Recommendations for Quality, Affordable Staple T-Shirts?

keeperofthegood on 24/04/2025 - 13:51

Can anyone recommend quality t-shirts that I can buy several colours of, to fit out my wardrobe and eliminate thinking? I really dislike having to choose my clothes, so I prefer to buy several at once.

I recently purchased about 8 Target mens crew neck t-shirts of various colours. After one washing/hang drying, they had visible fading and discolouration on them - really disappointing.

I'm hoping to find something that is a good balance of quality and affordability - clearly going to have to spend more than $Target.

Thanks in advance!

Fashion & Apparel T-Shirt

Comments

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 24/04/2025 - 13:58
    +22

    Uniqlo has been my go to for Tshirts for a while. They're standing up well, Heard the as colour Ts are good, but yet to try.

    • aussieplip on 24/04/2025 - 14:10
      +5

      I really like the AS colour t-shirts. I find UNIQLO stuff nice, but over time they seem to shrink a bit (especially the polos).

      • beltdrive on 24/04/2025 - 15:20
        +1

        over time they seem to shrink a bit

        The Iron Snail did a great couple of videos on t-shirts and he lists shrinkage for each one. Handy, because it lets you know whether to size up or not

      • skwashd on 24/04/2025 - 22:03
        +29

        I hate that. For me it tends to happen the most around Easter and Christmas time.

    • 0806449 on 27/04/2025 - 23:00

      Also the oversized Uniqlo U t shorts are nice. Feels premium with the heavy weighted feel.
      There is an airism cotton one and that one feels rougher

  • Muppet Detector on 24/04/2025 - 13:59

    Unless they were designed to fade, I think you would be able to take those Target shirts back for return. It would be reasonable to expect them to last more than one wash.

    Kmart Anka stuff is supposed to be ok.

    Is Bonds stuff still considered to be decent quality?

    • MS Paint on 24/04/2025 - 14:22
      +8

      Is Bonds stuff still considered

      If I see another picture of Robert Irwin half naked in Bonds with his snake hanging out I'm going to puke.

        • S2 on 25/04/2025 - 23:10
          +3

          Still too soon. This will probably never be funny.

          • quick-dry on 26/04/2025 - 17:50
            +2

            @S2: it really gets you in the heart, right?

      • try2bhelpful on 24/04/2025 - 15:48
        +1

        There are worse things to see.

    • keeperofthegood on 24/04/2025 - 14:44
      +4

      I don't know how their shirts are, but if they're anything like their undies, I would steer clear. Truly such a nosedive in quality over the past few years. I've got briefs from years ago that still have more support than those I bought in the past few months.

    • vorsprung on 24/04/2025 - 20:03

      My issue with Target shirts is the collars. A few washes and the collars develop a life of their own. Haven’t noticed any fading issues.

  • Gdsamp on 24/04/2025 - 14:27
    +9

    hang them inside out

    AS Colour good

  • djkelly69 on 24/04/2025 - 14:47
    -1

    I don't mind the $8 Kmart ones, but I don't think they will last that long if you wash them frequently.

  • zathras on 24/04/2025 - 15:06
    +3

    Try hanging your washing in the shade, and inside-out to reduce fading.

    • Morphio25 on 26/04/2025 - 10:15

      I tend to wash my gear inside out too. I've got several t-shirts that I regularly wear that I've had few quite a number of years, including the one I'm currently wearing.

    • abuch47 on 26/04/2025 - 15:31
      +1

      And always front load cold wash with only powder

  • barge-in hunter on 24/04/2025 - 15:24

    I have the same problem; found some Charles Wilson t-shirt packs on amazon with old school 'reinforced' collars and they've been awesome…. unfortunately they stopped selling them on Amazon Australia. They were great value at around $10-12 per tshirt

    Edit: thanks for the prompt. Google's found the same ones at their UK store, but they only ship locally :sad-panda:

  • beltdrive on 24/04/2025 - 15:25
    +1

    Uniqlo U cotton crew neck (about $15 on sale) or Pro Club Heavyweight ($30-$40, size up once)

  • DingoBilly on 24/04/2025 - 15:38
    +1

    Uniqlo

  • crentist on 24/04/2025 - 16:09
    +1

    I have a bunch of old Uniqlo Supima t-shirts. They're comfy and thin and lightweight, but lately I find their shape a bit unappealing. Possibly because they are thin and lightweight and reveal my own unappealing shape.
    But they seem to last. Any Kmart/Target shirts I've bought have barely lasted 6 months, while the Uniqlo have held up for several years, other than some deodorant stains.

