10 Best T-Shirt Brands for Men—Skinny, Fat & Everyone in Between, Tried & Tested by DMARGE

Rightly considered a wardrobe essential alongside socks, pants or underwear, the plain T-shirt should never be tossed on without carefully considering its merits.

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For a completely impartial and authentic review, we had to go out and purchase each of these T-shirts ourselves and have them sent to the DMARGE office. Some of these brands we’ve tried and tested before; some we wear in regular rotation; others were put on our radar thanks to recommendations from friends and family that we thought needed to be put to the test.

We ordered every T-shirt in a Large size so we could compare the style and fit against the other brands directly and effectively, before disturbing them amongst some of the most style-savvy our team has to offer including Luc Wiesman — our founder with well over a decade in and around the style space — and Ben Esden, our resident white tee addict.

Why Trust Us?

We purchased and tested every single one of the t-shirts in this guide. Ben Esden, our model, can see this in the photos. Initially, he wore each one for 24 hours, then updated this article after 6 months, and now again after a whole year.

Ben gave them a low-intensity test by wearing them to relax at home. He gave them a medium-intensity test by wearing them to and from work, including his daily commute. Finally, he gave them a high-intensity test by taking them for a workout, run, or powerwalk. (Yes, he really loves a powerwalk.)

The rest of our team in the office — including fashion veteran Fin — then also chipped in with their two cents on the look, feel, and design credentials. Luc Wiesman then signed off on the final brands.

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What We’re Looking For

• Fabrics: How comfortable are the fabrics? How sustainable are they? How do they react with sensitive skin? Are they likely to get marked or stained too easily? This is a huge consideration for white tees.
• Design: While you’ll find little variation in colour or pattern, we have to ask if these tees offer a contemporary or flattering silhouette. Are the necklines well constructed and a suitable size? What design details do they offer?
• Comfort: How does the tee fit? Does it flatter the right parts of the body? Does it sit snug across the shoulders and chest while still leaving a little room in the belly for those who need it?
• Versatility: White tees are versatile by nature, but does their shape, silhouette, or detailing make them easy to mix and match with other pieces in your capsule wardrobe?
• Price: How much do they cost? And how much is too much for the perfect tee?

You’ll find some brands have been omitted from this guide. That’s not because they were bad, but because nobody on our team could confidently vouch for them. Uniqlo is a perfect example; a great brand, but we were more focused on brands specifically known for their t-shirts.

Category	Best Men’s T-Shirt
Best Overall	True Classic
Softest Material	Bonobos
Best Quality Construction	CDLP
Best Fitting Tee	Rhone
Best For Bigger Blokes	Everlane
Best Value Tee	Lululemon
Best Oversized Fit Tee	Taylor Stitch
Best Curved Hem Tee	Buck Mason
Most Sustainable Men’s Tee	Pact

Best Overall: True Classic Crew Neck T-Shirt

The team behind True Classic set out with a very simple idea, to help the everyday guy look and feel good with a t-shirt that fits well, feels good and doesn’t cost the earth… compare this to the CDLP further down this list which comes in around the $100-mark for just one tee, this is represents unmissable value.

With all the hype surrounding True Classic’s selection of T-shirts, this was the one I was keen to get my hands on the most. True Classic Crew Neck T-Shirt tees hug all the right areas of the torso without that annoying pinching you get with some fitted tees.

On reflection, True Classic delivered on its promise for the most part. The design sat comfortably on my shoulders and hugged my chest well without feeling too tight; it also fell neatly at the waist and left plenty of room around the belly.

At around $32 per unit — True Classic loves to push its 3-pack but they’re available in single serves too — it’s a more than reasonable entry point for an everyday tee that ticks a lot of boxes. The only consideration is that the fabric, whilst soft, doesn’t feel the most premium and I wonder how long this would last after 3-6 months of consistent use. This may, however, just be a result of the slight stretch built into the fabric to accommodate the aforementioned smugness. Time will tell…

This certainly wouldn’t be something I’d train in, but it’s perfect for taking it easy for styling most casual to smart casual outfits.

RELATED: True Classic Tees Review: The Internet’s Hottest New ‘Basics’ Brand For Men

Softest: Bonobos Soft Everyday Tee

Bonobos is an interesting option compared to the rest of the styles and designs here. Made using 100% soft cotton, this is undoubtedly the best-feeling T-shirt on the list, but it’s not necessarily the best fitting…

Where True Classic can boast it hugs the frame well, Bonobos would be improved if it was more snug around the shoulders and arms to sit better on my torso. You can see in the below image that the Bonobos Soft Everyday Tee felt a little slouched around the top half of my torso, failing to accentuate my very best bits. You need to consider which you prefer here, as I understand the looser look is preferable for some.

A real brainwave of Bonobos is their tagless branding: whilst I’m sure it saves them a few dollars in production, it also provides extra comfort for the wearer who doesn’t have to deal with any unnecessary scratching, so that’s definitely an added win for someone with slightly sensitive skin like me. It also doesn’t take away from the overall quality at all, so it’s all upside.

