From a small space on Fulham Road, the brand grew into a multi-channel British retailer, opening its first store in 1997 on Jermyn Street — London's home of shirt-making. Beginning as a shirtmaker, the offering expanded to suits, shoes, knitwear and business-casual wear. It won the Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2016. Wheeler's wife, Chrissie Rucker, founded The White Company.
Charles Tyrwhitt
A better shirt, by post — British men's dress shirts from a Bristol student's mail-order idea.
The Charles Tyrwhitt pieces worth knowing
You'll want these too
Same quiet-luxury, craft-first sensibility — follow any to widen your alerts.
Charles Tyrwhitt shopping FAQ
Are Charles Tyrwhitt non-iron shirts worth it?+
For a lot of office wardrobes, yes. The non-iron dress shirts are the brand's signature, made from 100% cotton that genuinely comes out of the wash crisp rather than just claiming to. They hold their structure through frequent washing, which is the whole point if you want to skip the ironing board on weekday mornings.
Is Charles Tyrwhitt good quality?+
Charles Tyrwhitt is a British men's shirt-maker with a reputation for tight stitching, well-secured buttons and clean finishing on the cuffs. The make is consistent and the customisation, across colours, fits, collars and cuffs, is hard for rivals to match. As with any volume maker, the odd shirt varies, but the baseline is solid for the price.
What is Charles Tyrwhitt best known for?+
The house is best known for its dress shirts, and the non-iron shirt in particular. It began life specialising in shirts and ties before broadening into suits, knitwear, shoes and accessories, so if you buy one thing first, make it a shirt.
Who founded Charles Tyrwhitt and when?+
It was founded in 1986 by Nicholas Wheeler as a mail order company while he was a student at the University of Bristol. He has said he started the business because he thought he could make a shirt better than anybody else, which tells you where the brand's priorities have always sat.
Is Charles Tyrwhitt a British brand?+
Yes. Charles Tyrwhitt is a British multi-channel men's clothing retailer. It began operating from a small space on Fulham Road in London and is rooted in the country's shirt-making tradition.
Why is it called Charles Tyrwhitt?+
The name comes from founder Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler. It is often shortened to CT Shirts, and the surname is pronounced "TIH-rit," which trips up almost everyone the first time.
Where is the Charles Tyrwhitt flagship store?+
In 1997 the company opened its first store on Jermyn Street in London, a street long associated with British shirt-making. That address is a fitting home for a brand built on shirts and is a natural stop if you want to be properly measured in person.
Is Charles Tyrwhitt better than Thomas Pink?+
They sit at slightly different points. Thomas Pink, founded in 1984, leans more luxurious with finer hand-finishing and trim details, while Charles Tyrwhitt, founded in 1986, balances quality with value and offers a broad range of fits from slim through to extra relaxed. If you want top-shelf fabric and detailing, Pink has an edge; if you want dependable shirts and lots of fit and customisation choice, CT is the easier buy.
How does Charles Tyrwhitt compare to other Jermyn Street shirt-makers?+
It sits among names the brand itself nods to, including Hawes & Curtis, Hilditch & Key, Thomas Pink and Turnbull & Asser. Compared with the older bespoke-leaning houses, Charles Tyrwhitt is the more accessible, customisation-friendly option while still carrying the Jermyn Street pedigree.
Has Charles Tyrwhitt won any awards?+
Yes. It took first place for customer service in the 2011 Sunday Times Profit Track 100 awards, picked up several honours at the Top 50 Companies For Customer Service Awards, and received the Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2016. Customer service has long been part of its reputation.
How do I care for my Charles Tyrwhitt non-iron shirts?+
Because they are 100% cotton non-iron shirts, the trick is in the drying. Wash in smaller batches and hang them promptly so they dry smooth, and you can usually skip the iron entirely. Treat them well and they hold their crispness through many washes.
Is there a family connection behind the brand?+
There is a nice one. Founder Nicholas Wheeler's wife, Chrissie Rucker, is the founder and owner of The White Company, so the household has shaped two well-known British retail brands.