    For the past year I've been wearing some of the Uniqlo U 100% Cotton Crew Neck T-Shirt, as mentioned above. They're thicker which took a bit of getting used to, but that helps them keep a good shape, makes them nicely insulating, and they seem much more hard-wearing.

    • Cheaplikethebird on 24/04/2025 - 16:34
      +2

      Yeah heavyweight tees are definitely more flattering.

    • susrekt on 25/04/2025 - 12:06

      I'm a huge uniqlo fan (have worn their stuff for years) and loved their supima shirts initially, however they have all kinda warped (like the bottom doesn't line up with the top, the side seams have pulled around?), some within 6 months. I've just ordered some of the U cotton crew to test out hoping for better results.

      • nubzy on 28/04/2025 - 23:13

        The current supima cotton tshirts are complete garbage and an absolute rip off. Bought two on 'sale' at $19.90 each and they are thin with a much coarser feel, and they stretched at the side seams after a few wears. I have a few supima cotton tshirts which are years old and they are thicker, softer and far superior in quality. Really unimpressed with what has happened to Uniqlo, poor quality and overpriced these days.

    • sal78 on 26/04/2025 - 14:45

      Airism basic tee is what all the young boys are buying and it’s oversize.

  • JimB on 24/04/2025 - 16:18

    AS Colour.

    Also have some OC Apparel T shirts from a sports club. The quality is very good. Not sure if you can buy it retail or is it only available from the uniform supplier.

    Have been disappointing in Uniqlo.

  • bmxr on 24/04/2025 - 17:10

    I have 4 of the K-Mart crew neck t-shirts in black and they have not faded at all. I think they were $4 each?

    Compared to the ~$45 custom fit ones I had measured, crafted and delivered from a "reputable" overseas vendor, the K-mart ones have faded and worn less than the more expensive shirts.

  • joka on 24/04/2025 - 19:00
    -5

    A wife can choose your clothes and have them laid out on the bed every morning after you shower. Have you considered getting one of those? She can buy your clothes too.

    • beltdrive on 24/04/2025 - 19:55
      +6

      New reality TV show coming soon: Manchild Wants a Tradwife

    • smartazz104 on 25/04/2025 - 21:04
      +2

      This is OzBargain, we’re all trying to save money.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/04/2025 - 19:10

    Uniqlo.

    A lot say as colour but I honestly thought they were a bit meh after refreshing my wardrobe with them

  • Daabido on 24/04/2025 - 20:13

    JB's Wear. Nice cut and last much longer than you think is reasonable.

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/233896844214

    for example, but there are many other sellers.

  • Ozbar Gain on 24/04/2025 - 20:16
    +3

    I recently discovered K-Mart's "heavy weight, oversized" shirt range which are nice thick cotton. They go for $12 but they have limited colours (black, grey, beige, navy, white).

    So far they seem okay and the fit nicely given I am also heavy weight & oversized. At least now my shirts are matchy matchy

    • saveye on 26/04/2025 - 08:03

      There are also heavy weight over sized tees at Target, they come in more colours and are 15. Really thick, and they don't shrink.

  • p1 ama on 24/04/2025 - 20:49
    +7

    Probably an unpopular opinion on a bargain forum, but I would really recommend several good quality merino t-shirts. They're expensive, but they are so comfortable, and being a bit more premium makes you take care of them which means they can last for years and years.

    I only wear black t-shirts, and really got sick of bad quality, so I just bit the bullet and bought 3 x black merino t-shirts for around $60 each around five years ago. They're all still perfect. You don't have to wash them anywhere near as much as cotton, they don't absorb sweat, and they are great both as a summer t-shirt, and a winter base layer.

    You have to take care of them a bit, but they're super easy to wash. Just a quick hand wash, then throw over a rack to dry. You technically can machine wash them on a wool cycle, but I've found that can make them shrink or stretch unevenly. If you've never washed merino before, they don't absorb water like cotton, so air dry very, very quickly.

    I've also got a few black Uniqlo Airism t-shirts that I think are quite decent. They're a polyester-cotton blend, so are more durable than merino for when you want something that's a bit tougher.

    Also going against the grain, but I personally very strongly dislike cotton t-shirts. They're thick and uncomfortable, absorb sweat very easily, and become really tough after a few washes. It's also a difficult material to take care of, basically they take forever to dry, so you have to keep them in the dryer for ages or blast them with higher heat, both of which cause them to shrink.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/04/2025 - 20:57
      +1

      Black merino shirt

      What brand? I don’t care about dropping money if it lasts and is comfy

      • p1 ama on 24/04/2025 - 21:54
        +8

        I got these ones: https://ktena.com.au/product/unisex-merino-short-sleeve-t-sh…, and can vouch for them. If you're in Melbs, I think they have an outlet in Oakleigh where you can check out their stuff. Probably worth noting that they size a little small, I usually wear an M and seem to fit better to an L with these. Also wool naturally shrinks a little over time even if you take care of it, so better to get something a little on the larger side.

