Durable cotton t-shirts to pair with leather jackets

[Rich22]

Ten years ago it was still possible to buy thick, durable, classic looking t-shirts on the high street, but fast fashion seems to have replaced those with thin and feeble replicas (admittedly at low prices). Even the likes of Abercrombie made bullet proof ‘premium’ t shirts back then. Now we seem to be relegated to buying from expensive and niche online brands, which typically produce tubular rather than fitted garments.

Does anyone know of modern high street companies that still sell good, high quality t shirts? Preferably with a fitted look. I love a nice, simple, quality t shirt- be it a polo or mandarin collar or a classic round neck. I still have t shirts from 12 years ago I wear regularly, that have aged amazingly. I want more of these...

 

[Seb Lucas]

I have Kmart t-shirts from 15 years ago that are still strong despite hundreds of washes. I've never paid more than a few dollars for a t-shirt and won't. I bought some Uniqlo t-shirts recently that are robust and pretty well made.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Do you have a general budget you'd like to stick to?

 

[ProteinNerd]

I have a few pairs of Fruit of the Loom Heavy cotton T-shirts that are pretty robust, large variety of colours although I only have black and white ones. They are pretty heavyweight but they aren't very soft but that doesn't bother me.

I'll probably buy more when these ones eventually die.

 

[Rich22]

Do you have a general budget you'd like to stick to?

Part of me is happy with acceptable quality plain Superdry t shirts which cost about $15-20. But if I can find a tapered, heavyweight, super soft t shirt (akin to the shirts I used to buy), I’ll happily spend $90-100. And honestly, my t shirts that have survived 10+ years the most impressively cost somewhere in that ballpark.

 

[Rich22]

I bought some Uniqlo t-shirts recently that are robust and pretty well made.

I tried a couple of these. Quite nice fabric, but not the most shapely. I bought them in Asia which probably explains why they’re designed for a short torso with no taper.

I have a few pairs of Fruit of the Loom Heavy cotton T-shirts that are pretty robust, large variety of colours although I only have black and white ones. They are pretty heavyweight but they aren't very soft but that doesn't bother me.

I'll probably buy more when these ones eventually die.

I tried this band a few years ago- nice and thick but rough and cheap feeling. Wore them in the gym. Bought another supposedly identical pack and sizing was off. I’ll still take rough, thick cotton over synthetics, even in the gym...

 

[Graemsay]

3Sixteen do some good t-shirts, but they're relatively expensive at $85 per two pack.

https://www.3sixteen.com/collections/tees

 

[zebedee]

Hanes Beefy-T. T-shirt for life.

 

[Edward]

For a plain white, I'm tempted by these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2019-Bro...3d:m:m76Vzs2hhrPmUz7tLhpsBtw&var=472507115083

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2019-Bro...-Mens-Basic-Tee/173818456893?var=472507115093

Non-stock stripes: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NON-STOC...-Style-T-Shirts/173919268069?var=472680211663


TBH, my white t shirts are all a supermarket own-brand; I wear them exclusively as underwear and dispose of them when they wear out. I've never spent that much on plain white t-shirts, but the tubular design of the Bob Dong intrigues me.

 

[zebedee]

Both Hanes and Gildan make good, solid t-shirts. Hanes Beefy is the better of the two, but both are great. 'Beefies' (as they might, for all I know, be called in the plural' are very thick and last years and years. Haven't thrown one out due to wear (even damaging one was quite difficult).

 

[nick123]

LaCoste v-necks. I like to show off my chest hair.

 

[Carlos840]

I usually get a batch of 12 American Apparel T-shirts for around £5 a piece, they last a couple years of daily wear before they start looking bad and get moved to the "work/disposable shirts".
I'm all for buying quility items, but there is no way i am spending big bucks on a Tshirt. To me they are disposable items like socks and pants.

