ISO the Perfect: White Tee

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Why focus on the basic tee?

Tees are ubiquitous in our closets. As such, it’s very easy to overlook the environmental impact of this seemingly innocuous closet staple. I’ve seen various stats that attempt to quantify the impact of the basic tee’s lifecycle. While some stats are easier than others to quantify (e.g. it takes 2,700 liters of water to grow the cotton required to produce a single tee), other stats are harder to nail down (e.g. water/energy waste from washing/drying the tee between wears).

I found this article on the subject particularly interesting.

How can we do better?

Although some fashion companies across the sustainability spectrum from Patagonia to H&M are incorporating recycled fibers into production, the technology and incentives to efficiently mass produce recycled garments don’t yet exist.

I think we need to shift our mentality to view tees as investment pieces rather than as replaceable basics. I’ve definitely been guilty of ruining a few white tees from being lazy when separating my laundry, knowing I could just buy a cheap replacement. (Don’t do this!)

Since demand drives supply, I believe one of the best ways to decrease the amount of textile waste in landfills attributed to tees is to reduce the number of shirts we produce to begin with. One action item I’ve thought about recently is engaging the organizations to which we belong. For example, my company gives out about about two free shirts per year for one-day charity events to thousands of employees and participants. How often do people wear these shirts after the event? Personally, I never rewear them.

Finding new technologies and applications for recycling fabric waste is great, but reducing the amount of resources we consume is even better. The philosophy of consuming less is one I’ve been translating into my buying habits.

CLOSET STATS

I currently own 5 white tees, in 3 distinct styles (as of August 2020). Since I began tracking my wardrobe data in 2017, I’ve retired 11 white tees in 9 distinct styles, which adds up to $167 wasted. I found it very difficult to resell my tees online, and eventually ended up donating the fabric in hopes it would be recycled. Sadly, I know there’s a non-zero chance they’ll end up in the landfill regardless. This is why I’ve focused on bringing fewer tees into my life.

I took a closer look at the tees I’ve retired from my wardrobe inventory since 2017, and analyzed the reasons they lacked longevity in my closet. From this exercise, I was able to clearly articulate my style requirements for this staple.

Definition of a Perfect White Tee (for me)

• Cropped length. My ideal tee-shirt length is about 20″. Figuring this out has helped me avoid buying tops that don’t meet this criteria. When I shop online, I’ll check for the dimensions before purchasing a tee (or any item really) and if they aren’t listed, I won’t buy it.
• No bra lines. This one is definitely a dealbreaker for me, and one of the main reasons I won’t buy a tee shirt, particularly a white one.
• Crew neckline. I’ve owned tees with necklines too high, too low, and too stylized for my taste.

Here are some photos of some of the eleven tees I’ve retired for failing to meet one or more of the requirements above.

The Closet Heroes

These are the 3 styles of tees I have in my wardrobe today.

• Women’s U-Neck Crew Short-Sleeve Tee from Uniqlo | $14.90 (purchased in-store, bought one on sale for $9.90) | Own 2 | Added August 2020 | I purchased this in-store, so I didn’t know the length until I looked it up for this post. The tee is 23″ inches, which is the same length as the Madewell Northside Tee I retired. The difference comes down to the fabric, as this is a very thick tee so it has more structure. I exclusively wear these tucked, as opposed to the Girlfriend Collective tees.

• White Gia Crop Tee from Girlfriend Collective I $38 (purchased online, bought both with reward credit discount) | Own 1 | Added July 2020 | I own two of these: one in a size small and one in a size medium, which are 19″ and 19.5″ long respectively. I exclusively wear these untucked as the length is just a bit too short for tucking. I love that the fabric is 70% cupro, a sustainable fabric made out of cotton waste.

• Margo Tee from Leset | $58 (purchased online, full-price) | Own 1 | Added July 2020 | Length is perfect at 20″ for wearing tucked or untucked, which makes this the most versatile white tee I own. The fabric has a nice weight to it, which makes it drape nicely.

If I had to pick only one to keep, it would be the Margo Tee from Leset for its versatility, and ideally, its longevity in my closet.