Design 
Quality of Materials 
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service Oh, the humble t-shirt.
Every man owns one.
But not every man owns one that fits.
They’re so common that a lot of guys overlook this basic wardrobe staple. And with spring and summer on the way, I’ve committed to taking a deep dive on this iconic shirt to find the absolute best of the best.
Today’s brand in question: Fresh Clean Threads.
They pride themselves on their fit and fabric quality, and I figured for the price, they were at least worth a shot. After wearing their tees for a few years (and a few other of their most popular items), I’ve got this brand’s number.
Keep reading to see what they’re all about.
Why Should You Trust Me?
I’ve tried too many t-shirt brands since diving white sneaker first into my career as a men’s style writer in 2019.
It’s easily 25+, and you can see just a few of them above.
I’ve worn them all out and about, put them all through many wash cycles, and recovered a few from the clutches of my dog.
What Is Fresh Clean Threads?
Fresh Clean Threads started in 2015 as a t-shirt subscription service (with the name Fresh Clean Tees), though in more recent years, they’ve been standing more on the quality and fit of their tees rather than the convenience of automatic shipments.
The brand initially didn’t have a ton of products. Just t-shirts, a few sweatshirts, some henleys, and socks. But they’ve since expanded to polos and tanks, and rebranded to Fresh Clean Threads in August 2022, a name which they feel better reflects their growing catalog.
With something so common as the basic white tee, the fabric quality and fit have to be on-point in order to stand out. I can’t think of a more competitive space in apparel.
If subscription services are your jam, they still offer recurring shipments either every month, every other month, or every three months. If you choose one of these options, you get free shipping every time.
Fresh Clean Threads' tees have a unique, flattering fit that emphasizes your shoulders and doesn't swallow your arms. The cotton-polyester blend holds its color well and doesn't wrinkle easily.
Things to Consider Before Buying
I’ll get more into the specific differences between Fresh Clean Threads and other brands later in this review, but it’s most important to know what you’re getting when you order a FCT shirt.
Their range may have expanded but their core mission remains clear. Fresh Clean Threads is all about producing a great fitting, basic t-shirt.
One way to think about it is this: some clothes are stylistically interesting, and so they look good. But Fresh Clean Threads are designed to fit really well, so they look good. The difference is that there’s nothing flashy about these tees at all. They’re as basic as basic gets. They just have a more thoughtful, tailored cut that makes them more flattering for most guys.
For example, one of my favorite t-shirts is from Banana Republic. As far as t-shirts go, there’s a lot of stylistic choices going on—from washed and faded fabric, to the pocket, to the more scoop neck collar. It’s stylish, but it doesn’t necessarily do anything to accentuate my shoulders or chest.
However, I wouldn’t say that Fresh Clean Threads aren’t as stylish, they just fit really well, and because of that, I think they look better on my body overall because of it.
My Hands-On Review
T-Shirts
For my introduction to Fresh Clean Threads, I picked up one of their signature 5-packs. The brand offers several different variety-bundles like All-Grey, Best Sellers, and Foundations. They also offer 5-packs based on seasonality, so at the time of writing, they had a Spring Essentials, and Spring Foundations, too.
Every time I shop with a new brand, I’m shocked at how unoriginal I am. Once I saw the Earth Tones pack, I couldn’t help myself.
If you're as crazy for olive green shirts as I am, you'll go nuts for the Earth Tones 5-Pack. Just a few clicks fills up your drawer with well-fitting shirts (they make your shoulders look good).
Military, chocolate, clay, charcoal, and heather grey? Done deal.
I must say, I’m a fan of all the color options offered by FCT. None are bright and gaudy, and all colors seemed to be pretty subdued and more classic looking.
Upon trying on the first t-shirt (I went with military, because that’s what I always do), I immediately recognized a difference in the fit.
I’m always split between choosing a large and a medium, but for Fresh Clean Threads, I opted for a medium.
