Top 3 brands for organic T-shirts made in USA.
A lot of people buy American made for patriotic reasons and to support American jobs, but often forget the environmental benefits. And if you combine those with advantages of organic cotton, you get a t-shirt that’s pretty great for nature, as well as the economy.
Unfortunately, with green-washing and companies sometimes being liberal with the term ‘made in USA’, we wanted to find out what brands actually live up to the standards we expect them to. So join us on our deep dive into the world of organic cotton t-shirts made in the USA and what ended up being our favorite brands!
Why choose organic cotton t-shirts made in the USA?
In a world of cheap, imported tees that you can pick up at Walmart or Amazon for less than $10 a piece, choosing a t-shirt that’s both organic and made in the USA, is generally the more expensive option. So we wanted to see what you’re getting for your extra cash spent.
What are the benefits of organic cotton?
There are a lot of misconceptions circulating online when it comes to organic cotton. So many in fact, that we felt we had to write an in-depth review about the benefits and pitfalls of organic cotton, where we look at what its properties are, dispel some myths and even teach you how to see whether it’s authentic.
But to briefly summarize here: by far the biggest benefit of organic cotton, when compared to regular cotton, is the fact that it doesn’t use chemical pesticides or fertilizers, which reduces water and air pollution. It’s usually also grown under more sustainable water and soil management, resulting in less soil erosion and doesn’t use GMO’s. Organic cotton may also use less water than regular cotton and have a smaller carbon footprint, however this varies significantly from case to case.
This leads us into the one caveat we always make when talking about organic or sustainable products: not all organic cotton is created equal. Aspects like quality, water usage, working conditions, etc. differ from farm to farm. In addition, there are always three pitfalls to look out for:
- Depending on where the cotton is grown, the definition of ‘organic’ may be different.
- The cotton might not really be organic, just passed off as such to demand a higher price.
- Just because the cotton was grown organically doesn’t mean the rest of production process was environmentally friendly or free of harsh chemicals.
If you want to know how to avoid these, we recommend reading our review mentioned above. But lucky for you, we’ve already done the research for all the brands on this list!
Why buy American made?
There are plenty of patriotic and ethical reasons for buying American made; like supporting American jobs and communities, better working conditions, shorter and more robust supply chains, etc. When it comes to organic cotton t-shirts however, it comes with a number of additional benefits centered around sustainability. That’s mainly because the USA has stricter environmental laws compared to most other countries, especially those where organic cotton is usually grown or t-shirts are made.
For one thing, the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) heavily regulates what the requirements are for cotton to be called ‘organic’, so if organic cotton was grown in the USA, you can be sure it matches your expectations when it comes to environmental standards.
Secondly, and what is most often forgotten, are the steps in between harvesting the cotton and the t-shirt ending up in your closet. Every step, from ginning to sewing, and especially dyeing of the fabric (which can have truly horrific impact on local waterways) is subjected to regulations that aim to minimize both air and water pollution.
As a bonus, due to shorter supply chains and a cleaner energy mix, you often have a smaller carbon footprint as well!
Our top 3 favorite brands for organic t-shirts made in the USA.
We looked at a lot of brands that offer organic t-shirts made in the USA and came up with 3 brands that we think offer something for everyone. To make our decision, we looked 4 main factors:
- Price
- Quality and degree to which the t-shirts are made in USA
- Size and variety of the selection
- Shopping Experience including shipping and return policies
For each of our favorite brands we give you a full overview of each of these factors, so you can decide which one is right for you. Hopefully you find what you’re looking for!
1. SOS From Texas: Best value for money
Located in the small town of Samnorwood, SOS From Texas is owned and run by farmer Gary Oldham. This is the same farmer that grows the cotton used t-shirts! His farm has been in his family for over 100 years and has been certified organic since 1992.
Price
When it comes to value for money, SOS From Texas is by far the best option out there. You can pick up an American made organic t-shirt for less than $10 and even their more expensive tees are generally cheaper than the low end of almost all other brands at about $25.
Quality & Origin
At such a low price point, you would generally expect there to be some trade-offs, but when it comes to SOS From Texas, we haven’t been able to find one. Their t-shirts are 100% made in the USA, with the organic cotton grown in Texas (by the same people who run the brand!). The cotton is then shipped to the Carolinas, where it’s spun into yarn and finally knitted and sewn into the t-shirt. Any printing is done back in Texas. The tees are dyeing using low-impact dyes that are safe for both your skin, as well as the environment. They even sell natural t-shirts, without any dyeing whatsoever.
