The 085-CVT is my measuring stick. It’s a shirt I first picked up in 2017 at a brewery without even realizing it. I only started paying attention to it when years had passed, and I noticed it was staying together better than just about any other print Tee in my closet. Much of my focus has been spent on Japanese Tees and the importance of cold washing and line drying them for longevity, but the 085-CVT managed to survive dryers better than my Uniqlo and Muji stuff.
When I ordered a new copy, I knew I’d ultimately like it, but I didn’t really remember what that first wear was like. Returning to it, honestly, it isn’t anything to write home about. It’s acceptably soft, but not impressively soft. It fits me well, but I’ve tested shirts that flatter me more. What English copy exists on the 085-CVT calls it a heavyweight, but at 5.6oz it’s relatively light.
I think what appeals to me so much about this shirt is how light it is while maintaining good stable form. It’s a bit more transparent than I’d like, but that’s true of every lightweight shirt I’ve tested. This shirt’s price tends to be very good (Under $16 USD + Shipping Oct. 2026), but it still contends with far more expensive ones by maintaining form, fitting well and being soft. If it were produced in the first world and a hair softer, I’d gladly pay $40+ for it.
It’s a more relaxed fit than many of the other shirts I’ve tested, which tends to be my preference, and were I to outgrow it, I’ll be able to go up in size. TOMS makes commodity clothing, not fashion. I’m not sure the measurements are the same, but TOMS Philippines goes up to 5XL. I regularly rock 3XL Printstar 148-HVTs for a drapier drop shoulder look. I am glad that these shirts will still be available to me if I gain weight.
A major downside of this shirt is that it’s not distributed in the USA. Gildan and LA Apparel are well established here and they build clothing that belongs in a dryer. Ordering Printstars involve getting on Korean and Japanese graphic printing service websites, ordering the shirts you want, responding to polite and confused customer service emails confirming you really didn’t want to use their print services, and waiting 2-3 weeks.
I also don’t really know much about TOMS Co. Ltd.’s supply chains. What little I’ve found in googling seems positive, but the information published on their website is not published in English. Do I fault a company that isn’t distributing in my region for not publishing in its dominant language? Not really, but I want to be honest about the supply chain ethics risk. It seems like it’s produced in Bangladesh and Vietnam, with great QC and reasonable supplier treatment, but I can’t confirm that’s the case.
Something else to bear in mind is that this shirt’s length shrinks a fair amount. It starts long enough that I don’t think that would become an issue, but it shrinks. These are both hallmarks of cheap shirts. They are features of the Gildan G2000, the American Apparel G1301s and many of the merch print shirts I have in my closet. It’s measured GSM of 194 does match its 190 rating quite well.
In an effort to streamline these reviews, I’m including a “reach for rating” within the reviews themselves. This rating already has a presence on the downloadable “white sheet”. Right now, it functions as a relative ranking within a shirt’s review cohort. It’s not an absolute rating. Of review cohort 2, this shirt was the one I reached for second most. It’s earns a 2. If you want to see how it compares to other, check that sheet out.
Where this ranking doesn’t do as good a job of weighing value. The 085-CVT is so cheap and good that I think it’s a no brainer. I don’t feel that way about some shirts that rank higher.
Ranking 2/4