What Is Oxford Fabric? Characteristics, Uses & Why It's Great for Printing

Oxford cloth is a cotton plain weave made with two warp yarns and two weft yarns laid side by side. It is also known as basket weave, or nanako-ori in Japanese.

Weaving in pairs gives it a full body and some stiffness. It is thicker than sheeting and easier to handle than canvas. That is why it is the usual choice in Japan for lesson bags and school starter goods.

What oxford is like

It has body and stiffness and wears well, so it suits bags and anything that should hold its shape. Colours come out well, and digital prints look crisp.

The surface is slightly rough, which gives a casual look. It is not too thick, so a home sewing machine can handle it.

Compared with sheeting and canvas

Sheeting is thinner than oxford and suits shirts and small bags. Canvas is heavy and stiff, used for bags that stand on their own and for aprons. Oxford sits between them and suits lesson bags, totes and interior items.

Good for

Sturdy bags such as lesson bags, totes and drawstring bags, school starter goods, cushion covers, aprons and pouches: anything that should keep a clean shape.

Greentex oxford

We print original designs by Taiwanese designers on 20s oxford. Greentex is the official Japanese agent for original digital-print fabric from Taiwan.

Existing prints from 10 m; fully custom prints from 100 m, in about two months. We handle everything from small novelty runs to OEM fabric products.

FAQ

Oxford or sheeting: which should I choose?

Oxford for things that should hold their shape (lesson bags, totes, pouches); sheeting for lighter shirts and small bags. A simple rule: bags in oxford, accessories and clothing in sheeting.

Does it shrink when washed?

Being 100% cotton, it shrinks a little. That is a property of cotton, not a defect: yarn held under tension during weaving relaxes toward its original length when wet, typically around 3–5% for cotton wovens. Pre-wash anything you will launder (soak, dry in the shade, iron, then cut). Avoid tumble dryers, the biggest cause of shrinkage, and wash in a laundry net on a gentle cycle.

Can I sew it on a home machine?

Yes. Use a size 11 needle and 60 thread. Where layers stack up, such as handle joins, a size 14 needle is safer.

Why is it the standard for school goods in Japan?

It holds a clean shape, stands up to daily use and shows prints clearly. It works well for matching sets of lesson bag, shoe bag and drawstring bag.

Can you do custom prints on oxford for novelties or OEM?

Yes. We take custom print orders on 20s oxford. Existing Taiwan prints from 10 m, fully original designs from 100 m, in about two months. See Custom Orders.

Ask us through Custom Orders. Other questions are answered in our FAQ.