9 Organic Cotton T-Shirts That Are V (Neck) Good For The Planet
Organic cotton t-shirts are eco-essentials for any sustainable fashionista.
Arguably the next best thing to our birthday suit, they’re soft and breathable with a minimal—and in some cases positive—impact on our planet.
While they may be basic, there’s nothing basic about saving the planet. So where can you find the best organic cotton t-shirts?
Roll up your sleeves and let’s find out.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through a brand link below. Learn more here.
The Cotton-Picking Best Organic Cotton Tees
Colorful Standard offers 100% organic cotton tees in dozens of unique colors to complement any outfit.
Pact (AKA Earth’s Favorite Clothing brand) scores an A plus by using organic cotton, Fair Trade factories, and carbon offsets—making them a Net Zero company.
For more about what it means to achieve sustainabiliTEE, head to the (shirt) tail of the article.
The Full List Of Organic T-Shirts We Love
1. Colorful Standard
About Colorful Standard
Colorful Standard is holding the apparel industry to a higher standard with its vertically integrated supply chain, long-lasting clothes, inclusive styles, and climate-positive production.
In addition to eco-friendly hoodies, ethical sweaters, crew necks, sweatpants, and accessories, they’re filling dresser drawers with unisex, men’s, and women’s organic t shirts.
These are available in long-sleeve and short-sleeve styles and any color under the sun—well, 58 of them!
Colorful Standard’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Colorful Standard’s 100% organic cotton t-shirts are PETA-approved vegan and made with GOTS certified organic cotton and OEKO-TEX-certified sustainable dyes.
The durable, anti-pilling 180g fabric is pre-washed to minimize shrinking and extend wear.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Ensuring “fair, organic, and uncomplicated” working conditions, everything is made in the brand’s own manufacturing center (RTG Textiles) in Portugal.
RTG is committed to transparency and ensures fair trade conditions in accordance with European Labor Laws.
Employees benefit from comfy break areas, shared cars, and other perks.
Green business practices:
By carefully measuring, cutting, and dying fabrics according to demand, Colorful Standard produces little waste.
Small amounts of unavoidable fabric waste are put to good re-use as furniture filling.
To minimize their carbon footprint, everything is shipped directly from the warehouse using recycled materials, like plastic and FSC-certified paper.
Inclusivity:
With simple styles and cuts, most of their collection acts as gender-neutral clothing. The “men’s” and “women’s” sections are mostly for sizing familiarity.
You’ll find XS to XL in women’s styles and XS to 2XL in men’s.
Community & charitable giving:
Colorful Standard devotes its charitable energies to its own football club and recreation center called FC Masi Manimba for children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The brand started it by collecting the equipment and building the space and continues to sustains its operations by donating 5% of proceeds.
Available: Colorful Standard
2. Pact
About Pact
As the maker of “Earth’s Favorite Clothing,” Colorado-based brand Pact is the place to go for all things organic.
Whether you’re looking for sustainable men’s clothing, women’s clothing, or ethical kids’ clothing, you’ll find plenty of stylish options including hoodies, dresses, skirts, maternity clothing, outerwear, sleepwear, and much more.
Their fair trade organic cotton t-shirts are available in all styles (short sleeve, long sleeve, v-neck, crew neck, etc.) and for the whole family.
They have some super cute kids’ graphic tees and they’re one of the few brands to offer organic baby shirts.
Pact’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Some Pact tees are 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton while others are an 80/20 organic cotton and hemp fabric blend.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Pact partners with an organic cotton farm and Fair Trade-certified factories in India.
This helps keep the supply chain local and leaves a positive imPACT in an area of the world often associated with exploitation and sweatshops.
Workers are supported with safe working conditions and fair trade pay.
Green business practices:
Pact uses energy and water-saving manufacturing methods, carbon offsets shipping, and uses recyclable and compostable packaging.
Through a partnership with SimpliZero, they’re a Net Zero Carbon company.
Inclusivity:
Pact embraces inclusivi-tee with a women’s size range from XS-2X and S-2X for men.
Community & charitable giving:
Through Pact’s Give Back. Wear Forward program, you can rehome gently used clothing by sending it back in the box your order came in. They’ll distribute it to charities in need.
Available: Pact
3. MATE the Label
About MATE the Label
MATE the Label is a sustainable fashion friend with a range that’s “clean from seed to skin.”
Between bike shorts, sustainable jumpsuits, sustainable loungewear, and 100% organic t-shirts, they take care of all of your eco-essentials.
Their Organic Cotton Classic Tee comes in 12 different colors. With its relaxed fit, it’s sure to be a wardrobe staple for years to come.
MATE the Label’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
MATE’s certified organic cotton tees for women are made with nothing but, right down to organic cotton trims.
