Drill is a sturdy, medium to heavy cotton or blended fabric woven in a twill construction, usually a three-up one-down or two-up one-down twill with a clear diagonal line. It is used mainly for workwear, uniforms, scrubs, bags, light upholstery and casual trousers, where durability matters more than drape. Indian mills around Ahmedabad produce drill in large volumes, in cotton and in polyester cotton blends. It is one of the more straightforward fabrics to source, provided the construction and the finish are specified clearly.
Drill versus other twills
All drills are twills, but not all twills are drills. Denim is a twill with an indigo-dyed warp and an undyed weft, while drill is normally piece dyed in a solid shade. Gabardine is a finer, steeper twill with a smoother face used for tailored garments, and chino is a lighter twill that drapes more softly.
Drill sits at the robust end of the family, with a firmer hand, a more pronounced diagonal and usually coarser yarns than gabardine. Khaki drill is the classic uniform cloth, and the same construction in white or pale shades is widely used for chef wear and medical uniforms. Because the twill line is strong, drill hides minor soiling and surface wear better than a plain weave of the same weight, which is one reason it has stayed in workwear for so long.
Typical weights and applications
- Light drill, roughly 180 to 220 GSM: scrubs, lightweight uniform trousers and bag linings.
- Mid drill, roughly 220 to 280 GSM: work trousers, coveralls, chef jackets and school uniform shorts.
- Heavy drill, roughly 280 to 350 GSM: heavy workwear, tool bags, aprons and light upholstery.
- Polyester cotton drill, often 65/35 or 50/50: where easy care, colour retention and lower cost matter more than handle.
What to specify when buying drill
Beyond the weight, specify the blend, the yarn count and the twill direction, since a Z or S twill is a visual decision that affects how panels match. State whether the drill is sanforised, because workwear is laundered hard and shrinkage of more than about 3 per cent will take garments out of size. Agree fastness to washing and rubbing, particularly for dark shades such as navy and black that are prone to crocking onto lighter fabrics.
For uniform programmes, ask whether the mill can hold the shade across repeat orders and whether a shade band will be supplied so that each delivery is checked against the same reference. For safety workwear, confirm whether flame-retardant or high-visibility requirements apply, because those are specialist finishes that not every drill mill can offer.
How Creston & Co helps
We source drill from mills we have audited ourselves and keep one approved supplier plus one backup for each construction. Sealed samples go to an NABL-accredited lab for weight, shrinkage and fastness, and we inspect rolls before loading and supervise the loading. Weekly updates keep you informed, and a free 20-minute sourcing review is available if you are starting a workwear programme.