        I'm told they're made in Australia, and use Australian wool if that matters to you (e.g. see https://ethicalclothingaustralia.org.au/ethical-manufacturer…).

        They're expensive, but if you take good care of them, they will last ages.

        • Gunnar on 24/04/2025 - 23:04
          +3

          $60 for a 230 weight merino is a Pretty decent price

          • p1 ama on 25/04/2025 - 11:52
            +1

            @Gunnar: Agreed - they're around the price of the 125 weight merino t-shirts that you get at the big box outdoor retailers (Kathmandu, Macpac…etc.). For me, 230 weight is good as an outer layer, 125 is too thin.

        • Desertsyd on 28/04/2025 - 11:39
          +1

          I also bought "Australian" merino polo from TheMerinoPolo.

          Paid the premium price for an Australian Made product, but the only thing Australian is the wool.

          The rest is done overseas.

          I can understand there's no wool looms in Aus anymore, but surely the sewing could have been in Aus.

    • tenpercent on 24/04/2025 - 20:57

      basically they take forever to dry, so you have to keep them in the dryer for ages or blast them with higher heat, both of which cause them to shrink.

      Today was mostly cloudy and it rained for half an hour too. Also my cotton t-shirts all dried in about 4 hours on the clothesline.

      I will give the merino t-shirts a look though. Do you recommend any particular brand?

      • p1 ama on 24/04/2025 - 21:58

        Today was mostly cloudy and it rained for half an hour too. Also my cotton t-shirts all dried in about 4 hours on the clothesline.

        I assume outdoors with some breeze? In that case, merino would probably dry in less than 30 mins.

        I will give the merino t-shirts a look though. Do you recommend any particular brand?

        See above comment - though I've come across several other brands which are also decent.

    • rumblytangara on 24/04/2025 - 23:40
      +1

      and being a bit more premium makes you take care of them which means they can last for years and years.

      That totally defeats the point of t-shirts though. Taking care of them is the last thing I want to do.

  • panorama on 25/04/2025 - 08:03
    +4

    OMG, not much of a choice is there, T shirt quality has dropped over the years to they are now absolute crap that they sell here in OZ. I only buy 100% cotton none of this sweat mucking ploy/cotton rubbish. Target - Kmart and all others they are so damn thin you might as well wear nothing and the rubbish cotton they are made of….

    Best so far Amazon - heavyweight Hanes 100% cotton or Dickies 100% cotton…. they are now my goto's…..

    • THICKnSLOW on 28/04/2025 - 09:54

      Fast fashion to blame for poorly labelled products online? I bought tees from cotton-on that were supposedly "100% cotton", found in winter I drenched them with sweat on a daily basis, just doing deskwork, not exercising.

  • Showmethebargains on 25/04/2025 - 09:46

    I like the AS Colour staple ones or the JB’s Wear ones. Both last quite well. They are available in a large variety of colours too.

  • footscrayvic on 25/04/2025 - 10:04

    I like the ringer t-shirts from www.blankclothing.com.au https://www.blankclothing.com.au/dylan-slim-fit-two-tone-t-s…
    Cotton. Nice colour range. Hard wearing. Good fit.

  • MeatyOne on 25/04/2025 - 10:11

    The Big W home brand Big Joe T-shirts are really good for the price. I wear them daily and they hold up really well.

  • Scot on 25/04/2025 - 10:20

    I have bought at start of Summer about 10 T-shirts from Kmart( Anko) in multiple colours and they have continued to look great.
    Haven’t lost their colour or gone out of shape! Average price$5-6. They also have $8 ribbed ones too.
    Wash and wear no ironing, very happy!
    I am female so haven’t tried male ones.

  • omguleh on 25/04/2025 - 11:58
    +1

    Anyone know other companies that make a shorter version of the tees? AS Colour has the Staple minus range (5cm shorter length) but the colours are limited.

  • ScribbleSass on 25/04/2025 - 18:53

    Jockey basic t-shirts awesome but I haven't seen them in Australia. Does anyone know which stores sell them?

