What does quality look like to you?
The perfect fit? A heavyweight design? A cloud-like touch? There isn’t a definitive answer - meaning when we search for a garment of excellent quality, it can be hard to know what to look for.
A well-made t-shirt is a true staple piece for transitional wear. Unlike special occasion finery, t-shirts can be thrown on for many occasions, from office days to smarter suited-and-booted soirees. The self-styling possibilities of a plain tee are endless.
So, it’s prudent to invest in a high-quality rendition rather than opting for a cheaply-made alternative to ensure it goes the distance.
The question of what is high-quality is subjective. For some, high quality may equate to high fashion, leading luxury lovers to purchase a designer piece over a high street number. For others, a high-quality t-shirt manifests as a well-made M&S top that won’t fall apart after a few spin cycles.
Our take? High quality means carefully crafted garments made with responsibly sourced materials. The aesthetics of a piece are paramount, yet it’s also crucial to understand where our clothing comes from and what materials constitute its construction.
Brands pioneering ethical and sustainable production such as Pangaia, Stella McCartney and Sheep Inc. ensure customers are granted a transparent consumer experience. Materials such as 100 per cent organic cotton (which is free from skin-irritating pesticides) to traceable merino wool and pure cashmere feature heavily among their climate-positive collections, which aim to give back more to the planet than they take.
The effort put into guaranteeing an ethical production is typically reflected in the price of the garments. Price tags of garments made by sustainable brands take into account paying workers a fair living wage, ensuring there are appropriate working conditions and supporting local communities. RE/DONE, Fanfare Label and Been London are a handful of labels that enforce this top-tier ethos.
The key to shopping for high-quality t-shirts is to make mindful choices when browsing online. To quote Fashion Revolution co-founder Orsola de Castro in a recent TikTok: “It isn’t enough just looking for quality in the products you buy. You must ensure that there is quality in the lives of the people who make them.”
Discover the best high-quality t-shirts to add to your timeless wardrobe and shop the edit below.
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Ganni White Relaxed Seahorse T-Shirt
Sink into a heavyweight tee to wear for casual days out in office-days in. Ganni’s kitsch collection of oversized t-shirts are beloved by It-girls across London. Cute graphics are elevated by a luxurious 100 per cent organic cotton construction to stand the test of time.
Buy now £95.00, Ganni
Pangaia 365 Midweight T-Shirt
Pangaia is trailblazing when it comes to the science-based development of sustainable materials.
Fabrics range from FLWRDWN, a down-fill material made from a combination of wildflowers, a biopolymer and aerogel used to fill puffer jackets, to C-FIBER. This jersey cotton alternative combines eucalyptus pulp and seaweed powder for a water-saving and energy-efficient textile.
Whether you’re in the market for a quality 100 per cent cotton t-shirt, activewear, boxy tailoring, or a tracksuit, there’s something for everyone. Bonus: every garment comes in just about every colour under the sun.
Buy now £55.00, Pangaia
Joseph Cashmere T-Shirt
Cashmere is luxury personified. Joseph’s sleek yet indulgent white tee is crafted from 100 per cent pure cashmere, making for the most sumptuous staple in your inter-seasonal wardrobe. Slip into the versatile, lavish piece all year round, especially when the British gloom sets in.
Buy now £95.00, Net-A-Porter
Whistles Relaxed Tee
The world is split into two camps: those who shell out on t-shirts and those who refuse to.
There is a middle ground: opting for a mid-range piece from Whistles’ basic collection. This weighty tee comes in three wearable colourways and is ethically crafted from responsibly sourced cotton. French tuck it or leave it as it is - you’ll have an impeccably casual look whatever the style choice.
Buy now £35.00, Whistles
Toast Sadie Organic Cotton Boy Tee
Never underestimate the power of a boyfriend tee. Toast’s loosely-fitting number is a throw-on option that champions quality-over-quantity. It is made from 100 per cent organic cotton, meaning no nasty chemicals were incorporated into the production chain. Note the timeless straight shape with a high round neckline and twin-needle stitching at the edges.
Buy now £55.00, Toast
Stella McCartney Wings Graphic Cotton T-Shirt
If any design understands the meaning of well-sourced, well-made clothing, it’s Stella McCartney.
The fashion designer has been pioneering mindful construction since day one. The brand’s Wings t-shirt is inspired by McCartney’s legendary parents and is cut from fully traceable 100 per cent organic cotton and printed with a vintage Wings graphic – sourced from the band’s archives and tour merchandise.
