Collar stiffeners are a shirt accessories used to keep the shirt neat and tidy especially the collar. Collar stiffeners are available in a wide variety of materials including horns, mother of pearls etc.; however they are mostly made out of either metal or plastic. Like all stiffeners, the plastic collar stiffeners are shaped and used in exactly the same manner as any other stiffener. They are rounded and smooth on one end and sharp pointy on the other. They are inserted into specially designed collar pockets underneath the collar to keep the collar stiff and crisp for a longer period of time.
Plastic collar stiffeners can be procured from a wide variety of online stores as well as just about any clothing or sewing store closest to you. They are more commonly used than their metal counterparts mainly because of the price factor. They must be used with the same precautionary measures as with any other stiffener although one should note that the metal collar stiffeners offer greater strength and durability and unless lost, they can last for almost a lifetime.
The reason why plastic collar stiffeners are in such high demand are because of the often use and throw away nature of the product line itself. Many people are too careless or just too lazy to bother removing the stiffeners after use. As a result the shirts are often sent to the cleaners with the stiffeners still in place. This usually results in either the stiffener being damaged or lost.
Many people prefer to invest in plastic collar stiffeners just for this sole reason that they are not that expensive to replace if lost. Usually they come in packs of 10s, 20s or more and are often exchanged as gifts amongst men of European countries.
Another reason why the Plastic collar stiffeners are popular is because since they are cheap, people can afford to keep multiple sets of different sizes. This is particularly useful if one has different shirts of varied collar sizes so they can be used simultaneously without having to remove the stiffener from collar to be placed in the next.