The organic cotton jersey is 110 gsm (read: lightweight and breathable) and dyed with low-impact dyes that are free of 49 harmful chemicals.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Every shirt starts out as cotton grown in Maharashtra, India.
It’s then knitted and dyed in the US, eventually ending up in Los Angeles where it’s garment-dyed—within a 17-mile radius from MATE’s HQ.
The factories aren’t certified but do meet fair trade criteria.
Green business practices:
Compared with conventional cotton, MATE’s organic version uses 87% less water and emits 45% fewer greenhouse gasses. It also protects some of the one million workers who end up in hospital because of pesticide poisoning.
The brand helped to form the California Cotton and Climate Coalition to encourage more California-grown cotton and the use of regenerative farming techniques.
Send back your old MATE garments via the brand’s reMATE program, and they’ll be chopped, shredded, and re-spun into new yarn that goes into a recycled product line. You’ll receive store credit to put toward some new organic tees.
Inclusivity:
General sizing is XS-3X and their Extended Collection runs from size 1X-3X.
Community & charitable giving:
MATE is a member of 1% For the Planet—but you choose the nonprofit that receives 1% of your purchase at checkout.
They partner with Beam, a female-founded social-impact tech company, to ensure their donations make the biggest impact.
Available: MATE the Label
4. The Classic T-Shirt Company
About The Classic T-Shirt Company
What do you get when you combine experts from the technology and fashion industries who are about to have a baby (and want her to grow up in an eco-friendly and ethical world)?
Makers of some of the most sustainable t shirts, of course!
The Classic T-Shirt Company combines luxury, quality, and integrity to produce organic cotton t-shirts made in the USA.
Their short-sleeve, long-sleeve, V-neck, and crew-neck styles are available for both men and women and in over a dozen colors.
The Classic T-Shirt Company’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Classic T-Shirt Company uses 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton for all of its products combined with an eco-friendly dyestuff that’s free of harmful chemicals.
The ring-spun cotton is durable and pre-shrunk, so it won’t fade or lose shape after washing.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The brand sources from GOTS-certified organic cotton farms in India.
After domestic milling, the garments are manufactured in a vertically integrated factory in Los Angeles that ensures excellent working conditions, reasonable hours, living wages, and other fair trade standards.
Green business practices:
Instead of seasonal sales that encourage a fast fashion mindset, the brand focuses on creating high-quality, durable garments that will last for years to come.
Sustainable t-shirts come shipped in recycled and plastic-free, sustainable materials.
Inclusivity:
Women’s (“boyfriend fit”) sizes run from XS to XXL and men’s from XS to XXXL.
Community & charitable giving:
The brand pledges 1% of its profits to charities like The Ocean Cleanup, Armenia Tree Project, and Water For People.
Available: The Classic T-Shirt Company
5. Toad&Co
About Toad&Co
Woman-founded brand Toad&Co is in the business of sustainable outdoor clothing.
Their adventure-ready product range includes men’s and women’s sustainable jackets, sweaters, shorts, pants, insulating layers, hemp clothing, and ethical underwear.
They also have an impressive selection of men’s and women’s organic cotton t shirts.
If you’re looking for some suitcase staples for your next zero waste travel adventure, have a look at their Primo Long Sleeve Crew or their Foothill Pointelle Long Sleeve Crew for colder climes.
Toad&Co’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
For their women’s and men’s organic t-shirts, organic cotton is often blended with other sustainable materials like TENCEL lyocell, hemp, recycled materials, or a tiny bit of elastane for a comfy, moisture-wicking fit.
Toad&Co has a long list of eco-friendly fabrics and an equally long list of restricted substances.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The brand sources its certified organic cotton in Turkey, where it’s also spun, dyed, knitted, and sewed.
All manufacturing partners adhere to their strict Code of Conduct and provide safe and fair trade conditions.
For some garments, they partner with Planet Access Company and use a Californian factory that offers employment opportunities to disabled adults.
Green business practices:
Their manufacturing partners use some renewable energy and the brand itself purchases Renewable Energy Credits to offset the emissions of its headquarters.
By 2050, Toad&Co plans to add net-zero emissions to their sustainable practices.
Toad&Co’s Joy Backed Guarantee provides repairs/replacements if your purchase doesn’t bring you joy (or compliments within three wears).
Through a partnership with thredUP, their Clean Out Kits help clothing stay in circulation for longer. Fill it with gently-loved clothes (from any brand) and receive a Toad&Co credit in return.
They also partner with The Renewal Workshop, where they send textile scraps and unsold garments to be transformed into new garments.
Inclusivity:
The brand offers organic tees in sizes XS-XL for women and S-XXL for men.
