We live in t-shirts. They’re make up the foundation of our wardrobe because they’re simple, comfy and affordable. Because they can be made cheaply, they often end up in landfills in large volumes. But many eco conscious brands are out to change that.
The most sustainable t-shirts use eco-friendly materials like GOTS certified cotton, merino wool, bamboo and even upcycled material. The manufacturers also ensure that their employees are treated fairly and provide transparency in their manufacturing processes.
Spoiler alert, you’re about to see a lot of references to GOTS certified cotton. So what the heck is that? GOTS is the Global Organic Textile Standard. It is a global textile processing standard for organic fibres. The standard includes ecological and social criteria and is backed up by independent certification.
OK, with those questions answered, now let’s look at some of the best sustainable men’s t-shirts and the progressive brands that are making them.
A-Dam
A-Dam makes “playful products from friendly fabrics.” Their t-shirts are pre-washed, GOTS certified cotton with premium embroidery. They are also certified by Ecocert Greenlife and are PETA Vegan approved.
Allbirds
Allbirds is known for their eco-friendly shoes but did you know they make apparel too? Their TrinoXO™ Tee uses innovative natural materials like crab shells to reduce odor and stay fresh between washes. The TrinoXO™ Tee is made of 65% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 30% merino wool, and 5% Chitosan.
ASKET
ASKET believes in transparency. For every item, ASKET shows the cost of making the garment and traces the origins of its manufacturing. They are also working on being able to show the CO2 impact of creating the garment. Their t-shirts are 100% long staple Egyptian cotton.
Bhumi
Bhumi offers carbon-neutral t-shirts made from 100% Certified Organic Cotton. Their apparel is free from chlorine bleach, toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents and is ethically made in India in fair trade factories.
Boody
Boody offers a range of sustainable underwear and t-shirts. The shirts are made of from bamboo that is processed into viscose which is soft, breathable and moisture wicking. And bamboo is a highly renewable resource. Committed to sustainability, the company shows the positive impact of every item including driving emissions avoided, LED bulb energy saved, drinking water saved and land farmed without pesticides.
The Classic T-Shirt Company
The Classic T-Shirt Company specializes in organic, luxury t-shirts. Their 100% GOTS certified organic cotton T-shirts are handcrafted in Los Angeles, California. The company also pledges 1% of its equity, profits, and time to causes including safe water, tree planting, and ocean cleanup.
Cotopaxi
In addition to sending a positive message, Cotopaxi’s tees are produced in a Fair Trade Certified™ facility and are made from 60% organic cotton and 40% recycled polyester. The outdoor brand was founded by Davis Smith to merge his love for travel with a poverty-fighting business model. Now a Certified B Corporation, Cotopaxi donates 1% of revenue towards addressing poverty and supporting community development.
Etiko
Etiko’s motto is “wear no evil” and was the first fashion brand in the southern hemisphere to become fair trade certified. The Australian brand offers a broad range of sustainable apparel including organic, Fair Trade men’s t-shirts. Their tees are blank or printed with graphics that are fun and sometimes environmental and inspiring.
Finisterre
Finisterre is a rugged, surf-inspired apparel brand. As a certified B Corporation they are committed to the highest level of sustainable business practices. Their t-shirts are made from 100% organic cotton and Finisterre provides transparency into the specific factory where each shirt was made.
For Days
Every item For Days sells is 100% recyclable, including their men’s organic cotton tees. They also minimize waste with things like reusable packaging and carbon offsets. The company has also created an innovative SWAP program. Customers can swap out anything, anytime, for any reason. Everything you send back gets recycled.
The Good Tee
The Good Tee champions responsible manufacturing: slower production schedules, ethical working conditions, and fair deals for all. The company is a certified B Corporation that is maintaining the highest sustainability standards in social, economical and environmental terms. Its Responsible Ringer Tee is made with certified Fairtrade organic cotton & eco-friendly dyes. It is designed in Canada and ethically Made in India with radical supply chain transparency.
Greenfibers
Greenfibers offers a broad range of eco-friendly products including clothing, home goods, cleaning products and skincare. The company started with organic t-shirts back in 1996 and now offers standard and vintage-look t-shirts that are 100% organic cotton jersey.
Honest Basics
All of Honest Basics’ products are vegan approved by Peta and are made using ethical and transparent production in Bangladesh and India. Their packaging is plastic-free or made from recycled plastic and they offer climate neutral shipping. Honest Basics offers men’s t-shirts that are 100% GOTS certified organic cotton.
Kuyichi
Kuyichi is named after the Peruvian God of the rainbow, who brings color and positivity to society. All of their products are made from organic and recycled materials by people who are treated and paid well. Their Buckley Black Tee is made from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and is fully vegan and PETA approved.
Living Crafts
Living Crafts is a German brand that has produced high-quality natural textiles under environmentally friendly and socio-economically fair conditions for over 30 years. They offer 100% organic t-shirts, organic linen t-shirts and shirts that are a blend of organic cotton and viscose.
Merino Country
Merino Country offers t-shirts and other clothing that are made from 100% Australian merino grown and sewn in Australia. Merino is a great material for regulating temperature, wicking moisture, reducing odor, drying quickly and is biodegradable.
Meundies
Meundies offers t-shirts from the same MicroModal material used for its undies. The sustainably sourced material comes from beechwood tree fibers, which are turned into a material that is sustainable, breathable and biodegradable.