This one is by far the softest and at $35 per piece, Bonobos represents a more affordable option for a comfortable everyday tee. But you have to decide if you want to sacrifice the fit for comfort. This isn’t as snug fitting as some of the others like True Classic or Lululemon – and certainly not as fitted as Rhone – so it’s up to you which is your priority with your tees. I know which I’d go for.

Best Quality: CDLP Midweight Tee

Made using a combination of Lyocell — a fibre derived from certified renewable wood sources — and Pima cotton — an extra long fibre — that pair together to form a premium silk-like softness for added comfort, breathability, texture and structure, the CDLP tee is undoubtedly the highest quality t-shirt here… but at a significantly higher price point than Everlane, for example, you’d hope so.

Available with a fabric weight of 20 GSM, CDLP follows a wider trend that we’ve seen in the T-shirt market over recent years: higher GSM results in a premium product that’s thicker, far more durable, and feels far more premium.

The CDLP Midweight Tee mirrors this in the stitching of the seams, collar, and hems, which we suspect may be double-stitched for added strength and durability. Much like the fabric weight, this ensures that the heavier panels hold together stronger for longer, giving you a tee that stands up to wear.

Not only does heavier material allow it to withstand a lot more movement and weather than cheaper, thinner counterparts, but it also allows the tee to hold its shape for much longer, elevating both you and your outfits alike.

Of course, all this comes at a price — $140 to be exact — which still feels like a steep price point for just one tee. However, the CDLP white tee is undoubtedly the piece that will reward you in the long run.

Best Fitting: Rhone Element T-Shirt

Personally, I prefer a tee that’s fitted and hugs my frame whilst still giving me optimal movement and breathability. Of course, it’s a hard one to get right, but I felt that Rhone was without a doubt the best fitting of all the T-shirts we purchased and reviewed.

However, it’s important to point out that I received a medium in my order which is why it appears tighter compared to the other sizes. Naturally, this earns them something of a black mark against their e-commerce and customer service credentials; receiving the correct product is, we think, the minimum a customer should expect.

Lucky for them, the Rhone Element Tee turned out to be an everyday tee that looked and felt great to wear, beating their path to redemption as a result. Rhone’s Element Tee meets a lot of the criteria we set out when reviewing this selection. Similar to CDLP, Rhone features organic Pima cotton for premium softness and texture but comes at a lower price.

At $105, this comes at a more reasonable price point compared to some of the other selections here and is a serious contender for the best overall; it’ll have to settle for best fitting for now.

Best For Large Blokes: Everlane Essential Organic Crew Tee

Made with 100% organic cotton, Everlane’s commitment to producing high-quality tees for the everyday guy shines through here, as do their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint at every stage of production, a mission that Everlane took up very early compared to the vast majority of menswear brands that have rightly if latently jumped on the bandwagon in recent times. All in all, it’s nice to know I’m not inadvertently contributing to the climate crisis with this tee.

A revised collar gave the Everlane Essential Organic Crew Tee a better shape around my neckline and shoulders, hugging the frame of my upper torso well without any unwanted pinching. At the hem, Everlane’s T-shirts are now less prone to shrinking compared to other products so you have more confidence in your fit.

At $54 – or three for $108 – Everlane’s Essential Organic Crew represents amazing value for money and could be a winner for the wardrobe.

Best Value: Lululemon Fundamental T-Shirt

Lululemon’s cottony-soft Fundamental T-Shirt uses high-quality fabrics that are soft and comfortable to touch, which is why I was curious to see how it would match up with my active lifestyle. My curiosity was only piqued further after reading that their underwear came oh-so-close to the top of our best men’s underwear rankings, proving Lululemon’s credentials in the menswear space.

So the first thing I did was take this on a run. Overall, it was the best choice for training, which is a good thing considering the big claims Lululemon make on some of its products. Lululemon claims to have designed this product for people on the move, which is clear in its superior moveability and use of abrasion-resistant fabric treated with No-Stink Zinc™ technology to fight off bad odours… which after a run, we’re all a bit guilty of.

There’s enough room around the arms, shoulders and chest but without any sagging and the neckline is neat and tidy. The fabric also feels slightly stretchy, which gave me confidence when I hit the Bondi to Coogee coastal run.

At $58 USD (~$88 AUD) it’s certainly not sitting within the cheaper options on this list, but with all the technical features and overall high-quality of the fits, this represents the best value option.

Best Boxy Fit: Taylor Stitch Organic Cotton Tee

Whilst I hadn’t heard much about California-based apparel brand Taylor Stitch before undergoing this review, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about its unwavering commitment to producing high-quality tees that puts responsible practice at its core.

From reducing water waste during production to launching recycling initiatives for tired items of clothing, Taylor Stitch embodies climate-conscious ideals that set out to protect the planet, which is certainly a win in my book.

Now, although I felt the Taylor Stitch Organic Cotton Tee was a good product, it did feel slightly boxy when compared to some of the other tees on this list. Not a deal breaker, but not usually one of the qualities I’m looking for in my tees. For some blokes, it’s an essential feature and suits certain frames.