Community & charitable giving:
Toad&Co is a member of 1% For the Planet.
They co-founded the Planet Access Company, which offers training and employment to adults with disabilities, and the Search for Adventure program which offers disabled adults travel adventure and outdoor activities.
Available: Toad&Co
6. The Good Tee
About The Good Tee
Certified B Corp The Good Tee began after founder Adila Corker learned about the heart-breaking number of suicides among Indian farmers.
Adila set out to better support farmers by purchasing fair trade organic cotton and has written a book about her efforts.
The responsibly sourced cotton is turned into dresses, bottoms, tanks, tees, tunics, scarves, and more.
From organic cotton plain t shirts to baseball tees and slouchy pocket tees, you’ll find plenty of kid’s, men’s, women’s, and unisex styles.
Versatile classics like their Fair Boxy Pocket T-shirt and The Fave & Fair Unisex Tee are sure to become minimalist wardrobe favorites.
The Good Tee’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Each biodegradable tee is made from fair trade and GOTS certified organic cotton using AZO-free and low-impact dyes.
A good tee, indeed!
You can also order a herb-based natural dye kit to create your own “sustainable works of art.” A fun eco-friendly gift perhaps?
Supply chain & labor practices:
From seed to shelf, this brand puts the T (shirt) in transparency. With their in-development supply chain map, you can trace everything back to specific farms, mills, and factories.
They only work with manufacturing partners who are socially and environmentally responsible as per their code of ethics.
They also partner with Fairtrade Canada to support farmers and workers with living wages and a community development fund.
Green business practices:
You’ll receive your eco-friendly t shirt in a biodegradable bag and recycled/recyclable box.
Inclusivity:
For adults, sizes XS-XL (slim and relaxed fits) are available.
They also offer toddler and youth tees (2T, 4T, 6T, S, M, L).
Community & charitable giving:
The Good Tee supports local social projects in their worker communities including an orphanage and care home in South India.
Available: The Good Tee
7. Rapanui
About Rapanui
UK brand Rapanui is working to redesign the clothing industry for a circular future.
Every product they make is designed to be sent back to them when it wears out and the fabric is recycled into new garments.
You’ll find jumpers, hoodies, jackets, a huge selection of organic cotton printed t-shirts, and other essentials made from their recycled Remill material.
Rapanui’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Rapanui’s main material is certified organic cotton while the Remill line of sustainable t-shirts offers a 50:50 blend of new and recycled.
The organic cotton printed t shirts are OEKO-TEX certified.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Rapanui’s virgin organic cotton is sustainably grown in the North of India (read: where the thirsty crop naturally gets all the water it needs thanks to monsoons).
To cut down on waste and overproduction, the custom organic cotton t-shirts are printed seconds after being ordered in an Isle of Wight factory (helloooo, organic cotton t-shirts made in the UK).
Green business practices:
95% of the water used in the dyehouse is recovered, cleaned, and recirculated—leaving it literally clean enough to drink.
Not only does Rapanui recapture and transform your old garments into their recycled clothing range, but they pay postage and give you a coupon for participating.
Both their UK and Indian factories are powered by renewable energy and Rapanui is certified net carbon neutral.
Inclusivity:
Women’s sizes are UK 8-18 (S-3XL) and men’s, from XS-XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
Rapanui developed their own sustainable dropshipping technology—Teemill—that they freely share with other small businesses.
The technology has led to collaborations with several environmentally-minded organizations like WWF, BBC Earth, and Sea Shepherd.
Available: Rapanui
8. Harvest & Mill
About Harvest & Mill
Harvest & Mill is on a mission to provide locally sewn and grown clothing.
Ironically, the US is the biggest exporter of cotton in the world—which makes no sense considering that just 2% of clothing purchased in the US is made there.
Harvest & Mill is working to change this through their USA-made organic clothes that include sustainable basics, shirts, sustainable joggers, and socks.
When you shop their men’s and women’s naturally dyed organic cotton t-shirts (including crew, raglan, and long sleeve), you’re helping to up the demand for local manufacturing.
Harvest & Mill’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All Harvest & Mill garments are 100% organic cotton and PETA-approved vegan.
Their black fabric dye is low-impact and non-reactive (read: protects water and soil and adheres to EPA discharge laws).
They also leave some products undyed because organic heirloom cotton is beautiful already in its natural brown, red, and green colors. The natural dyes they do use come from dye artists and farmers in California and Indiana.
All of their organic cotton tees are 100% compostable at the end of their life, in other words this right here is compostable clothing.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The USA-grown organic cotton is processed in American heritage mills, before being finished at one of three domestic facilities all within 15 miles of Harvest & Mill’s Berkeley studio.
