WRAP and Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour find no correlation between price and durability in a major study of t-shirts.
The new academic study by the University of Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) with global environmental action NGO WRAP has concluded that a higher price doesn’t guarantee that a t-shirt will be more durable.
The LITAC team tested the durability of 47 t-shirts – 24 male, 23 female designs – from UK clothing brands, including luxury items.
Testing included physical properties and washing using a standard mixed 30°C wash cycle, followed by a tumble dry 50 times.
If circularity in fashion is to be truly effective, durability must come first.
The t-shirts were graded for pilling – when small balls form on the surface of an item – as well as colour fading, shrinkage and general appearance.
Of the top ten best performing t-shirts, six cost less than £15, outperforming many more expensive tees, including the most expensive costing £395. The most expensive t-shirt tested was outperformed by one a 30th of its price.
The research found that more hard-wearing t-shirts tended to have a percentage of synthetic fibres in their composition, including polyester, polyamide, and elastane.
Cotton t-shirts tended to have higher shrinkage than synthetic ones, which WRAP says can be exacerbated with tumble drying. However, four of the ten top garments were 100% cotton.
LITAC’s Dr Eleanor Scott said the findings show that durability is achievable at any price point.
“If circularity in fashion is to be truly effective, durability must come first,” Dr Scott said. “Durability underpins the reuse and resale market, as well as keeping our loved items in use longer.”
To ensure your t-shirt is as durable as possible, the report recommends:
- Heavier-weight cotton t-shirts tend to perform better than lightweight ones.
- T-shirts with a blend of cotton and synthetic fibres perform well.
- Don’t rely on price to indicate how hard-wearing a t-shirt is.
Commenting on the report, Mark Sumner, WRAP’s Programme Lead on Textiles, said: “Most shoppers use price as an indicator of how hard-wearing clothes are, ‘the more I spend, the more I’m bound to get out of my purchase’.
“But our study shows this is totally misleading. The most expensive t-shirt we tested cost £395 and ranked 28th out of 47, while a £4 t-shirt was placed 15th.
“The most durable t-shirt cost £28, but the one ranked second worst was £29! So, if you’re judging on price alone – buyer beware.”