Lemaire LS Relaxed Tee

Mercerisation is the whole difference here and it is a real process rather than a description. Cotton yarn is treated with caustic soda while held under tension, which causes the flat, twisted, ribbon-like cotton fibre to swell into a rounder cross-section and stay that way. A rounder fibre reflects light more evenly, so the finished cloth has a soft lustre instead of a chalky matte surface; it also takes dye more deeply, so colours are richer and hold better through washing, and the treated yarn is measurably stronger than the untreated one. On a long-sleeve tee that adds up to a garment that looks like a considered piece of clothing rather than an undershirt, which is the entire problem with long-sleeve tees. Cut relaxed and oversized, in a light cream that shows the lustre better than a dark colour would.

Why we selected it

A plain long-sleeve tee is worth having in a cloth that is better than the standard, and mercerised cotton is the cheapest real upgrade available in a jersey. Cream shows it off.

Materials and construction

100% mercerised cotton. Made in Tunisia, in light cream.

Fit notes

Cut oversized and relaxed rather than close, so it layers over as easily as it wears alone. We do not hold measurements, and there is no Lemaire size chart on this site.

Care

Wash cool and inside out, and dry flat or on low heat. Mercerised cotton keeps its lustre well but loses it to high heat, so hot drying is what dulls it. Our fabric care guide has a section on cotton.

Related pieces

In jersey, the Rib Tank Top. The Double Pocket Shirt in charcoal is the shirt to put over it. Everything we carry from Lemaire is listed together.