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Canadians spend more than $3-billion a year on T-shirts, according to market research firm Statista. That works out to about 1.5 new tees a year on average for men, and three a year for women.
Many T-shirts on the market are made of 100-per-cent cotton. “Cotton over all is a superbreathable fabric, it’s comfortable, it’s not itchy on the skin,” says Sarah-Eve Lessard, women’s wear designer at Canadian fashion label Frank And Oak. “I love using cotton when I design a T-shirt because it’s just so versatile and you can do a T-shirt that is very casual, but also a T-shirt that is a little bit more dressy.”
Lessard prefers organic cotton for environmental reasons, but notes that it won’t necessarily wear differently. “In terms of performance, organic cotton and regular cotton are basically the same,” she says. Then, for extra softness and a nice hand feel, she suggests styles made with more premium, extra-long staple pima or Egyptian cotton.
The one drawback with cotton is that it can shrink in a hot dryer, so you may need to hang to dry your favourite tees, or look for something that’s preshrunk or prewashed. If you’re concerned about shrinkage, you could consider buying something that’s slightly bigger, but the main thing is to read and follow the care-label instructions.
“A 100-per-cent cotton or 100-per-cent linen T-shirt, the look and feel of the T-shirt will be more dry, more crisp,” adds Lessard. In other words, it won’t be quite as soft, or drape the same way as one that includes some modal or polyester fibre.
Notably, a blend with polyester increases the fabric’s durability and resistance to wear and tear, while blends with rayon or modal benefit from improved breathability and silkiness, says E. Johan Foster, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia whose research includes studies in biomaterials and fibres.
T-shirts that promise moisture-wicking and wrinkle resistance will often be made with blended fabrics. But all those benefits “come with a little bit of a trade off in that you have to treat them differently,” says Foster. He explains fibre blends react differently to heat, which determines how to wash and dry them, so follow what’s on the care tag.
“In general, lower temperatures are better, especially for synthetics,” says Foster. “And then the more robust cotton ones, you can go to higher temperatures, but again, it’s very dependent on the type of blend it is, and so following those directions is key to be able to get the longest life, the best performance out of those materials.”
Six buys to try
Consider the fabric, fit and finishes while shopping. On trend right now: minimalist tees in a thicker, 100-per-cent cotton fabric, ribbed knit tops and versatile, sleek tees that can be styled with both sweatpants and a blazer.
In the women’s section
(left) Made with organic cotton, this white tee by Montreal-based Frank And Oak features dropped shoulders, a loose fit and eye-catching contrast topstitching. Wear it with with straight-leg denim or tucked into a fitted skirt. Frank And Oak the Contrast Stitch loose T-shirt, $60 through frankandoak.com.
(centre) Ribbed T-shirts are trending, and Tna’s affordable, cotton-and-elastane version features a scoop neck and body-skimming fit. Layer it under a blazer for work or pair it with oversized cargo pants for weekend errands. Tna HomeStretch scoop-neck T-shirt, $25 through aritzia.com.
(right) This boxy, cropped T-shirt is designed to just meet the top of your favourite high-waisted pants. It’s made in Canada using 100-per-cent Global Organic Textile Standard-certified organic cotton that’s also locally knitted. Province of Canada Monday crop top, $42 through provinceofcanada.com.
In the men’s section
(left) Made with a polyester, cotton and rayon blend, this extra-soft, crew-neck tee can be worn to work, under a shacket or an opened button-up shirt, and to the gym. Alo Triumph crew-neck tee, $88 through aloyoga.com.
(centre) This 100-per-cent organic cotton, regular-fit T-shirt is affordably priced and available in more than a dozen colours. Featuring a self-fabric at the neck instead of a rib knit, it’s also a little sleeker and less sporty than your everyday tee. Only & Sons Max Life organic cotton T-shirt, $25 through thebay.com.
(right) If you love a heavyweight T-shirt, this crisp, 100-per-cent cotton option by Vancouver-based Reigning Champ is preshrunk and shouldn’t get much smaller after laundering. With a strong shape and longer, semi-raglan sleeve, it’s designed to be worn solo and not as a base layer. Reigning Champ heavyweight jersey T-shirt, $80 through reigningchamp.com.