White Long Sleeve T-Shirt – Guide

Short answer: A white long sleeved T-shirt is one of the most useful basics in a wardrobe, but it makes demands on the fabric: it must not be sheer, and it has to stand up to frequent washing. Bamboo viscose meets both and yellows less, because it moves perspiration away from the skin.

What to look for

White fabric reveals everything. Choose a dense quality so the top does not turn sheer, and a neckline that keeps its shape. See the long sleeved bamboo T-shirts for women and long sleeved bamboo T-shirts for men, and hold the top up to the light.

White is harder than black

A white top has to be thicker than a black one in the same model to look equally neat. Light shines through white fabric but not through black, so the same weight can feel thin in one colour and completely opaque in the other. Buy by colour, not by model.

When white turns yellow

White turns yellowish from perspiration, deodorant and washing too cold over a long period. Wash white separately at 30 degrees with a detergent containing oxygen bleach, and run an occasional 40 degree wash if the fabric allows. That keeps the colour clean for many months.

Sunlight as bleach

Sun fades coloured clothes, but it does the opposite to white. Hang the white top outdoors in daylight while it is still wet, and the sun draws the last yellowing out of the fibres. It works best on clean fabric and costs nothing at all.

White as a layer

Under a pale shirt, white is not the right choice, because it shows most clearly against the skin. White belongs on the outside where it can be seen. If the top is to sit under something, grey or a skin tone is better, and that holds for both men and women.

Which colours it goes with

White goes with everything, but it especially suits denim, beige and black. With black the contrast is sharp and the look simple. With beige it turns softer. The rest of the wardrobe in the same tones is under bamboo for women.

When to replace it

A white top has a shorter life than a dark one, and that is normal. Once it has a grey cast that will not wash out, or the neckline has gone slack, it has done its time as a visible garment. It can still work as a layer where nobody sees it.

Washing and drying

Wash after every wearing, because perspiration and skin oils turn into yellow marks if they are left. Skip the fabric softener and the tumble dryer, which fix the marks and make the elastane brittle. Hang the top on a broad shouldered hanger while damp and it smooths itself out. See also bamboo and temperature regulation and washing guide for bamboo clothing.