  • furyou on 25/04/2025 - 19:45
    +1

    Wear only black or white, eliminate the thinking. Goes with most stuff

  • Sweet3st on 25/04/2025 - 21:15
    -1

    Gildan brand is pretty sturdy and classic. They are often used for screen printing as they're not damaged by the process.
    https://gildanbrands.com.au/gildan-heavy-cotton-5000/

    • salzo on 25/04/2025 - 22:58

      Same here, I have like 20 whites that use WFH (Gildan Men's Cotton Stretch T-Shirts, Multipack, Artic White (Crew 3-Pack))

      • Sweet3st on 26/04/2025 - 12:49

        $14.95 for the heavyweight ones, 100% cotton, taped shoulder seams and neckline. Do not buy if you are boycotting US.

    • Hawi on 26/04/2025 - 18:52
      +2

      Strongly disagree with this. I've had heaps of merch printed on Gildan (various models). The t-shirts feel like potato sacks and shrink and curl at the bottom.

      • Kranbone on 27/04/2025 - 23:12

        Yep, had the same negative experiences.

    • panorama on 27/04/2025 - 20:18
      +1

      Gildan are scratchy cotton….makes you itchy

      • tsk2 on 27/04/2025 - 22:37

        noticed this too! American apparel less so.

      • Kranbone on 27/04/2025 - 23:11
        +1

        Gildan are trash. Really poor quality garments.

    • Kranbone on 27/04/2025 - 23:11
      +1

      Gildan are pretty awful to deal with both from a business point of view and product wise, they're significantly worse than AS Color. Every gildan garment I've owned has been poor in quality. As color is slightly better.

      you're better off going for something like Uniqlo if they offer something comparable.

  • niknikniknik on 25/04/2025 - 23:32

    Uniqlo>AS color

  • RiseAndRuin on 26/04/2025 - 00:07

    Slazenger, both t-shirts and polos.

  • Save Medicare on 26/04/2025 - 06:26

    Bronson loopwheel tubular tees. No side seams!

    Similar ones also from saucezhan

  • R4 on 26/04/2025 - 09:05

    Marks and Spencer - online from the UK. I've been buying T-shirts from them for years and have found them to be good quality with consistent sizing

  • TightAl on 26/04/2025 - 09:30
    -1

    Not Uniqlo, anyone that says Uniqlo doesn't know any better.

  • Map Roy on 26/04/2025 - 10:55
    -2

    I quite like Bonds for a solid, one colour t-shirt. I find them comfortable and affordable. They wash and wear well.

    • Benicio on 26/04/2025 - 14:33

      noth the current quality of Bonds unfortunately.

    • panorama on 27/04/2025 - 20:20

      They changed Bond T shirts years ago to what it is now, no good.

  • All Blacks NZ on 26/04/2025 - 12:25

    Just Jeans sell high quality tshirts at a good price. They retail for $40 each, but most of the time they have buy one get one 50% off special. Currently they are on 30% off. Make sure you buy this SKU: 206633. They have a few different colors to choose from. I have washed them and used dryer for past 2 months and they have not shrunk or changed much at all.

  • Benicio on 26/04/2025 - 14:32

    I splashed out for some 'Pearler' t's. still going strong.

  • sal78 on 26/04/2025 - 14:43

    Uniqlo Airism

  • Chippy47 on 26/04/2025 - 16:32
    +1

    Comfort Colors, recommended alot on the Reddit BIFL.

  • hasher22 on 26/04/2025 - 17:29

    My uniqlo and kmart basic t's lasted me about 5 years now and I still wear them. One kmart lasted me 10 years and I wore that like once-twice per week, I paid $5 back then, got my money's worth.

  • meowmeowmeow on 26/04/2025 - 19:34

    Industrie Del Sur t shirts, were on sale 3 for $90 recently, may still be on sale. Recommend sizing down one size as they are an oversize fit. Excellent thick material and wash really well.

  • movieman on 26/04/2025 - 19:52

    2XU t shirts.

    Without the collar.

    Initially I was hesitant, but after spending $40, and seeing how comfortable it was, and how quickly it dries, I ordered quite a few more.

  • catbug on 26/04/2025 - 21:01

    Uniqlo is pretty good for $20-30. Most of mine have last years but some pile/stain easily after 3-6 months so I wouldnt say it’s the holy grail but also could be wear and tear so I’m not upset at what I spent for the item.

  • Blakagant on 26/04/2025 - 21:28
    +1

    I rate “Dickies Men's Heavyweight Crew Neck Short Sleeve Tee Big Tall” comes in all colours on Amazon, and often on sale for 20ish dollars.

