After the wash and wear test, the H&M Regular Fit T-Shirt had changed substantially in shape and fit. Pronounced twisting developed after the first wash, the body became much shorter, and the T-shirt felt increasingly misshapen when first put on.
Product overview
1. Fabric and construction in new condition
The images below document the fabric, collar and seam construction in new condition, before washing.
Fabric structure
Collar
Seams and hems
In new condition, the H&M Regular Fit T-Shirt already showed several construction issues. One shoulder seam was sewn unevenly, with part of the folded fabric caught and turned around in the seam.
The inside showed several protruding threads and loose-looking stitches, as well as an unusual join at the bottom hem. The overall construction therefore looked somewhat untidy even before washing.
The T-shirt weighed 151.7 g in size L before washing.
2. Fit and comfort
Fit shown before washing
The lightweight fabric made the T-shirt comfortable to wear when new.
After washing, however, the fit changed noticeably. When I first put it on, it often felt misshapen and tighter around the neck. After wearing it for a while, the fabric tended to give and the fit became more comfortable again.
By the end of the test, the loss of body length had become a practical problem. After ten washes, the T-shirt was short enough that my lower stomach or back could become exposed when lifting my arms or bending over.
3. Testing results
I wore the H&M for 126 hours and washed it ten times at 30°C.
Dimensions and weight
The most significant dimensional change was in body length. It decreased from 73.0 cm when new to 70.3 cm after the first wash and 67.4 cm after ten washes — a total reduction of 7.7%.
Sleeve length decreased from 21.6 to 20.2 cm (-6.5%), while shoulder width decreased from 47.0 to 45.7 cm (-2.8%). Chest width increased slightly from 55.0 to 55.6 cm (+1.1%), and hem width changed from 58.5 to 58.0 cm (-0.9%).
Across the five measurements, the average dimensional change after ten washes was -3.3%, but this average masks the much larger loss of length and sleeve length.
The weight decreased from 151.7 g when new to 145.6 g after ten washes, a reduction of 4.0%.
Tested size: L
| Measurement | New | After 1 wash | After 10 washes | % change after 10 washes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 151,7 g | 152,6 g | 145,6 g | -4,0% |
| Body length | 73 cm | 70,3 cm | 67,4 cm | -7,7% |
| Chest width | 55 cm | 55,4 cm | 55,6 cm | +1,1% |
| Sleeve length | 21,6 cm | 21 cm | 20,2 cm | -6,5% |
| Shoulder width | 47 cm | 46,1 cm | 45,7 cm | -2,8% |
| Hem width | 58,5 cm | 57,8 cm | 58 cm | -0,9% |
| Average dimensional change | — | -1,77% | -3,34% | — |
Measurements are recorded to one decimal place, but should not be read as millimetre-level accuracy. Soft garments can shift slightly depending on how they are laid out and positioned.
Structural changes
| Characteristic | New | 1 wash | 10 washes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collar distortion | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Twisting / skew | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Pilling | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scores describe the condition observed at each checkpoint, not the amount of change since the previous assessment.
Fit comparison: new condition and after 10 washes.
No twisting was visible when the T-shirt was new, but pronounced twisting developed after the first wash and remained pronounced after ten washes.
After ten washes, I noticed many protruding threads around the stitching on the inside. The collar had become somewhat less stable, and the T-shirt increasingly felt misshapen when worn.
The T-shirt did not develop visible pilling during the test.
Fabric transparency
| Characteristic | New | 10 washes |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | 2 | 2 |
When new, the H&M was moderately transparent. The transparency remained broadly unchanged after ten washes, with the printed test card still being clearly visible through the fabric.
4. Traceability and sustainability
H&M responded but referred to existing product and sustainability information rather than answering the product-specific questions.
Supply-chain traceability
No stages identified for mapping: H&M discloses India as the country of manufacture, but not the garment factory or the locations of stages 1–4 for this T-shirt.
Each stage scores 0 if unknown, 0.5 if identified by the brand, or 1 if the brand provided documentation that WTL reviewed and found to substantiate the stated location for this T-shirt or its production batch. Full method →
Source note
H&M's supplier list contains possible facilities but does not link any of them to the tested T-shirt or its production batch. No supporting documentation was provided.
H&M disclosed India as the country of manufacture, but no individual garment factory or earlier supply-chain stages could be identified for the T-shirt I tested.
The company referred me to existing product and sustainability information rather than answering the product-specific questions directly. Its supplier list contains possible facilities, but none could be linked to this particular T-shirt or production batch.
No supporting product-specific documentation was provided for the cotton origin, spinning, knitting, dyeing or garment production. I therefore rate H&M’s brand transparency as Low.
Product-specific sustainability evidence
Status terms refer to product-specific evidence available for review. “None documented” does not necessarily mean that the feature or practice is absent.
5. Value and verdict
At €6.99, the H&M Regular Fit T-Shirt is extremely inexpensive, and the lightweight fabric made it pleasant to wear when new. The low price is a genuine strength from a value perspective, but it does not offset the problems that developed during the test.
Pronounced twisting appeared after the first wash, the body lost 5.6 cm in length over ten washes, the fit became less consistent, and several construction details were untidy from the start and after washing.
Overall, I find the durability and shape retention disappointing. The substantial loss of length, pronounced twisting, increasingly misshapen feel and limited product-level traceability outweigh the advantages of the low price.