This one factor is the key to the perfect T-shirt

It’s all about three little letters: GSM. 

 It’s all about three little letters: GSM. 

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The pursuit of the perfect white T-shirt has been a personal quest for many of us here at GQ. There is a lot of power in finding that one piece of clothing that you know you can always rely on. You can throw it on without thinking and know that it will look good. It’s comfortable, maybe it has the perfect level of neck ribbing, or the ideal oversized fit, or it’s made with organic cotton if you are eco-conscious.

Whatever the secret to its success is, it gives you confidence, which is the hidden key to any outfit. This piece can be a pair of pants, some sleek sunglasses, or some elevated footwear—but, more often than not, it’s a humble T-shirt. It can be white, it could be grey. Neutrals and block colours are your friend in the world of staples. 

Since the days of James Dean, people have been stumbling upon the revelation that more often than not, nothing is as cool as a white T-shirt if—and it’s a big if—it’s the right white T-shirt. 

There are a number of factors to consider in the glorious search for the perfect T-shirt to be your next wardrobe staple.  There’s the cut, the size, the collar, the hems, and the material, but perhaps the most important, and least inspected is the weight of your T-shirt. Measured in grams per square metres, a heavy T-shirt can be the difference between a dishevelled, unsuccessful look and a stylish one.

Whether you’re going to be looking for a super heavy T-shirt, or you want something lighter, you have to be diving into the product descriptions and checking out the GSM before you cop. Next to the right cut, the right weight will make all the difference between a T-shirt that looks like it belongs in the $5 bin at an op shop and one that earns its place on your back.

GQ breaks down the best heavy T-shirts below.

The best heavy mens T-shirts in Australia

CDLP

As we’ve mentioned, CDLP is the Swedish design house that takes the everyday essentials and cuts them with a slice of luxury. The heavyweight mens tees are developed and cut with innovation and conscious construction in mind. Essentials lasting a long time is only one part of sustainability, making them the right way is another. CDLP has you covered on both.

SHOP NOW: CDLP Heavyweight T-shirt (330gsm), $162 fromFarfetch

Uniqlo

An absolute killer for the price. The heavy classic crew neck tees from the U Line tick all the boxes at under $20. Good quality for the price, and a huge range of colours, you can very easily build your heavy T-shirt wardrobe with this (and we’re sure many have) but hey, variety is the spice of life.

SHOP NOW: Uniqlo U Crew Neck T-shirt (undisclosed weight, but it's heavy), $19.90 from Uniqlo

Everlane

Big, heavy, oversized fit blown up just right. It’s a certified winner. The differences between white tees are harder to split than atoms, but take our word for it. These can go the distance for the price.

SHOP NOW: Everlane Premium Weight T-shirt (approx. 205gsm), $77 fromEverlane

Hanes

The American classic. There is good reason for this tee being manufactured in a similar way for as long as it has. It’s now up to you to see what all the fuss is about. 

SHOP NOW: Hanes Beefy-T (approx. 188gsm), $41.66 for two fromAmazon

Comme des Garçons

With a serpentine list of diffusion labels that aren’t getting any easier to keep track of, we’ve done the hard yards for you when it comes to finding the best men's heavyweight T-shirt. Comme des Garçons Shirt is the specialist in just that, shirts. The thick cotton jersey tee balances the perfect oversized fit with thick, Turkish-made cotton. Plus subtle branding on the back of the neck to let them know what you’re about.

SHOP NOW: Comme des Garçons Shirt white crew neck T-shirt, $48 (originally $130) from Ssense

Han Kjobenhavn

Just as a white tee should be in your arsenal for your cleanest fits, when the sun goes down there’s nothing wrong with your outfit palate taking on a darker shade too. This thick, heavy cotton tee (coming in with 310g of BCI cotton) has dropped shoulders and puts the Scandi inflection on “good quality”. Quality tees don’t come easier to buy than this.

SHOP NOW: Han Kjobenhavn exclusive black T-shirt, $105 (originally $420) from Ssense

Sunflower

Proudly made in the USA, this heavyweight tee features no visible branding. Composed of 100 per cent cotton, its minimalist, simple, and of course, heavy-duty. Exactly what you want a good quality heavy tee to be.

SHOP NOW: Sunflower crew neck T-shirt, $130 from Farfetch

Satisfy

While typically known for the lightweight and sleek approach to running gear, Satisfy also knows how to make a very decent feeling tee. While not “heavy” by the traditional sense, the unique fabric of the tee feels perfectly weighted without weighing you down. Silky, lithe, and softly coloured, it’ll take you from the track to the club with ease. A sleeper hit.

 

SHOP NOW: Satisfy AuraLite T-shirt, $210 from Satisfy

Frame

Versatile wardrobe staples are the aim of LA-based Frame, and boy does it deliver. Whether it's in denim, leather, cashmere, or in this case cotton, expect premium quality materials and fabrics to take the daily wear required of a true staple. Thick, heavy cotton and high quality weave that will keep the tee in good shape, it's one of the leading heavy T-shirts for men, and the price will see you get plenty of good wear from it.

 

SHOP NOW: Frame logo cotton-jersey T-shirt, $140 from Matches Fashion

Why are heavy T-shirts better than light T-shirts?

While T-shirts with a low GSM have their place—the gym for example—heavy T-shirts are better in a few key areas. Firstly, there’s the quality. A T-shirt with a GSM of say 220, versus one at 120, is going to feel much more durable and luxurious. This is one of the factors that elevates Uniqlo’s iconic U T-shirts into the ‘perfect white T-shirt’ conversation. As we’ve covered before, the thickness and weight, along with the cut and collar, make these T-shirts a favourite of people like Tyler, The Creator. 

The next thing that weight adds to the table is an excellent drape and fit. Heavier T-shirts tend to hold their shape due to the density of the cotton so you avoid that saggy style which was popular around the same time as skinny jeans with holes in them and v-necks (the dark ages). Of course, the cut of a T-shirt is a big element here too. But, heavier GSMs are certainly conducive to the boxy look which is currently en vogue. 

And, while you can still have high-quality cotton in a lightweight that feels comfortable, there is just nothing as nice as putting on a thick, soft T-shirt with a hefty collar and boxy sleeves. 

A few brands have taken this into account specifically. Obviously, there is the aforementioned Uniqlo and Christophe Lemaire collaboration on the U line, and Gildan’s heavy cotton T-shirts have been the favourite blank of streetwear screen printers for decades. Not to mention American underwear brand Hanes, which has been making the 188gsm ‘Beefy-T’ since 1975, and is still one of the best in the world. 

The new Heavyweight T-shirt from CDLP has a GSM that is comparable to a hoodie. Image: CDLP.

Now though, some brands are taking T-shirt weight to the next level. Take Swedish brand CDLP for example. The streetwear brand’s take on elevated essentials has gone up a notch with the recent introduction of a ridiculously heavy 330gsm option alongside its standard 220gsm. For reference, that’s around the weight of a typical hoodie. 

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Originally published as This one factor is the key to the perfect T-shirt