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There are plenty of things that you only need one of. Microwaves? Yes. Plain white T-shirts on the other hand, are something well worth buying in bulk. They're the foundation of any great wardrobe, and one of the few staples you can get away with wearing pretty much every day without catching some serious side-eye. So unless you're, like, very into doing laundry, you probably want to have several of 'em your drawer.
While we love an artisanal, small-batch T-shirt, buying them is an easy way run up a fat credit card bill. Thankfully, the market for affordable tees is a hotbed of competition, which means that there are some damn good options for well under $20. But*…*.that same friendly competition also means there's way too many options for one person to sort through. So we did it for you.
Below you'll find the results of our efforts, a comprehensive, no-BS breakdown of the absolute best plain white T-shirts for your buck. We're talking slim-fit tees, beefy tees, Platonic-ideal pocket tees, tees for working out, and even the tees we dig most for screenprinting, so you can you finally get that fledgling streetwear brand off the ground. Whatever your tee preference, we've got you.
The Best Bulk-Buy White Tees Shopping Guide
- The Best Overall White T-Shirt: Kirkland Signature crewneck T-shirt (6-pack), $34
- The Best Upgrade White T-shirt: Lady White Co. “Our T-shirt” (2-pack), $99
- The Best Boxy White T-shirt: Uniqlo U crewneck T-shirt, $20
- Best Slim White T-Shirt: Calvin Klein slim fit cotton crewneck T-shirt, $46
- Best Heavyweight White T-shirt: Pro Club heavyweight cotton T-shirt (3-pack), $30
- Best Performance-Oriented White T-shirt: Uniqlo AIRism crewneck T-shirt, $15
- Best Pocket White T-shirt: Gap 100% organic cotton pocket T-shirt, $20
- Best White T-shirt for Screenprinting: Gildan G20000 ultra cotton T-shirt, $9
The Best White T-Shirt to Buy in Bulk
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Kirkland Signature's multi-pack is how you get the most bang for your T-shirt buck. Their thick, peachy-soft fabric is made from 100 percent ring-spun cotton, and like some of the more expensive tees on this list, the straight, slightly boxy silhouette comes without fussy side seams.
The Best Upgrade White T-Shirt
The short list of great affordable T-shirts is rife with competition. So if you've reached the cheap tee ceiling and are eager to crash straight through it, you'll probably have to cough up a few more dollars. Luckily, if you're ready to upgrade, there ain't much reason in upping your budget by five or ten bucks; tees start to get noticeably better in the $40-range. For our money, you couldn't do much better than Lady White Co.'s flagship “Our T-shirt” two-pack. Individually, these bad boys would cost you $60, but Lady White Co. sells ‘em in pairs for a mere $100, saving you a modest sum of scratch. They're made in Los Angeles using cotton from North Carolina and are cut with tubular construction, substantial bound collars, and a trim-but-not-too-trim silhouette.
The Best Boxy White T-Shirt
Uniqlo's main line is great if you're on the hunt for a quality everyday tee, but if you're looking for an option with a little more flavor, Christophe Lemaire's take is for you. It still sticks the landing in terms of affordability (it's Uniqlo, after all), but the sleeves are longer, the chest is wider, and the vibes are significantly vibier. The fabric is a bit dryer and not as soft as other options here, but it's far from uncomfortable. Remember: silhouette should take priority, and a pitch-perfect fit trumps almost every shortcoming.
The Best Slim White T-Shirt
Calvin Klein knows how to make underwear, that's for sure. And whether you wear ‘em as undershirts or as, uh, overshirts (?), these slim tees are a good option for buying in bulk. They’re made of peachy-soft cotton and cut with a slim-not-tight silhouette with high armholes and a length that's perfect for tucking into your trousers.
The Best Heavyweight White T-shirt
Pro Club may not be a brand you've heard of, much less seen in your local big-box store, but rest assured: your fashionhead friends know all about it. Its tees are certified beefy and only get thicker (and softer) the more you wash 'em.
The Best White Pocket T-Shirt
When you're in need of a hoodie or a pair of socks, Gap's slate of basics are solid all-around. But if you find yourself meandering the mall or the website, the brand's pocket tees are what you really want. They've got a classic fit that works well for most people and stays relevant through the trend cycles. Plus, they're made of organic cotton with no fancy synthetics and the pocket is perfectly shaped—whether or not you actually use it.
The Best Performance-Oriented White T-Shirt
Uniqlo has the extreme seasons on lock, with both its Heattech pieces for winter and the company's Airism technology for the summer. You can easily toss this on as an undershirt —in fact, we'd recommend it, since this poly-spandex-blend crewneck is cool to the touch, wicks away moisture, and defends against dank odors. But the Airism tee can hang on its own, too, because it lacks the glossy sheen of other synthetic counterparts.
The Best White T-Shirt for Screenprinting
If you're looking to jumpstart your streetwear brand, you'll need a graphic tee—and you'll probably want to print that graphic on a Gildan. Gildan's been providing the canvases for some of the industry's splashiest T-shirts for decades, including many a Supreme option (with a Frank Ocean name check, to boot). Who knows? In a couple of years from now we might be name-checking your label, too.
