R.M. Williams vs Santoli Napoli: Heritage or Italian Making
Australia
These two come from different traditions. R.M. Williams makes shirting in an Australian country tradition, with stores in every capital city and sizes up to 4XL that fit larger frames well. As of September 2026 its 100% French linen Newman is AU$189, and the Johnson, a 55% linen short sleeve, is AU$149. Santoli Napoli makes 100% linen shirts, Albini cloth on the Ischia line, cut and sewn in Napoli, at around AU$229. If you want to try it on and return it in person, R.M. Williams. If you want Italian cloth and a shirt made in Napoli, Santoli.
I make one of these, so weigh that accordingly. R.M. Williams is also a brand I have a lot of time for, and the honest position is that comparing us is slightly unfair to both. We are solving different problems.
The quick version
| R.M. Williams | Santoli Napoli | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | AU$149 to AU$189, as of September 2026 | Around AU$229 |
| Tradition | Australian country | Neapolitan |
| Published weight | Not published | 145 GSM Ischia, 180 GSM Positano |
| Made in | Listed as imported, French linen | Cut and sewn in Napoli |
| Composition | Varies by line | 100% linen, always |
| Try in store | Yes, nationwide | No |
| Returns | 60 days at no charge, by post or in store, as of September 2026 | 30 days, return postage paid by you |
What R.M. Williams actually does well
The brand has been making things in Australia since 1932 and the reputation is earned. What they understand better than almost anyone is clothing that survives being used, in conditions that are hard on fabric.
Their linen shirting is traditional. As of September 2026 the Newman has a classic fit, double-button cuffs, a centre back yoke with side tucks and a curved hem. For a man who wants a traditional country shirt in linen, that is exactly right.
The Newman is a classic fit and runs S to 4XL, which suits a broader frame better than most European cuts. You can walk into a store in any capital city and try it on, and online orders can be returned free of charge within 60 days, by post or in store.
None of that is something I can match, and I would not pretend otherwise.
Where the two shirts diverge
Mostly in what each brand tells you about the cloth and the making.
Linen is sold by weight in grams per square metre, and the number is rarely printed anywhere. A heavier linen shirt, roughly 200 gsm and upward, has structure and body. It holds a shape, it takes abrasion, it lasts. It also traps more heat, because there is simply more fibre between you and the air.
A lighter shirt, roughly 140 to 190 GSM, does the opposite. Less structure, more drape, and considerably more air moving through the cloth. At 35°C standing in the sun, that difference is not subtle.
R.M. Williams does not publish a weight for its linen shirts, as of September 2026, so I cannot tell you which case the Newman falls into, and I would not guess. Its linen is described as French and the shirt is listed as imported, with no country named. Santoli publishes its weights. The Ischia line is Albini cloth from Northern Italy at 145 GSM. The Positano shirt is 180 GSM, woven in Italy. Both are cut and sewn in Napoli.
If the weight question is new to you, there is more in best men's linen shirts in Australia, which covers how to judge gsm when it is not published.
The composition point
R.M. Williams shirting spans several lines and compositions vary. As of September 2026 the Newman is 100% linen, the Johnson short sleeve is 55% linen and 45% cotton, and pure cotton shirts sell alongside them. Check the label rather than the range name.
Every Santoli shirt is 100% linen. That is the one thing I will not vary, because the reason to wear linen in an Australian summer is the flax fibre itself. Flax is hollow and highly absorbent, it lifts moisture off the skin and releases it, and the weave lets air through. Blend polyester into that and you keep the price and lose most of the benefit.
More on this in Italian linen versus regular linen.
Price, and what separates them
As of September 2026 R.M. Williams sells the Johnson, a 55% linen short sleeve, at AU$149 and its 100% linen Newman at AU$189. Santoli's Ischia shirts are around AU$229, with prices displaying in Australian dollars at checkout.
The AU$40 gap to the Newman buys cloth from the Albini mill in Northern Italy and making in Napoli. Both are stated publicly, which means both can be checked. What it does not buy is a store to walk into, returns at no cost or a size above 2XL, and pretending otherwise would be silly.