The t-shirts are made using a circular knitting process, in which the yarn is knitted directly into the main form of the t-shirt, rather than a roll of fabric which is then cut and sewn into the final shape. This doesn’t only require less fabric, but also makes for a stronger shirt without side seams. The weight of the fabric is generally between 4.8 oz and 5.75 oz/sq2 , which makes for a nice, medium-weight feel.
Size of Selection
While they don’t have a huge selection, SOS From Texas covers all the basics. They offer t-shirts for men, women and children in a reasonable large range of colors and sizes Small to 3XL depending on the model. However, if you’re looking for long sleeve options or different neck-lines you might find their selection a little limited.
They also have a range of printed tees with an especially large variety of Texas-related designs.
Shopping Experience, Shipping and Returns
If there is one downside to SOS From Texas it’s probably their website. We found it looks somewhat outdated and difficult to navigate or easily find what you’re looking for. Sometimes the product pages also lack proper images or some other details you might want to know about.
Shipping is calculated at checkout, but free on orders over $75. You can return items within 30 days, but if you’re returning for an exchange, you will have to pay $7.50 for return shipping, which is understandable due to the low costs of the t-shirts.
2. The Classic T-shirt Company: Best shopping experience
As you might guess from their name, The Classic T-shirt Company is a California-based company that’s to perfecting just one article of clothing: the t-shirt. And part of that vision is having them made in the USA, from soft organic cotton.
Price
The Classic T-shirt Company is definitely the most expensive option on this list. Expect to pay at least $64 for a short sleeve tee, about $72 for one with long sleeves and even $118 for french terry tees. So if you’re on a budget, they’re probably not the brand for you. But if you can afford it, they do have some features that we believe earn them a spot on this list.
Quality and Origin
Unlike the other brands on this list, The Classic T-shirt company doesn’t source their organic cotton from the USA, but from fair trade farms in India. This isn’t unusual as the USA produces a surprisingly small amount of organic cotton, making it hard to get. Because of that, and the fact that they’re GOTS certified (meaning the entire supply chain is certified by a third party to be environmentally and socially responsible), we’ll overlook the fact that the t-shirts aren’t 100% made in USA.
Other than the growing and spinning of the cotton, all the other steps in the production process take place in California. From the weaving and dyeing of the fabrics, to the cutting and sewing of the t-shirts. They use 5.7 oz/sq2 fabrics, which hits the perfect balance between a light- and heavy feel. And to make things easy, all t-shirts are pre-washed and pre-shrunk.
Size of Selection
Other than being American made, The Classic T-shirt company’s selection is one of the main reasons we like them. They give you exactly what their name implies: plain tees for both men and women in as many as 15 colors and sizes Small to 3XL, with short and long sleeves options, as well as several available neck-lines.
So while they don’t offer multicolored or printed tees, they focus on doing what they do well. All their t-shirts are made from organic cotton, made in USA and use the same fabrics.
Shopping Experience, Shipping and Returns
In our opinion, The Classic T-shirt Company gives the best shopping experience out of all American made organic t-shirt brands we’ve encountered. Not only does their website and images look great, but because they offer such a uniform and straightforward collection, it’s extremely easy to navigate and find exactly what you’re looking for. No having to double check product pages to see whether the t-shirt is actually made of organic cotton or having to scroll through pages to find the one shirt or color you liked.
Shipping is calculated at checkout, but free on orders over $150. Where they really shine is their return policy, they offer a whopping 100 days free returns and exchanges for unworn and unwashed items in the USA!
3. Spiritex: Most varied selection
Spiritex is a small fashion brand with its own physical store located in Asheville, North Carolina. They have been selling sustainable clothing and fabrics since 2003, with almost all manufacturing done close to home in North- and South Carolina.
Price
With their t-shirts generally between $28 and $50, Spiritex, while not quite as cheap as SOS From Texas, is still an affordable option. Especially because their t-shirts are 100% made in the USA, something most other organic brands with similar pricing can’t claim.
Quality and Origin
As mentioned above, Spiritex t-shirts are made 100% in the USA, with organic cotton grown in Texas. It’s then transported to the Carolinas, where all other processes, from the knitting and dyeing of the fabric to the sewing of the tees, take place.
