Low planet cost, but plastic on skin.
↳ Low planet cost, but synthetic — wear over a base layer.
Why this material grade?
This product scored 69/100 on the 7-axis material rubric, based on its composition of 60% Organic Cotton, 40% Recycled Polyester. Blended from 60% Organic Cotton, 40% Recycled Polyester — the score is a weighted average based on each material's proportion.
C (55-69): Average material composition — typical blend, reasonable for everyday wear.
Average quality, high synthetic content
Decent for everyday wear, but the synthetic content means microplastic shedding and it won't biodegrade. Consider natural alternatives for your next purchase.
Breakdown
Composition
60% Organic Cotton, 40% Recycled Polyester
Blend — recycled synthetic + natural
Every wash of synthetic fabric releases up to 700,000 microplastic fibers into waterways. Use a Guppyfriend bag to catch them.
This fabric will take 200+ years to decompose. That means a shirt you buy today will still exist in the year 2226.
Synthetic fabrics can contain BPA, which mimics estrogen. Studies have found BPA transferring to skin through sweat contact.
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Cost per wear
rough estimateStrong cost-per-wear
How we got there
Base for Shirts: 100 expected wears.
× 1.00 for Organic Cotton (mid-durability fiber, durability 69).
= 100 expected wears. $35 ÷ 100 ≈ 35¢/wear.
Missing GSM — this is a category-level estimate, not garment-specific. Expect ±30% variance.
Real life is messier than a formula: how often you wash, how you wash, whether you wear it inside-out, dry on low — all of it shifts the number. This is the ceiling under reasonable care.
Care Guide
Decode symbols →Wash
warm (40°C)
Bleach
Do not bleach
Dry
tumble low
Iron
low
Dry Clean
avoid
Best For
Good comfort (66) and care ease (81) for casual wear
Good durability (69) and comfort (66) for office wear
Good durability (69) and breathability (63) for outdoor activities
Good sustainability score (71)
Better Alternatives
Higher-rated shirts products — each card shows how much better this alt scores vs your current product.
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100% Merino Wool
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Icebreaker
Women's Merino 150 Tech Lite Short Sleeve Relaxed V Neck Tee
100% Merino Wool
Tradeoffs
Health Impact
Microplastic shedding · skin-contact synthetic load · likely chemical treatments
Moderate health impact — some synthetic content or possible chemical treatments. Rotate with natural-fiber alternatives where you can.
600,000 fibers/wash
40% synthetic
Formaldehyde
- Formaldehyde (possible): Cotton-dominant dress shirts are commonly treated with formaldehyde resin for wrinkle resistance ("non-iron" / "wrinkle-free").
Biodegradability
Not BiodegradableMaterials will persist in the environment for decades.
Health & environmental impact →Label Confidence
LOWLabel confidence low — multiple signals suggest the composition may be incomplete, vague, or hard to verify. Treat scores as directional.
- ⚠Organic cotton claim without explicit certification (GOTS, OCS). Check brand's certification disclosures separately.
- ⚠Recycled-fiber claim without explicit certification (GRS, RCS). Chain-of-custody for recycled materials is hard to verify without one.
What this score doesn't measure
- ×Fiber grade. Staple length, micronaire, strength. "100% cotton" could be short-staple upland or long-staple Pima — same label, very different fabric.
- ×Yarn processing. Singles count, ply (single vs two-ply), spinning method (open-end vs ring-spun vs compact), mercerization. Invisible from any label.
- ×Knit / weave structure. Single jersey vs interlock, knit tightness. A loose knit pills; a tight knit lasts.
- ×Fabric weight (GSM). One construction signal among several — and high GSM can come from loose cheap yarn just as easily as from fine tight yarn. We have it for blank manufacturers, rarely for retail.
- ×Pre-shrink processing. Sanforized cotton shrinks ~1%; non-sanforized can shrink up to 10%. Not visible from the composition tag.
- ×Construction quality. Stitch density (SPI), seam types, collar geometry, manufacturing tolerances (AQL). These often matter more than the fiber itself.
- ×Specific chemical loads. Health Impact flags "likely PFAS / possible formaldehyde" from composition × category — we don't lab-test individual SKUs.
We rate the fabric, not the garment. Composition is the floor of what you're guaranteed to be getting — most shoppers don't have that.
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