Buy now £290.00, Stella McCartney
LOULOU STUDIO + NET SUSTAIN Telanto T-Shirt
Available to add to your online basket in three neutral colourways, LOULOU STUDIO’s easy-wear piece exudes effortless. Not only is it finely made from 100 per cent Supima cotton, but the top comes with Net-A-Porter’s + NET SUSTAIN badge of honour. This means that the garment has been produced with considered materials.
Buy now £70.00, Net-A-Porter
Tarunah Boxy Plain White Organic Cotton Tee
The perfect white tee, Tarunah’s boxy throw-on boasts all the right sustainability credentials. Super soft, certified organic cotton forms the construction - which retains its shape after each wash. The brand ensures each piece is made by those paid a fair wage and working in suitable conditions under a transparent supply chain.
Buy now £35.00, Wolf and Badger
Adidas + Wales Bonner Cotton Jersey T-Shirt
On-trend and on top of sustainability, this Adidas + Wales Bonner cotton jersey t-Shirt is one of many covetable garments produced by the popular collaboration. Featuring Adidas’ iconic three-stripe crochet detailing and the Wales Bonner insignia, this 100 per cent organic cotton tee is a signifier of sartorial superiority.
Buy now £85.00, Net-A-Porter
RE/DONE + NET SUSTAIN + Pamela Anderson Crystal-Embellished T-shirt
High quality doesn’t have to mean dull. Add a dreamy slogan baby tee to your spring-into-summer archive like this RE/DONE + NET SUSTAIN + Pamela Anderson T-shirt.
Y2K crystal embellishment spells out the word ‘girl,’ which is placed in the centre of this sustainable piece. Purchase of the t-shirt, which is made with 100 per cent organic and regenerative cotton, supports holistic farming practices that increase soil health, improve biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions.
Pair yours with baggy blue jeans and boxfresh kicks for a nonchalant cool-girl ensemble.
Buy now £220.00, Net-A-Porter
Cos Slim-Fit T-Shirt
Is there anything better than slipping into a crisp white t-shirt? We think not, especially with this option from Cos that will become the trusted piece you keep returning to repeatedly. It has a slim fit and is made entirely from organic cotton.
Buy now £30.00, Cos
Hush Slim Fit Crew T-Shirt
Hush’s Slim Fit Crew T-Shirt is a versatile piece to wear year-round. The lightweight number is made from breathable organic cotton, grown using locally-adapted natural seeds and natural methods of controlling pests and disease. To ensure yours enjoys a long life of wear, turn inside out and wash on a delicate cycle. We also recommend spot cleaning for smaller stains.
Buy now £27.00, Hush
Fanfare Blossom Bow Top
While the brand is renowned for its creative denim designs, Fanfare Label also stocks an array of unique tees to consider. The Blossom bow top features two double satin ribbons tied up into bows and sewn asymmetrically. The pretty ribbons are made from 100 per cent recycled bottles which are hand-sewn onto the attractive, ring-spun organic cotton t-shirt.
Fanfare Label is a self-professed conscious denim brand revolutionising the way shoppers perceive circular fashion. Founded in 2019 by Esther Knight, the award-winning London-based brand designs denim pieces to last a lifetime.
The stats speak for themselves. So far, the brand has saved 500 metres of fabric from landfill waste, 1,445,305 litres of water from the use of recycled linen materials and created 6000 hours of skilled work in the UK providing fair pay and working conditions.
Buy now £35.00, Fanfare
Sheep Inc. The T-Shirt
Sheep Inc. is a brand pioneering the climate-positive movement. The knitwear label, founded by Edzard van der Wyck and Michael Wessely in 2019, creates naturally carbon-negative, 100 per cent traceable and biodegradable merino wool knitwear. The Sheep Inc. supply chain ensures that more carbon is removed from the atmosphere than the production process contributes, plus transparency is granted at every step of clothing production.
The journey of each Sheep Inc. piece including this 100 per cent merino wool tee can be traced back to its origin thanks to the Connected Dot, an NFC tag that is integrated into the hem of the garment. This allows wearers to track the sheep from which their wool was sourced.
Buy now £130.00, Sheep Inc.
Acne Studios Stamp Logo T-Shirt
Scandi brand Acne Studios’ t-shirts are at the top of our wishlist. Crafted using high quality, heavy weight organic cotton, this oversized design will add a touch of playful fun to any casual weekend outfit.
Buy now £210.00, Acne Studios
