first polo shirts were made with piqué, which is a type of loosely woven cotton. Piqué encompasses many different patterns, including cords, waffle knits, and honeycomb. This fabric is also much stiffer than regular cotton, which lets it have a more formal appearance.

Although piqué is the original fabric for polo shirts, cotton has taken over as the most popular. Cotton is a lightweight fabric made from the plant of the same name. Cotton has been a product used in clothing and other materials for centuries, even playing a major part in slavery in the United States. Today, cotton can be found in almost every type of clothing, including polo shirts. Cotton is popular because of how lightweight and comfortable it is. However, cotton’s popularity has been decreasing in recent years due to fabrics such as polyester and poly performance offering benefits. In recent years, there have been campaigns to make cotton the go-to fabric for clothing. Polo shirts made out of cotton have a more casual appearance, but they can be worn for almost any occasion.

Cotton can even be mixed with other fabrics to create new materials. Blending cotton and polyester is a popular combination for many polo shirts. Polyester is a synthetic fabric created by the linking of esters to the fiber through reactions with alcohol. Polyester is a popular fabric for polo shirts because it is strong, durable, and dries easily. Another benefit of polyester is it can be used to create a wrinkle-resistant fabric. However, a downfall of polyester is it does not feel as natural as organic products such as cotton. Polyester is often combined with cotton or other natural materials to create a more natural feel. Like cotton, polyester has a more casual feel but can be worn for almost any occasion.

A relatively newer fabric to take over the polo shirt market is spandex, often called poly performance. Poly performance is a synthetic fabric that is known for its elasticity and comfort. Many companies have taken poly performance and made it into their own unique product. Nike has its Dri-FIT line of clothing, which includes polo shirts but also shorts, shirts, and underwear. Because spandex and poly performance polo shirts have the capability to wick away moisture, it is popular for sports. It is common to see many athletes, especially golfers, wear poly performance polo shirts for their games or competitions. 

Although these four fabrics are some of the most popular materials for polo shirts, they are not the only ones. Materials such as jersey and ottoman are also used for polo shirts. Many fabrics overlap as well. For example, piqué is a type of cotton, but it is woven differently. And like polyester, polo shirts can have a combination of fabrics to make the fabric most desirable for the usage. Like the multiple uses, polo shirts come with multiple fabrics as well.