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Tees & Henleys

The staple you wear most and think about least — which is exactly why the spec matters. This hub is the buying discipline for tees and henleys: read the GSM before the founder story, know whether the cotton is combed and ring-spun, check for side seams and a real placket, and divide the price by the years it will actually last. A great tee is a weight, a yarn, and a fit — not a graphic and a backstory.

Where to start

Comparisons

Glossary terms

GSM (Grams per Square Meter)
The fabric-weight number that separates a heavyweight tee from a throwaway one.
Ring-Spun vs Open-End
How the cotton yarn was spun — softer and stronger, or cheaper and coarser.
Combed Cotton
Cotton with the short fibers combed out — smoother, stronger, less pilling.
Supima / Pima Cotton
Extra-long-staple cotton — softer, more durable, and trademarked when American.
Jersey vs Interlock
Two knit structures — one lighter with a wrong side, one thicker and reversible.
Tubular vs Side-Seam
Whether the tee has side seams — shape retention vs cheaper construction.

Reader favorites

The short list — full rankings live on the rankings page.

  • Taylor Stitch — The Jack (Slub Cotton-Linen Shirt)

    4.5/5

    $138.00

    Check price

  • Thursday Boot Co. — Captain Boot

    4.5/5

    $199.00

    Check price

  • Fresh Clean Threads — Tuff Tee (Heavyweight)

    4.3/5

    $29.00

    Check price

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4.4/5 average across vetted picks

60 guides published

4 offers vetted

30 reader price checks