Nikin
In addition to a range of other apparel, Nikin offers ethical men’s t-shirts that are made from 70% organic cotton and 30% recycled PET material. Every purchase contributes to reforestation projects around the world and you can request a tree certificate with your purchase. Nikin has helped plant over one million trees.
No Nasties
All No Nasties products are made from 100% organic cotton in a fair trade factory following vegan principles. Their sustainable men’s t-shirts are carbon neutral, come in plastic-free packaging, and for every shirt sold No Nasties plants a tree.
Nudie Jeans
Nudie Jeans makes sustainable jeans as well as an expanding range of apparel including t-shirts. Nudie makes tees from organic and Fairtrade cotton as well as its Milton Recycled Tee made from 90% pre-consumer textile waste and 10% organic cotton. The company also believes in manufacturing transparency and displays thorough details on the production of every product they offer.
Organic Basics
Organic Basics shares information on all of its certified Factory partners. In addition to their GOTS certified organic cotton men’s t-shirts they also offer some cutting edge materials in their tees. SilverTech™ Involves sustainably-sourced silver woven into organic cotton to keep you cool and odorless. TENCEL™ is an eco-friendly fiber made from wood that is biodegradable and feels softer and lighter than cotton.
Outerknown
Outerknown was founded by surfers with a mission to protect natural resources, empower the people crafting their clothes, and inspire change within the industry and beyond. Their S.E.A. t-shirts are 100% cotton that is milled, cut, and sewn all in the U.S.A. S.E.A. stands for Social and Environmental Accountability and marks a true Outerknown signature.
PACT
Everything PACT sells is made from organic cotton. They offer two styles of t-shirts, a softspun or textured slub. And everything they make also comes from Fair Trade factories. These factories provide safe working conditions, empower and uplift local communities, and protect the environment. PACT also offers the option to offset the carbon footprint of your shipment.
Patagonia
Patagonia offers an very wide range or sustainable men’s t-shirts. They use eco-friendly materials including organic cotton, merino wool, Capilene, hemp and more. The most impressive though is the Responsibili-Tee®. The 100% recycled T-shirt is made with 4.8 plastic bottles and 0.3 pounds of cotton scrap, using 96% less water and creating 45% less CO2 than a conventional cotton T-shirt and is Fair Trade Certified™ sewn. In addition, Patagonia’s graphic tees feature original artwork that are screen printed using inks that are PVC and phthalate-free.
Prana
Founded in 1992 in Carlsbad, California, Prana has been focused on sustainability since day one and continues to focus on fair trade and environmental stewardship. Their goal is to inspire, educate, and outfit your adventures with sustainable clothing. Prana’s t-shirts are plain or feature some clever pun graphics that any man would love. Their tees are made from 60% organic cotton and 40% recycled polyester, are Fair Trade Certified™ and bluesign® approved.
Rapanui
Rapanui’s t-shirts are made from organic cotton and printed with water based inks in a renewable energy powered factory. They have an awesome range of eco-inspired prints to choose from. And everything Rapanui makes is designed to be sent back when it is worn out and they make new products from the materials they recover.
Saint Basics
Saint Basics offers t-shirts in certified organic cotton or eucalyptus. Eucalyptus fabric is breathable, anti-bacterial, moisture wicking, softer than silk and creates 95% less environmental load than cotton. The brand’s apparel is environmentally friendly, fair trade, free from pesticides, sweatshops, and child labor.
TenTree
Tentree is a Certified B Corporation that has planted over 50 million trees and has a goal of planting a billion trees by 2030. For every product sold, Tentree partners with charitable organizations across the world to plant ten trees and rehabilitate natural ecosystems. Its print tees are made from 45% Recycled Polyester, 30% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 25% Organic Cotton.
THTC
THTC is ranked by Ethical Consumer Magazine as the UK’s most ethical menswear brand. Founded in 1999, THTC is an ethically-driven clothing label that produces eco-friendly and politically conscious streetwear, made from hemp, carbon-neutral organic cotton, and recycled salvage plastic fibers. THTC’s sustainability practices are as badass as their prints and the musicians drawn to the label.
Thought
Thought makes a wide range of sustainable and ethical women’s and men’s apparel, including t-shirts. Their t-shirts are GOTS certified organic fair trade cotton or a 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton blend.
Threads 4 Thought
Threads 4 thought is a sustainable apparel brand founded in 2006 focused on minimizing environmental impact, supporting communities in need and elevating ethical standards. They have many sustainable men’s t-shirt styles made from recycled polyester and organic cotton. In addition, their partnership with the International Rescue Committee has given countless refugee communities the opportunity for a quality of life every human being deserves.
United by Blue
United by Blue started with a few t-shirts and a commitment to clean up one pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every product sold. Years later the sustainable clothing brand offers a full range of women’s and men’s clothing, reusable travel meal kits, home accessories and has cleaned more than three million pounds of trash. Their EcoKnit™ tees are 55% organic cotton and 45% recycled polyester.
Vatter
Vatter makes GOTS-Certified organic cotton apparel, including t-shirts, that are manufactured by family-run companies in Greece and Turkey. Their packaging is made of 100% recycled materials and is printed with vegetable-based inks.
Images via brands.