Because they don’t work with any fabric wholesalers, brokers, or offshore manufacturers, they’re able to have full traceability.
Abiding by strict local labor laws, employees are paid fair trade wages and benefit from satisfying and creative workspaces.
Green business practices:
Harvest & Mill is a proud member of Fibershed and is working to go beyond organic by re-building soil health.
They produce 70% less GHG emissions than other sustainable clothing brands and all of the emissions they do produce are offset.
Excess fabric and cutoffs are repurposed or recycled and their sustainable materials for packaging are 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and made in the USA.
Inclusivity:
Sizes go from XS-XL in women and S-XL in men.
Available: Harvest & Mill
9. United by Blue
About United By Blue
Certified B Corp brand United By Blue is an eco-outdoor brand offering adventure-ready apparel and accessories.
Not only are their sustainable bike shorts, sustainable rain jackets, hats, outerwear, activewear, loungewear, and shoes perfect for your coastal hiking trip, but they’ll help to protect it, too.
For every product—including their organic cotton t shirts for men, women, and all genders—a pound of trash is removed from oceans and waterways.
United By Blue’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
It’s easy to find organic tees made with nothing but GOTS-certified organic cotton.
In some cases, it’ll be blended with other eco-friendly fabrics like hemp, recycled polyester, or modal.
Supply chain & labor practices:
United by Blue lists each of its factory locations.
All organic cotton clothing is either made in Izmir, Turkey, or Qingdao, China, in factories backed up by memberships/certifications like GOTS, Organic Content Standard (OCS), and/or Fair Wear.
Green business practices:
UBB has already removed 4,343,398 pounds of trash from the environment.
They prioritize natural organic materials, host Blue Friday conservation cleanups, and they’re certified Climate Neutral.
Inclusivity:
The certified organic cotton women’s t shirts come in sizes XS-XL, and men’s from S-XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
UBB hosts and organizes regular beach cleanups.
Available: United by Blue
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How We Found The Best Organic Cotton T-Shirts
Are organic cotton t-shirts a good choice?
We think so!
Organic cotton is the cream of the crop in the world of sustainable and ethical fashion, but it’s not the end-all, tee-all…
There are several ways we want to see organic cotton t-shirt brands (along with organic cotton leggings and organic cotton sweatpants brands) take this sustainable fabric to the next level.
Materials:
Lack of harmful chemicals aside, organic cotton requires 91% less water than conventional cotton.
It’s made even better when dyed using natural, non-toxic, azo-free, and low-impact dyes (or no dyes at all!).
It can also be blended with other eco-friendly fabrics like TENCEL lyocell or modal, or hemp.
The best organic cotton is that which is grown in a regenerative way that replenishes the soil and supports a healthy ecosystem and climate.
- Certifications: OEKO-TEX® 100, PETA, GOTS, Fair Trade, GRS
Supply chain and labor practices:
Organic cotton farmers and textile workers have far better and safer conditions, free from the dangers of hazardous chemicals like harsh dyes, pesticides, and fertilizers.
The brands on our list also cross their Ts and dot their Is by supporting garment workers with Fair Trade pay, reasonable hours, supportive work conditions, healthcare, and more.
- Certifications: GOTS, fair trade, BCI Cotton, SA8000, WRAP, ISO 9001, ISO14001, Fair Wear Foundation, Climate Neutral, Certified B Corp
Green business practices:
The best organic t shirts are not just made of green (er, white) materials.
Many are also made with recycled water, produced in small batches, manufactured using renewable energy, and shipped in eco-conscious packaging.
Some are carbon neutral and most importantly, the tees are designed to last.
The best organic cotton long sleeve t shirts, after all, are those that can be worn for a long time.
Inclusivity:
We’re thrilled to the tee to see gender-neutral styles and a relatively inclusive size range.
Relaxed organic cotton t-shirts are better when all bodies can, well, relax in them.
We hope to see more brands that are BIPOC or women-owned, use inclusive marketing, and continue to adopt ethical plus-size fashion offerings.
Community & charitable giving:
Donating a portion of sales is common for these brands, as is supporting farming/textile communities, donating fabric scraps and used garments, and supporting people experiencing disabilities or disadvantages.
Final Thoughts On Organic Cotton T Shirts
That’s the tea on organic cotton t shirts!
Organic cotton v-neck t-shirts can be v good for our planet and the people who produce them.
Even so, we’d suggest that you ditch the “need” for organic cotton designer t-shirts and turn to your own dresser drawers first.
You likely already have a collection of quirky slogans and classic crews, so don’t add a new one unnecessarily. Or scour local or online thrift stores before buying something brand new.
We all wear t-shirts, so we can all wear better t-shirts. Pass this article along to anyone you know in need of a new one.
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