Spiritex uses both light, as well as medium weight fabrics, so check the product pages for details if you have a preference. All T-shirts feature nicely finished seams and are colored with with non-toxic, low-impact dyes. Do keep in mind that they are not pre-shrunk, so expect about 5% shrinkage when first washing them.
Size of Selection
If you’re looking for something more than just a plain one-color tee, that’s also organic and American made, Spiritex is probably your best option. While The Classic T-shirt Company offers more colors for their standard tees; Spiritex offers has a wider variety of patterns, especially for women, as well as kids’ t-shirts and a large selection of graphic tees.
When it comes to sizes, most Spiritex t-shirts are available in sizes Small to XL, with men’s tees often offering bigger sizes as well and smaller sizes for women and kids.
Shopping Experience, Shipping and Returns
In terms of shopping experience, Spiritex is somewhat of a mixed bag. On one hand their online store is pleasing to the eye and very easy to use. On the other hand, they don’t offer free or international shipping. Similarly, when it comes to returns they only have a 14-day return policy and you will have to pay for return shipping (though if you exchange the item, they’ll cover the shipping for the new item).
Honorable mention: Harvest & Mill
While they didn’t quite make our top 3, we still wanted to give a special shout-out to Harvest & Mill, a California based brand that exclusively sells organic clothing.
Harvest & Mill is definitely on the more expensive side, with their cheapest t-shirts coming in at $48 and their most expensive options at $115. All their tees are 100% made in USA though, from the growing of the cotton to the final stitch. Even most of their dyes are American made from locally harvested materials.
Their selection is quite small, but does feature some nice soft colors and even some undyed options. The shopping experience is also quite pleasant, with a easy to use webshop, free shipping on orders over $150 and a 30-day return policy. As a nice bonus, they also offset all their carbon emissions through carbon credits.
So while their higher price-point, combined with their limited selection and the fact that their t-shirts are made from more light-weight fabrics, kept them out of our top 3, they might still be worth checking out if you value sustainability and a 100% American supply chain.
Other American made organic T-shirt brands.
If for some reason you didn’t quite find what you were looking for in the brands mentioned above, here’s a list of other companies that sell organic t-shirts made in the USA that didn’t make it onto our favorite list for a variety of reasons.
- US Blanks makes all their t-shirts in the USA, more specially California, from American made fabrics. They’re an affordable option with prices ranging from about $20 to $40. The reason they didn’t quite make it onto our list of favorites is because we don’t know the origin of their organic cotton, as well as the fact that a lot of their tees are made with other fabrics.
- Farm Fresh Clothing also makes organic cotton t-shirts in California. They’re reasonable priced at $20 to $35 a piece and offer some great options for women. Unfortunately we don’t know the origin of the raw cotton of fabrics they use. They use some other materials as well though, so do check the product description to be sure.
- Groceries Apparel has a somewhat limited options when it comes to men’s t-shirts, but does boast a wider selection of women’s tops made from organic cotton, hemp and ucalyptus/spandex blends. They’re slightly more expensive however, at $45 to $80, and we don’t know where their fabrics are sourced from.
- Orangeheat mainly makes kid’s tees, either from organic cotton or a tri-blend of polyester, cotton and rayon, with fun prints on them. The T-shirts are reasonable priced at about $30 and sewn in California, though we don’t know where the fabrics are woven or the cotton is grown.
- Earth Creations is small Alabama based brand that dyes a lot of their clothing using clays (for printing or colors they can’t otherwise achieve, they use low-impact dyes). Check their product pages carefully though, because a lot of their men’s t-shirts are made in Nicaragua instead of the USA and some are made from hemp instead of organic cotton.
- Mollusk sells a range of graphic tees, many with classic surfer-themed designs. However they also sell items that are not made made in the USA and/or not made from organic cotton. And unfortunately they don’t allow you to filter products either by material. So unless you’re really into surfer-themed apparel, there are probably better options out there.
Conlusion
I hope you’re now one step closer to finding the perfect American made, organic cotton t-shirt for you. We’ve tried to look at all aspects of each brand and give a nicely balanced list where anyone could find a brand that suited their wants and needs, with SOS From Texas as a fantastic overall option, The Classic T-shirt Company for those who value a smooth shopping experience and large selection, and Spiritex for those who want something with a little different in like special designs or prints.
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