Worth knowing on the import side. Goods under AU$1,000 attract no duty or GST at the Australian border, so ordering direct does not produce a courier bill on arrival. The detail is in where to buy Italian linen shirts in Australia.
Fit
R.M. Williams cuts the Newman in a classic fit and runs it from S to 4XL, as of September 2026, in a way that suits a broader or taller frame. If European shirts usually pull across your back, this will be a relief.
Santoli runs M to 2XL on a Neapolitan cut, relaxed through the body, though relaxed in a different sense. The room is there for airflow rather than for movement, so it drapes more and structures less. Size up if you are between sizes. The cut is close through the shoulder and armhole, and linen has no stretch.
Full conversion tables in linen shirt sizing for Australian and NZ men, and cut detail in how should a linen shirt fit.
Which one suits your summer
R.M. Williams if you want a traditional Australian country shirt. Also if you need a broader cut or a size above 2XL, want to try before buying, or want to return it at no cost within 60 days. And if a store you can walk back into matters more to you than where the shirt was sewn, which for plenty of Australians it genuinely does.
Santoli Napoli if you want Italian cloth with the weight published and a shirt cut and sewn in Napoli on a Neapolitan cut. Also if you want composition guaranteed, care where a garment was made, or want a shirt that softens across seasons.
A reasonable number of men own both, and that is not a cop out. They do different jobs.
The Santoli range
Shirts are $139 in the Italian collar collection and the mandarin collar collection, sharing one cut across both.
Linen trousers are $99, and the drawstring waist takes most of the risk out of a first overseas order. Worn with a shirt in the same linen they make a set, both sold separately in the men's collection, and the suede hat covers the sun problem that a linen shirt does not.
For colour, the Positano Capsule is thirteen colourways at $119, each colourway made once, no restock, so the page shows what remains.
Frequently asked questions
Is R.M. Williams linen good for hot weather?
Yes. The Newman is 100% French linen, which breathes the way linen does. R.M. Williams does not publish its weight, as of September 2026, so I cannot tell you how it compares on airflow with a lighter shirt. In still coastal heat a lighter linen feels cooler, and Santoli's Ischia cloth is 145 GSM if you want the number before you buy.
Are R.M. Williams shirts made in Australia?
Their boots are made in the brand's Adelaide workshop. The linen shirts are listed as imported, with no country named, and the linen is described as French, as of September 2026. Check the individual product if origin matters to you.
Which brand has the better fit for a broader build?
R.M. Williams. The Newman is a classic fit and runs S to 4XL, as of September 2026, so the size range is wider. Santoli runs M to 2XL on a Neapolitan cut, close through the shoulder and armhole.
Why is Santoli more expensive?
On the Ischia line, cloth from the Albini mill in Northern Italy and making in Napoli, both stated publicly. Italian labour costs more than the alternatives. What the price does not buy is a store, returns at no cost or a size above 2XL.
Do I pay import charges ordering Santoli into Australia?
No duty or GST is collected at the border on goods under AU$1,000. Registered overseas retailers charge GST at checkout instead, so nothing is owed on delivery. Prices display in Australian dollars before you pay.
What linen weight should I look for?
Roughly 140 to 190 GSM is the all rounder for an Australian summer. Above 200 GSM you gain structure and lose airflow. If the weight is not published, hold the shirt to a window. A shirt in that range shows a shadow of your hand, heavy shows almost nothing.
Can I wear either to an office?
Both, provided they are pressed. R.M. Williams reads more traditional. Santoli reads more relaxed and softens through the day, which suits a less formal workplace.
Which one wrinkles more?
Both will crease, because both are linen. That is the fibre doing what flax does and it is the clearest sign the shirt is real linen. Lighter linen creases a little more readily, and with no published weight for the R.M. Williams shirt I cannot say which of the two moves more. Press it while slightly damp and it settles into soft creases rather than sharp ones.