How Oxford shirts are made (it’s more complicated than you think)

| The 50 Steps involved in making an oxford style shirt. Not so simple for a simple clothing piece.
Behind one of our most beloved wardrobe staples lies an unimaginable degree of handcraft.
It takes over 50 people in over 50 steps to weave, wash, cut, sew, press and pack a single Oxford Button Down shirt at ASKET, the Swedish menswear label creating timeless essentials made to last and never go out of fashion. The brand does so with total supply chain and price strategy transparency (which is truly refreshing), explaining where, how, and why everything is made, so you can see exactly where your money is going.
Here are the 50 steps to create a ‘simple’ white shirt, in case you are wondering (or skip to the bottom to watch ASKET’s beautifully cinematic video):
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Yarn is warehoused in Portugal
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Yarn is spun onto cones
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Yarn is spun once more
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Warp yarn is starched
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Weft thread is drawn through heddles
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Oxford fabric is woven
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Fabric is quality checked
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Fabric is brushed
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Fabric is washed
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Excess fibres are removed
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Fabric is once more quality checked
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Fabric is rolled up
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Fabric is wrapped and packaged
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Fabric is shipped to another Portugal factory
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Fabric is once again quality checked
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Shirt pattern is drawn
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Pattern is adjusted to size
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Pattern is adjusted for shrinkage
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Pattern is printed out
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Pattern is laid out on fabric
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Fabric is cut out into correct pieces
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Pattern pieces are layered
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Each piece is checked under UV light for impurities
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Each piece is secured in place
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Pieces are moved on to be assembled
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26.Shirt collar points are punched out
27.The collar is hand sewn
28.Shirt cuffs are hand sewn
29.Collar and cuffs are trimmed, marked and ready to attach
30.Labels are aligned and attached
31.Back box pleat is sewn in
32.Back piece and yoke are joined
33.Front two chest pieces are sewn to back
34.Right and left sleeves are attached
35.Shirt is closed from top to bottom
36.Button holes are marked by hand
37.Button holes are sewn and opened
38.Buttons are inspected for quality
39.Buttons are sewn in place
40.Front pocket is sewn on
41.Collar is sewn on
42.Everything is hemmed, secured and trimmed
43.Shirt is washed and pre-shrunk
44.Shirt is pressed/ironed
45.Shirt is measured and fitted
46.Shirt is quality controlled
47.Shirt is buttoned up and folded
48.Shirt is packaged and boxed
49.Shirt is shipped to Stockholm warehouse
50.Shirt is sold to customer!
The Oxford Shirt in 50 Steps from ASKET on Vimeo.