 

[JMax]

The fabric of the Kirkland $4-6 Ts is $20-30 T level. Costco brand. Thick feeling, comfy and long lasting. Size one or two sizes down. If you prefer really slim, more tailored fit this won't work but I usually use these under an MC jacket while riding. If I am going out just in a T-- Hanes or Harley Ts.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

Aero stock Goodwear T-Shirts and have done for over 20 years. Heavy weight US cotton with tubular knitted bodys, made in the USA. They wash extremely well and hold their shape great. I am still wearing some 20 year old ones.

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=190

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Part of me is happy with acceptable quality plain Superdry t shirts which cost about $15-20. But if I can find a tapered, heavyweight, super soft t shirt (akin to the shirts I used to buy), I’ll happily spend $90-100. And honestly, my t shirts that have survived 10+ years the most impressively cost somewhere in that ballpark.

On the not too expensive side, I have been super happy with Whitesville T shirts from Japan.
I order them on Hinoya here: https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/hinoya/item/wv73544/

For more expensive options, Stevenson Overall Co, Merz B Schwanen, Studio D'artisan, The Strike Gold, Lady White are all good. I can give links to these if wanted.

The best for pure durability is The Flat Head. I would act now though because the company is basically ending, so you'll have to buy whatever is out there right now.

 

[Big J]

@Seb Lucas, I've never tried Uniqlo white T-shirts, and I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that they are good quality. I wear Muji white T-shirts as undershirts. These are also ringspun and wash forever without stretching out.
I think that despite the 'WAH!' factor of being *from Japan* the cheap price (three for under $10) means they are automatically overlooked by 'serious' fashionistas/hipsters.

@JMax, I prefer the Costco t-shirts to wear under flight jackets as they are much heavier weight, but find that I have to buy a size up because they shrink after the first wash, and after being worn a fair few times, the collars stretch out. It's no big deal at that price, and I'd never spend so much on a white t-shirt that I wouldn't hesitate in the slightest to get it dirty playing with the dog, helping someone who broke down by the side of the road, giving some old guy choking on his tomato pasta sauce the Heimlich maneuver, spraying champagne all over everyone at a party.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Costco in the U.K. do a pack under the Kirkland name ,,great quality & weight,pack of 6 for under £20

 

[ProteinNerd]

LaCoste v-necks. I like to show off my chest hair.

Richardofashion..is that you?

 

[Edward]

I usually get a batch of 12 American Apparel T-shirts for around £5 a piece, they last a couple years of daily wear before they start looking bad and get moved to the "work/disposable shirts".
I'm all for buying quility items, but there is no way i am spending big bucks on a Tshirt. To me they are disposable items like socks and pants.

That's where I'm at with a lot of it. If I was gonig to buy a t for outerwear, I think that's different: the sort of longevity HnS speaks of above it tempting. I've spent a fair bit before now on high end polos and short sleeve shirts, SJC and such. When it comes to underwear, of course it's primary purpose is to be semi-disposable. If I could be convinced I'd get twenty years out of a vest rather than, say, three or four before it wears out and starts coming into holes, then it would be worth investing. I'm not sure, though, that that would work for something I'm wearing as a top /outer layer over a vest rather than something that's next my skin, under something else, being sweated into all the time. I wear an undershirt year round - warmth in Winter, helps keep me cooler in Summer (much more so than when I used to do without one). I might try some of the stripey ones, though, and see...
Striped t-shirts have a long pedegree from my days when I just wanted to dress like DeeDee Ramone. Probably why I'm a sucker for a Telnyashka...

@Seb Lucas, I've never tried Uniqlo white T-shirts, and I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that they are good quality. I wear Muji white T-shirts as undershirts. These are also ringspun and wash forever without stretching out.
I think that despite the 'WAH!' factor of being *from Japan* the cheap price (three for under $10) means they are automatically overlooked by 'serious' fashionistas/hipsters.

Do Muji / UNiqlo actually manufacture in Japan? They're marketed as Japanese stores here in the UK, but everything I ever look into from them was made in China. (Not that that in itself suggests lesser quality - I've boguht a few bits from them both here and there and been perfectly happy).

 

[OneEyeMan]

American Giant
https://www.american-giant.com/mens-tshirts/