What type of fabric is traditionally used for Lacoste polo shirts?

Piqué cotton is the traditional fabric used for Lacoste polo shirts.

René Lacoste’s original tennis shirt used a loosely knitted cotton called petit piqué. Its textured, honeycomb-like construction made the shirt lighter, more breathable and more durable than the stiff, woven shirts commonly worn by tennis players in the early 20th century.

Lacoste introduced the shirt commercially in 1933 after forming Chemise Lacoste with André Gillier. The design included short sleeves, an unstarched collar, a buttoned placket and a longer back hem known as a tennis tail. These details were designed for movement and comfort, not merely fashion.

A common mix-up is treating piqué as a separate fiber. It describes the knit or weave structure; cotton is the traditional fiber in the classic Lacoste version. Modern polo shirts may also use polyester, blends or other knits, but those are not the classic answer. The garment is also often called a tennis shirt or golf shirt, although “polo shirt” became the most familiar general term.