The Taylor Stitch Organic Cotton Tee fabric was soft and comfortable owing to the 100% organic cotton and didn’t stick to my torso.

Overall, I felt like it was a good product that was backed up by Taylor Stitch’s many climate-conscious pledges, giving consumers peace of mind that they’re not inadvertently causing harm when buying this tee. At $45 it’s certainly one of the more reasonably priced pieces on this list and a solid choice for the everyday fit.

Best Looking: Reigning Champ Lightweight Jersey Tee

Canadian apparel brand Reigning Champ set out to produce high-quality fits for men to wear all year round. With a nod to its sporty roots, the Vancouver, BC-based outfitter took inspiration from the world of sports and the pursuit of success, utilising fashion ingredients of the highest quality to make tees and hoodies that blokes will actually wear.

Their Lightweight Jersey Tee arrived with a lot of hype, similar to CDLP: it’s a premium product without the premium price tag, so naturally, we were keen to check this one out. On first wear, it’s notably softer than a lot of the other products in this list, owing to the 100% Cotton that makes up this tee.

Around the shoulders, the Reigning Champ fits neatly and falls neatly down my torso, whilst the arms are snug and a decent length; it’s certainly one of the better-fitted tees that we tried.

At $55 USD (~$83 AUD) it’s one of the pricier items that we bought for testing – but it also represents one of the better value options for your money. Sure, it’s not as cheap as the Taylor Stitch, and it falls under the same section as Lululemon, however where the Reigning Champ reigns supreme, is in its overall premium look and feel, which ultimately, should be the main reason we rock the tee in the first place.

Best Curved Hem: Buck Mason White Pima Curved Hem Tee

Boasting a respectable 140 GSM jersey knit, Buck Mason’s white long-staple USA-grown Pima cotton feels soft and comfortable compared to the other choices in this list and represents more than a century of textile manufacturing and millinery in Eastern Pennsylvania, dating back to 1873.

The style sits neatly on my shoulders which, as time went on, we noticed seemed to be the most inconsistent area of fit amongst all these brands, so this isn’t an achievement to sniff at. However, it isn’t well fitted around my chest at all, which represented something of a comedown after the ecstasy of sculpted shoulders. If I’m looking for a better fit overall, this one falls short compared to Lululemon, for example. But nice stitching at the collar and cuff pretty much made up for this though.

The White Pima curved hem is a nice touch but too short for my build and threatened to ride up every time I took a step, which isn’t the look I, or many other blokes, are going for. However, the brand does offer options for shorter or taller styles to fit your body type, so this may have been an ‘L’ on our part and one that we recommend you avoid.

At $45 USD (~$68 AUD) it’s certainly not a cheap option, but it certainly wouldn’t break the bank to get a couple sent to Australia either. It’s a nice mid-range option sitting below Pact, however.

Most Sustainable: Pact Softspun Crew Neck Tee

Made using Pact’s Softspun fabric that utilises organic cotton sourced from a Fairtrade-certified factory, Pact’s offering represents climate-conscious crews that don’t cost the earth. The only issue here, of course, is that the fabric doesn’t feel as premium as some of the other options I’ve tried on this list.

Pact’s mission is to put the people on this earth first, partnering with Fair Trade USA, Global Organic Textile Standard and SimpliZero to ensure that all their products reach the highest standard of sustainable practices to support the planet… which is good news for my conscience.

While voting with my wallet in this way feels good at the level of ethics, things weren’t so rosy when it came down to Pact’s Softspun Tee aesthetics. The collar felt thin and flimsy, while the stitching made the already thinner fabric feel no stronger. While some people may love the lightweight feel, to me, it just felt like the tee would lack the durability required for long-term and high-intensity use, being an especially no-no for training or workouts.

Overall, though, we don’t want to knock an eco-savvy brand, given just how important that’s becoming as the days and weeks pass by. If this sustainable trailblazer can just up its product quality slightly, then it could be a game-changer.

Best Feeling: Public Rec Go-To Crew T-Shirt

Public Rec’s aptly named Go-To Crew is a worthy addition to any wardrobe and fits the profile for an essential everyday tee. Made using an expert blend of Pima Cotton for softness, spandex for stretch, and TENCEL for durability, the Public Rec Go-To Crew Tee has that high-quality look and feel I usually go for while offering that additional level of mobility and durability that makes it absolutely perfect for those who keep moving during their day.

The style sits well on the shoulders but doesn’t fit very snugly at the chest, failing to give you that pumped-up look that so many men are chasing. However, the headroom in the chest does follow through to the belly, which is definitely a bonus, allowing blokes some much-needed breathing room. All in all, the fit of this tee wasn’t an instant deal breaker but I felt it was lacking the necessary shape that some of the others on this list had.

At $84, it’s at the higher end of the price scale. While the fit doesn’t exactly stand out compared to a brand like True Classic, the elevated combination of high-quality materials makes the Go-To great value for money and a solid wardrobe addition.

UPDATE: We’ve been wearing this T-shirt for a week now, and I must say it’s one of the best available. It has the perfect amount of stretch,h and it feels amazing.