The Best T-Shirt Fabrics For Those Who Sweat (A Lot)

So you’ve made plans (after a year of sitting at home!), got your outfit laid out, put your favorite tee, trousers and sneakers on, left the house and…Your pit sweat stains are the size of dinner plates in 5 minutes!

There goes your confidence, and now you have to keep your hands glued to your sides all day long. 

Listen, sweating will happen in summer, and that’s a fact, but besides showering and using good deodorant, you can also wear more breathable t-shirts to stay fresher and less damp.

Here are the best t-shirt fabrics for people who sweat a lot.

Sweat absorbing vs. Sweat-wicking 

You may have heard that t-shirt fabrics can be either sweat-absorbing or sweat-wicking. But what’s the difference? 

Generally, when you’re looking for a t-shirt for work or any everyday casual situations like meeting up with friends, running errands around town, or simply hanging out, you want sweat-absorbing fabrics. 

They will keep your body cooler, are more comfortable, breathable, and do not retain bad odors (there’s a limit to everything, of course!). 

For working out, exercising, going for a hike, or traveling, you may want a sweat-wicking fabric tee because it keeps the sweat away from your body, allows it to cool off quickly. However, you want to stay away from these fabrics in any other situation if you don’t want to add extra sweat to your day.

The most important thing, though, is to always get high-quality t-shirts like the ones from Fresh Clean Tees to ensure you’re regulating your body temperature the best you can. Find out how to choose the best t-shirt material here.

Sweat absorbing fabrics 

Unless you’re an athlete or workout nut, you’ll probably need more sweat-absorbing t-shirts, so let’s take a look at which fabrics are your best choices. 

Cotton. Cotton is your number one choice and the definite winner of this unofficial competition. 

Lightweight cotton is made from natural fibers and is very breathable, so you won’t feel damp because the air can circulate freely throughout the fabric. And when you do inevitably sweat, it dries out pretty quickly. 

As it absorbs moisture, cotton keeps you feeling more fresh as the sweat doesn’t stay on your skin.

The only thing you want to pay attention to is the t-shirt color. For example, light grey will expose even the tiniest sweat stains. It’s also crucial to get lightweight cotton and not the heavy one to keep the air flowing freely.

Also, keep in mind that cotton creases pretty easily. 

Linen. While linen t-shirts may not be the most popular ones, keep it if you get your hands on one. It’s an excellent choice for the summer! 

According to Elle, linen is a loosely woven, natural fiber which allows heat to escape from the body, it absorbs moisture and dries quickly.

The great thing about linen is that it also doesn’t cling to the body, keeping you as cool as possible.

The only downside of linen is that it wrinkles pretty easily, so you might want to adopt an “I don’t care” mentality here and embrace the wrinkles.

Merino wool.  Wool and summer don’t seem like something that goes together, but they actually do! Merino wool is a natural fiber that’s a perfect choice for your t-shirt this summer!

It draws the sweat away from the skin, regulates body temperature, neutralizes bad odors, dries fast, and is wrinkle resistant. 

Merino tees are a great option for hot days out or to wear under e.g., a dress shirt in the office to keep the sweat stains away.

The downside? They’re pretty pricey!

Bamboo. Another natural fabric, bamboo, is super soft and very breathable.

A bamboo fabric t-shirt is a great option for those who live in hot and humid areas as the fabric’s resistant to mold, bacteria, mildew, and keeps bad smells away. 

Fabrics to avoid

As StitchFix explains, sweat-wicking fabrics are usually made from high-tech polyester that has a moisture-absorbing finish. This fabric works to draw moisture away from the skin to keep you cool and dry.

Unfortunately, most sweat-resistant and moisture-wicking fabrics are synthetic and often of poor quality, which makes you sweat even more. Not cool, not cool.

Here are the fabrics you should avoid:

Polyester. The moisture sits on your skin or gets pushed to your outer layer, not what you want if you sweat a lot.

Rayon. While rayon isn’t technically entirely synthetic (it’s man-made from cotton, wood pulp, and other natural blended or synthetic fibers) and is lightweight, it still doesn’t absorb sweat and keeps you sweating more. 

Nylon. Nylon is 100% synthetic, not breathable, and will easily trap heat and moisture, making you sweat more.