The clothing industry is riddled with low quality t-shirts made overseas and it can be really tough to find great brands that are making great tees 100% in the USA. That’s why we did the research to uncover those great t-shirt brands for you. Below are our findings, along with a ton of details about each of our top picks and all the criteria that went into our research.
Our Findings
Overall, we really like 9 t-shirt brands in particular that are made in the USA. Each of them are great for different reasons and of course everyone has different tastes, so we broke out our top picks into several categories ranging from plain varieties to activewear. If you know of any other great American made t-shirt companies that we should check out, don’t hesitate to shoot us a message. Ready? Let’s dive into our top picks.
Top Recommendations
| Best T-Shirts | Best for: |
| The Classic T-Shirt Company | Plain |
| Authentically American Sweat Tees | Workout |
| Freedom Fatigues | Patriotic Designs |
| FORLOH Tees | Outdoorsmen |
| Buck Mason | Long Sleeve |
| Goodwear | Heavy Duty |
| American Trench | Thermal |
| All American Clothing Co. | Affordable |
| American Giant | Style Variety |
Recommendations: Going Deeper
Below, we go into all the details for each of our top picks, including what we liked and didn’t like about each one.
Best Plain T-Shirts
The Classic T-Shirt Company
The tees from the Classic T-Shirt Company are so soft. I wore one for the first time and felt like I was being wrapped in a big ole hug. They describe themselves as a luxury cotton shirt and it sure feels that way. They are made in California from 100% organic cotton, are pre-shrunk, and GOTS certified. If you need some plain t-shirts for everyday wear, it’s hard to go wrong with the Classic T-Shirt Company. They have a bunch of different colors and styles for both men and women. I like their basic short sleeve crew neck for men (pictured here) and the v-neck for women (also pictured here). The fit was pretty good too, not too baggy and enough length that it doesn’t rise up when you raise your arms up.
Things we like:
- 100% cotton
- Pre-shrunk
- Super soft
- Organic
- 1% of all sales donated to charity
Things we don’t like:
- Slightly expensive
Best Workout T-Shirts
Authentically American Sweat Tees
Authentically American is one of our favorite clothing brands made in the USA (check out our recent interview with them). Their sweat tees are great for working out and have a pretty cool feature – part of the design shows when you sweat and is hidden when it’s dry! I have the “American Strong” one (pictured here) and wear it often. It just says “Strong” when the shirt is dry and, as you can see, changes to “American Strong” after it gets wet. Pretty cool. I found the fit on these t-shirts to be more of an “athletic” fit, snug but comfortable. It is also very soft and shouldn’t chafe when you’re moving around a lot.
You can also use our exclusive coupon code SPOTLIGHT to get 25% off your entire order!
Things we like:
- Cool design
- Athletic fit
- 60% cotton, 40% polyester
Things we don’t like:
- None
Best Patriotic T-Shirts
Freedom Fatigues
We recently discovered Freedom Fatigues and really like their variety of patriotic t-shirt prints. Pictured here is their “Join or Die” style, and they also have a lot of other screenprinted shirts and tank tops for men and women, some more playful than others. Most of the shirts have an American flag on the sleeve and some feature their “FF” Freedom Fatigues logo, which I liked if you’re looking for a simpler, but still patriotic design. A lot of these t-shirts are also a tri-blend shirt, which are super comfortable. Freedom Fatigues has both short sleeve and long sleeve options and also makes a bunch of other clothing in the USA, so be sure to check them out.
Be sure to use our exclusive discount code ALLAMERICAN15 to get 15% off all regularly priced items.
Things we like:
- Style and design variety
- Good fit
- Comfortable tri-blend material
- Styles for men and women
Things we don’t like:
- None
Best T-Shirts for Outdoorsmen
FORLOH Tees
If you’re an outdoorsmen, FORLOH is one of the best hunting apparel companies out there that is making all of their clothing right here in the USA. They really care about American manufacturing and sourcing all of their materials locally. FORLOH makes t-shirts for both men and women that are great at wicking moisture and come in a ton of different designs. Their basic t-shirts (shown here) are made from 50% recycled polyester fiber, 25% rayon, and 25% cotton. Although it is not 100% cotton, these shirts are still super soft and comfortable. FORLOH also makes a lot of dry-fit activewear shirts like base layers for cold weather hunts, long sleeve half-zips, and more.
Things we like:
- Very comfortable
- Lots of styles to choose from
- Great for hunting and spending time outdoors
- Good size variety
Things we don’t like:
- Have to pay for shipping if you’re order is under $99
Best Long Sleeve T-Shirts
Buck Mason
If you’re looking for a clean and comfortable long sleeve tee for your dresser drawer, it’s hard to beat Buck Mason. We really like their Long Sleeve Slub Curved Hem Tee (pictured here) in particular. The cotton is super soft, high quality stitching, and it has their signature curved hem at the bottom. These long sleeve t-shirts are also pre-shrunk, so you don’t have to worry about getting one size up. I found it to be an “athletic” fit (not snug, but also not relaxed), so if you want a looser shirt I would recommend buying one size up. We also found these shirts to be super breathable. Buck Mason also produces great baseball tees, short sleeve tees, and other clothing made in the USA, so be sure to check out their full lineup here as well.
