3Sixteen Pima Cotton T-Shirt Pack – Black

The plain black tee is the most-worn and least-considered garment in most wardrobes, and the gap between a good one and a poor one is larger than almost anyone accounts for. It shows up in three places. The first is the fibre: Pima is a long-staple cotton, meaning the individual fibres are longer before they are spun, which yields a smoother yarn that pills less and holds colour longer. The second is weight. At 160gsm this sits in the middle, heavy enough to hang rather than cling and light enough to layer under a shirt without bulk. The third is the collar, which is where cheap tees announce themselves within a month.

It is sold in twos, and that is a considered position rather than a gimmick. A tee is a consumable. You will wear it more than anything else you own and you will eventually retire it, and a house that is honest about that sells you the replacement at the same time.

Why we selected it

We are not going to pretend a black tee is a philosophical object. We carry these because they are the ones we wear, and because the collar holds. Everything else in the store is chosen for what it says. This is chosen for what it does. A store that only sells the extraordinary is not much use to anyone getting dressed on a Tuesday. Christopher literally wears this shirt, both in black and white, multiple times every week.

3Sixteen began in 2003 with tees before it became a denim house, so this is nearer the origin of the line than it looks.

Materials and construction

One hundred percent American-grown Pima cotton, custom knit in Los Angeles at 160gsm, made in the USA. Pack of two, black.

Fit notes

A straightforward tee cut, meant to be worn on its own or under a shirt without fighting either job. Cotton jersey at this weight relaxes slightly through the body in the first several wearings and returns with washing. If you intend to wear it as your only layer, take your usual size. If it is going under flannel and a jacket all winter, some customers prefer to stay true rather than size up, because the extra fabric is what bunches.

Styling and care

Under everything. With raw denim it is the whole outfit. Under the Crosscut Flannel it disappears, which is the point.

Machine wash cool, inside out, and dry low or hang. Black cotton fades from heat and from friction more than from washing, so the dryer is the enemy. Our general care guidance covers the rest.

Related pieces

The same pack in white is the Pima Cotton T-Shirt Pack in White. For a plain layer with a collar on it, the Knit Polo. It goes under everything, and under the CS-100x most of all. Everything we currently hold from 3Sixteen is listed together.