The fit is fairly slim, so it’s pushing the boundaries a bit, but these shirts fit really well. My favorite aspect is the slimmer shoulders and arms.
I don’t have bulging biceps, but I felt the more narrow arm opening kept my arms from getting swallowed alive.
For so many of my t-shirts prior to Fresh Clean Threads, I’ve been cuffing the sleeves to avoid looking like I have noodle arms (which, by the way, is a pro-tip if you’re a hardgainer).
The shirts lay flat across my chest, which helps visually broaden and expand—both of which are good things.
And because the crew neck is more fitted, the shirt collar doesn’t slump in the back like so many of my other t-shirts do. It definitely shows off more of my trap muscles—not that I have much going on there—but even for someone like me, with a leaner physique and not a ton of muscle, I found these tees to be plenty flattering.
I’ve now put these through the wash four or five times, and the color is just as strong as it was the day I opened the pack.
The fabric is a cotton-polyester blend, which is partly why it’s so color-fast. But the added technical fabric helps make the shirt more lightweight, breathable, and wrinkle-resistant. The fabric is actually quite thick for a t-shirt, which I vastly prefer to thin shirts, but I wouldn’t say it’s heavy at all.
With its flattering fit, wrinkle resistance, and classically stylish color range---you'll be hard pressed to find a better budget crew neck tee that fits and feels this good.
Cali Pullover
Fresh Clean Threads calls defines the Cali Pullover as a sweatshirt, but it’s really more of a thick long sleeve shirt. I didn’t think “sweatshirt” at all when I first put it on.
But it does have the raglan sleeves and cross-v stitch at the neck like you see on so many crew neck sweatshirts.
If you’re not familiar with raglan sleeves, it’s time to get acquainted. This is just a hunch, but I think ladies love a man in raglan sleeves. Most shirts have a shoulder seam that runs laterally down the shoulder blade, but with raglan, the sleeves are all one piece, and attached at the neck like so:
What this means with regard to style is that your whole shoulder muscle is uninterrupted, so it appears larger than it would in other shirts.
It’s why baseball shirts tend to look good on guys.
I recommend this style for skinnier dudes and more muscular guys. If you’ve got some extra weight around your stomach, I’d steer away from raglan sleeves to something with more structure up top.
I can’t blame Fresh Clean Threads for calling this a sweatshirt—they’re based in Pacific Beach, San Diego, so for them a chilly day is 68-degrees (20 Celsius for our metric mates out there).
The 5.8oz Terry cloth fabric is thick enough for that kind of arctic chill, but I definitely consider it a heavyweight long sleeve shirt with a flattering construction.
Made with raglan sleeves and a v-seam neck, this piece has all the classic looks of a sweatshirt, but with the weight of a long sleeve tee.
Henley
Henleys are the motorcycle riding cousin of the t-shirt. They’re basically the same. But a t-shirt might say, oh, I can go solo, or maybe layer with a button down. Or I might go well with a jacket. I’m cool with whatever.
The henley just walks up and says, this is it. It’s me, or nothing at all.
If you’ve ever binged Nicholas Sparks chick-flicks (The Notebook is a fantastic film, I don’t care what anybody thinks), you’ll notice that the dude seems to always be wearing a henley.
They have that sort of raw, greasy-handed, manliness to them. All because of a few buttons and a placket tossed onto a t-shirt.
I couldn’t pass up on that kind of opportunity.
The henley has the same fit as the t-shirts, and it’s made with the same fabric, so everything I said up top stands here, too.
The only special note on the henley is how the placket opens when you unbutton the top few buttons. I’d never go full open and let all three buttons loose—I think two is the trick. But I like how the placket falls cleanly to one side.
Henleys look slovenly if the placket doesn’t have a backbone. If both the button portion and the hole portion fold up like a cheap-chair, you just look like you’re wearing a t-shirt with a crappy dollar-store cravat.