Things we like:
- Clean design
- Super soft cotton
- Pre-shrunk
- Cool curved hem
Things we don’t like:
- Only a few color options
Best Heavy Duty T-Shirts
Goodwear
Goodwear got started in 1983 and is making some really durable, heavy weight t-shirts. So, if you want a t-shirt that can go through some bumps and bruises, Goodwear is a great choice. All of their cotton t-shirts are made with U.S. grown cotton and their entire manufacturing footprint is within 500 miles of where the cotton is grown. They have everything from your basic pocket tees to henleys and long sleeve shirts, so if you’re looking for a more durable material, check out Goodwear.
Things we like:
- Very durable
- Lots of colors to choose from
- Good fit and very comfortable
Things we don’t like:
- Free shipping only available for orders over $100
Best Thermal T-Shirts
American Trench
American Trench has a really soft and comfortable cotton thermal tee that is great for the colder months. This thermal tee is made in Pennsylvania from a max-weight 100% cotton thermal jersey – so, basically, the warm base layer you can throw on under a big jacket during the fall or winter. This shirt does shrink a little bit after the first wash, so I would recommend buying a size up if you’re in between two sizes. American Trench also has some other great clothing made in the USA, although not everything in their online store is made here. We found henleys, hoodies, tees, and socks that are all made in the USA (verified with their team), so just be sure to check the product details before you buy.
Things we like:
- Very warm
- Comfortable
- Ribbed collar and cuffs
- Easy to use size chart
Things we don’t like:
- Not pre-shrunk
Best Affordable T-Shirts
All American Clothing Co.
If you’re looking for some affordable, no frills t-shirts, All American Clothing Co. is a great option. They got started in 2002, are based in Ohio, and the styles and sizes they have available for men and women is pretty vast. They have close to 40 different t-shirt styles available and the more basic options have about 14 different colors to choose from. So, you have a lot of options to choose from and should be able to find something you like, plus the price point is really hard to beat.
Things we like:
- Affordable price
- Lots of options
- Good customer service
Things we don’t like:
- Free shipping only on larger orders
Best T-Shirts for Style Variety
American Giant
American Giant is based in California and has great lightweight and heavyweight cotton t-shirts in a variety of colors and the classic crew neck or v-neck style. Most of their cotton comes from the Carolinas and is finished off in their California facilities. They are a little pricier than something like All American Clothing Co., but great style and quality. Let me tell you – these t-shirts are soft. I couldn’t believe how cozy they were when I tried one on for the first time. Their women’s airy supima tee is pictured here which is just one of the many styles that American Giant offers.
Things we like:
- Soft
- Lots of style and color options
- Durable
- Great fit
Things we don’t like:
- A little pricier
Recap: Best T-Shirts Made in the USA
- The Classic T-Shirt Company – Plain
- Authentically American Sweat Tees – Workout
- Freedom Fatigues – Patriotic Designs
- FORLOH Tees – Outdoorsmen
- Buck Mason – Long Sleeve
- Goodwear – Heavy Duty
- American Trench – Thermal
- All American Clothing Co. – Affordable
- American Giant – Style Variety
YouTube Video: How to Find T-Shirts Made in the USA
Factors We Considered
Materials
When it comes to t-shirts, it is tough to beat 100% cotton. We looked for brands that are using organic cotton that is GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified. We also considered some options that have polyester blends, which like I mentioned above, allow the shirt to stretch a bit more and adds durability. There are a lot of other materials used in t-shirts of the athletic variety, so for more info on that, head over to our workout clothes made in the USA research.
Comfort
Probably most importantly, we looked at comfort. Because why would you buy a t-shirt that isn’t comfortable? We tested each of the brands ourselves, looked at customer reviews, and rated how comfortable each one is for both men and women.
Style Variety
Everyone has different tastes, which is why style variety was at the front of our minds as well. We tried to choose t-shirts that ranged from plain colors to workout gear and everything in between. So, whether you’re just looking for something to wear around the house or out with your friends, you should be able to find a t-shirt that fits your style.
Fit
Speaking of fit, we looked at how each t-shirt fit for a several body types of men and women. The last thing you want is a baggy t-shirt or a tee that is wayyy too tight. We eliminated several brands where we felt like the fit was weird or misleading. For any brands we featured above that simply ran a little big or small, we made sure to note that.
Charitable Giving
Last, but certainly not least, we wanted to include a social impact aspect to our criteria. Many of the brands we featured give back to their communities, whether it is in their local area, our military veterans, or other groups in need.