  • Lunarboogie on 26/04/2025 - 21:43

    I've grown fond of Lacoste pima cotton T-shirts, crew neck. They're light weight and soft to the touch and can be found in a bunch of colours. They pair well with everything. Not cheap but a good buy on sale (which is the only time I buy them).

  • Parentheses on 26/04/2025 - 22:14

    The real trick is not buying several at once - buy one at a time, experiment, and once you find one you like go in hard on those. Lowes seems to be good for shit that doesn't really look 'great', but it will look exactly the same in about 500 years.

  • YoursTruly on 26/04/2025 - 23:40

    My personal trick to make my t-shirts last longer, retain shape, colour & collar (yes - even the target ones actually)

    Washing steps:

    1. seperate colours independently of each other.
    2. cold water only.
    3. lowest spin cycle setting possible

    Once wash is complete:

    1. flick’ the t-shirt straight out (to straighten creases)
    2. neatly hang on a line/ rack with t-shirt inside out & collar & arms hanging down. (don’t stretch/ spread t-shirt too much horizontally. (allow some give) (avoid hanging clips)

    3. air dry away from direct sun (shade only) (avoid dryers)

    4. iron inside out on lowest temp. with a steam iron & without ‘iron folding’ (t-shirt are best stored ‘soft’ folded.) (avoid hangers to retain shape)

  • Nebargains on 27/04/2025 - 06:46

    Surprised so many people say Uniqlo, every time I have tried them on they are just an unusual fit, it's like they werent sure who it was design to fit so they just made it awkward. Personally I dont mind the tshirts from Industrie, not the cheapest but sometimes they come up as 2 for $40 but you can normally get 2 for $50.

  • ferguson on 27/04/2025 - 07:44

    Connor - $15 each for either v-neck or crew.

    Buy 5-10 and rotate them every second year.

  • happyhammer on 27/04/2025 - 08:32

    Superdry t-shirts last the test of time and feel good a couple of years in. Generally on sale at DJ/myer

  • frewer on 27/04/2025 - 09:29

    oNE of its kind left https://www.bestandless.com.au/Categories/Men's-Clothing-&-S…

  • MessyG on 27/04/2025 - 09:48

    Check out the sleep t-shirts at Target (ie the plain colour ones that come with the PJ bottoms), they're often better quality and last longer. Bit limited in colour range but do the trick. Uniqlo are good too but you have to try them on to find the best one for you.
    Next (UK brand) do t-shirt packs for men now, the ones I've bought for my kids have always been good quality.

    https://www.next.com.au/en/style/st260486/c04288?gclsrc=aw.d…

  • BlahBlahBlaah on 27/04/2025 - 13:04

    Myer have a sale on now, shirts around half price for various brands: Blaq, Champion, Puma, Calvin Klein, YD. You can get decent items for $20 - $30 a piece.

  • tsk2 on 27/04/2025 - 22:47
    -2

    if you like black these are excellent value at $5.50 each imo https://gildanbrands.com.au/gildan-hammer-h400-t-shirt/

  • Kylel39 on 27/04/2025 - 23:44
    +1

    I'm surprised no one has mentioned Wayver Originals - apologies if someone already has.

    4 for $99 and my go-to for plain t-shirts. I think the fit is great and a solid selection of colours. I were them regularly and granted they do eventually lose there shape around the neck a little but for the price and quality I think they're great.

    https://wayver.com.au/

    • djkelly69 on 28/04/2025 - 10:59
      +1

      I have some of them as well and like the fit, etc, but IMHO not a huge difference to the Kmart, Target tees and obviously significantly higher cost.

  • Leeroy74 on 28/04/2025 - 10:18

    I can also recommend the Ktena Merino Skins stuff. Ive been using them for years. I just throw them into the wash with everything else and they come out just fine.
    They have the 230gsm merino and recently I noticed they added lightweight merino T-Shirts as well, 160 or 170gsm something like that. Here is a link I received on my facebook a couple of weeks ago
    https://ktena.com.au/lp/merino-skins-social-1/
    Like P1 says, they last for years.

  • smigglejiggle on 28/04/2025 - 11:13

    Still searching. I tried True Classic last year; they fit the best, but have not lasted a whole year. They are starting to ball up and fade. They have not strunk, which is good.

    I have also just bought Uniqlo; they seem to be fine, but the length is not great. I'm 6.2, and XL would be perfect if it were 2-3cm longer. Seems not to shrink either.

    Kmart longines are good for length, but they fade and become loose over a couple of months.

  • Sheppy on 28/04/2025 - 13:02

    LTT shirts. I just get their blanks. Super soft and last quite a while without fade.

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