Which T-shirts have no plastic in the neck tape, the thread, the label or the print?
Short answer: we can't find a plastic-free t-shirt we can verify. Every candidate we checked had a plastic part beyond a small seal, or one we could not confirm. The list below says which.
Nothing in t-shirts has earned a spot yet. We checked one, Outerknown's All Good Things Tee, and we can't tell if it's plastic-free.
The fabric is 100% Regenerative Organic Certified cotton. A shirt is also thread, neck tape and labels, and the maker names none of them. Polyester thread is the norm unless stated.
Side by side
Every t-shirt we checked, and what kept each one off the list. The full evidence for each is one click away.
| Rank | Photo | Materials | Packaging | Price seen | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checked, not listed | |||||
 | Outerknown All Good Things Tee (Salt) Cannot tell | ||||
| Regenerative Organic Certified cotton | Not verified yet | Not linked | A major part is unverified | ||
Where plastic hides in t-shirts
The jersey is the part everyone asks about. The plastic is in the seams and the neck: shoulder seams and twin-needle hems sewn in polyester or poly-core thread, a neck binding tape that is polyester, a label that is woven polyester or a heat-transferred print, and a screen print in plastisol ink, which is PVC, or in water-based ink bound with an acrylic polymer. Cotton jersey sold as stretch carries 2 to 5 percent elastane, and a soft hand is often a silicone softener. Tri-blend and performance tees are polyester.
What to check before you buy
- Fabric: 100% cotton, hemp or linen, with no elastane or polyester?
- Thread: 100% cotton, or polyester and poly-core?
- Neck tape: the same cotton jersey or a cotton tape, or polyester?
- Label: woven cotton or none, or printed or heat-transferred?
- Print: none, or a screen print in plastisol or acrylic-bound ink?
- Finish: unfinished, or a softener or easy-care treatment?
Know of one?
If you make or own a t-shirts with no plastic in it, including the seal, tell us: chairman@amaterio.com. Send the maker's page and what the seal is made of. We vet every tip and publish the ones that hold up, with credit.
Checked and not listed
- Outerknown All Good Things Tee (Salt)
Cannot tellThe fabric is 100% Regenerative Organic Certified cotton, which is the right start. A shirt is also thread, neck tape and labels, and Outerknown doesn't name any of them. Polyester thread is the norm unless a maker says otherwise, so the shirt stays off the list.