Complete Custom Hawaiian Shirt Options, Part Two: Materials

January 4, 2024

So you’re making your custom Hawaiian shirts…

…and figured out your artwork, thanks to Hawaiian Shirt Options Part One! Now that your design is ready, we can move on to the next step:

Time to choose your fabric!

Our Hawaiian shirts are available in four amazing materials: cotton, rayon, polyester, and for a bit of luxury, silk! Here are some particulars about each of our fabrics to help you make the best choice.

Cotton

If you’re seeking a crisp, fresh-pressed look, cotton is for you! Cotton is familiar to us all as it’s one of the most used fabrics in the world. Breathability is one of its main characteristics, which makes it a great choice for hot and humid weather. A cotton Hawaiian shirt can be machine washed cold and tumble dried on a low heat setting. Cotton does like to wrinkle, but the fibers are durable and can be ironed on hotter settings for a polished look.

Rayon

This semi-synthetic beauty is all about texture, draping, and an oh-so-comfy feel. When it comes to staying cool, rayon’s got your back as it feels light and breezy while wearing. We highly recommend dry clean only as rayon loves to wrinkle and will shrink with heat. You can iron rayon so long as you use a cool synthetic/rayon setting or steamed for quick wrinkle removal.

A photo of a large machine with many spools of thread.

Polyester

Polyester is the easiest fabric to care for and to keep wrinkle-free! Its durable nature means you can machine wash our polyester Hawaiian shirts on a cold cycle and tumble dry on a low heat setting. Tough-wearing but still soft to the touch, it is a great option for kids and teens. Polyester also holds dye the best of all the fabrics. It can be carefully ironed on a very low heat setting with a pressing cloth for protection, or use a steamer instead which provides distance from the heat source.

Silk

Silk fabric is made from gently unwinding the cocoons of silkworms who feast away on the leaves of the mulberry, and due to this precious nature it is our most expensive option for a Hawaiian shirt, but also the most lavish. The fibers feel smooth and delicate against the skin and its lightweight nature makes it a good choice for hot weather. You can care for silk by dry cleaning or by cold hand wash and air dry to keep silk looking its best.

Don’t forget the buttons!

All Hawaiian shirts need buttons, and we have three fantastic options for you to choose from.

Translucent Plastic: These workhorse buttons get the job done, while letting your shirt design do the talking!

Light Wood: Creamy in color, our light wood buttons are great for providing a pop of contrast against a darker shirt, or on the contrary, they blend seamlessly into a lighter colored shirt design.

Dark Wood: For a true vintage island look, our dark wood buttons fit the bill! They are a rich color and make buttons a stand-out feature of your overall shirt design.

Add a personal touch with your woven label

A woven label is included with our Hawaiian shirts, and it’s another great opportunity to add a custom element to your design! Commemorate an event, spotlight your logo, or even leave an inside joke–the possibilities are endless!

Text-only woven labels can feature any text you’d like with the text and background colors customizable.

Fully custom woven labels can feature any design, though simplicity is key! Sticking to two to three colors and a clear, legible design or logo provides the best results.