But I’m happy to report that the Fresh Clean Threads henley lays flat and doesn’t bunch up around the collar and placket. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be coming out from underneath a car looking like I understand the value of manual labor.
If you’ve ever binged Nicholas Sparks chick-flicks, you’ll notice that the dude seems to always be wearing a henley. You want that.
Socks
Eager to see what else Fresh Clean Threads is good (or not good) at, I picked up a pack of their new no-show socks.
Like their shirts, the brand offers a few different variety packs, so you can pick up all grey, all black, all white, or a mix of the three. I went with the mix, because you never know what color you’re going to need, and with summer coming, my sneakers have been begging to get in the rotation.
They’re lightweight and breathable, but still quite durable. They fit well and have done a nice job at actually staying around my heel. And with no-show socks, that’s never a guarantee.
Fresh Clean Threads added two rubber strips in the heel, which helps the sock from slipping and ending up bunched in the back of your shoe.
It’s a clever way of getting around the all-too-familiar problem with no-show socks, and I’m loving the result.
These no show socks have an interesting rubber insert that helps them stay put on your heel.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
After reading through hundreds of reviews to get a sense of how other people reacted to Fresh Clean Threads, a few comments seemed to pop up consistently.
For one, people think these t-shirts are super soft and comfortable, which I can attest to.
And second, a lot of reviewers are pleasantly surprised with the fit, and they’re openly wondering if they’ll ever shop with another t-shirt brand again.
I read a few reviews from guys with self-identified “dad-bods,” and they still said the shirt fit super well, which goes counter to what I would expect. So if you’re a “dad-bod,” give this brand a shot, but order the larger size (if you’re in-between).
My Thoughts Overall
What I Like
Fresh Clean Threads’ shirts don’t have a bunch of loose fabric. They fit really well through the chest, back, and arms. Especially the arms. This more tailored fit is excellent for skinny and muscular guys.
Because of the added technical fabric, these shirts hold their color well, don’t wrinkle easily, and stay light and breathable.
In the broad premium t-shirt landscape, these tees are excellently priced.
I love the color variety packs, as it makes shopping easy and I get a few colors I wouldn’t normally buy, but that I still like wearing.
Partnered with Coral Reef Alliance, and a percentage of every sale goes toward a pretty admirable cause—saving the world’s coral reefs.
Their products are all made in certified wrap factories with acceptable working condition certifications.
What I Don’t Like
They run a little short in length—consider the tall version if you’re above 6’2″.
Who is Fresh Clean Threads for?
Fresh Clean Threads is a great choice if you’re in the market for a slimmer, more tailored fitting t-shirt. If you want something simple, and don’t need a brand name or designer labels, you’ll enjoy your experience with FCT.
The Verdict
I’ve tried $40 t-shirts. And I’ve tried $5 t-shirts.
But I can honestly say that next time I need to freshen my tee collection, I’m going with Fresh Clean Threads.
Why?
They’re simple, fit well, and the price is excellent starting at $22 for a single shirt.
I have a few “designer” t-shirts that I really enjoy, but I find myself reaching for my basic tees way more often. Because life is a bit messy, and I don’t want to coddle my t-shirt because it cost $40 or $50. And these Fresh Clean Threads tees are comfortable and non-restrictive.
I was getting the same level of comfort and “yolo, eat a hot dog in the car” type of detachment with my $5 t-shirts, too. But with the way $5 t-shirts fit, I might as well have grabbed a few yards of muslin from the fabric store and loosely draped it around my shoulders.
Fresh Clean Threads hit the perfect balance. They’re affordable enough to invest in a multi-pack and stock your whole wardrobe up. They’re really comfortable. And they have a modern, slimmer fit that actually looks good.
Fresh Clean Threads' tees have a unique, flattering fit that emphasizes your shoulders and doesn't swallow your arms. The cotton-polyester blend holds its color well and doesn't wrinkle easily.
