There's a gap in most wardrobes that nobody talks about. It sits between the short-sleeve t-shirt and the long-sleeve top, and it's the gap I spent years ignoring. In spring and autumn, I'd either be too warm or too cold, layering things that didn't quite work, or defaulting to the same few items on rotation until they wore out.
I'm a landscape gardener. I work outside most of the year, and the in-between seasons are the ones that catch me out most. Too warm for a jumper by mid-morning, too cool for a short-sleeve by late afternoon. I needed something that could handle that range without me having to think about it.
I'd also been trying, gradually, to move away from fast fashion. Not dramatically — I'm not starting from scratch — but when something wears out, I want to replace it with something better. Something I actually know the story of.
Why I Started Looking
Last September I finally threw out a 3/4 sleeve top I'd had for years. It had gone thin at the elbows, the neck had stretched, and the colour had faded to something that wasn't quite any colour at all. I'd been putting off replacing it because I couldn't find anything that felt right — either the fabric was too flimsy, the fit was too structured, or the brand couldn't tell me anything meaningful about where it came from.
I came across the Fairtrade Organic Loose 3/4 Sleeve T-shirt while browsing ALTOE. The details stopped me: 100% organic Fairtrade cotton, 155gsm single jersey knit, made in facilities powered by renewable energy. At £12.00 it was genuinely affordable, and the Fairtrade certification meant I could actually trust what I was reading rather than just hoping it was true.
The rounded scoop neck and curved hem were what sold me on the fit. I've had too many tops with straight hems that bunch awkwardly when I'm bending and moving. A curved hem stays put. That matters when you're working.
First Impressions
I ordered the black first, then the neutral a week later when I realised how much I was wearing the first one. They arrived quickly, in simple packaging, and the fabric was immediately softer than I expected for 155gsm. It's lightweight without feeling insubstantial — there's a quality to organic cotton that synthetic blends just don't replicate.
The fit is genuinely loose without being shapeless. The scoop neck is deep enough to feel relaxed but not so deep that it becomes impractical. The 3/4 sleeves hit at exactly the right point — past the elbow, which means they stay out of the way when I'm working, but short enough that I'm not overheating by lunchtime.
I put it through a full working day immediately. Planting, digging, crouching, reaching. It moved with me without riding up, the fabric breathed well in the morning sun, and by the time the temperature dropped in the afternoon I was still comfortable. That was the test I needed it to pass, and it passed it easily.
Wearing It Every Day
Nine months on, both tops are still in regular rotation. I wear them for work, for weekend walks, for the school run, for evenings out when I want to look put-together without trying too hard. The scoop neck means it works under a light jacket or on its own. The relaxed silhouette means it layers well without adding bulk.
I've washed both tops more times than I can count — cold wash, hang dry — and neither has shrunk, faded, or lost its shape. The fabric has softened slightly with washing, which is exactly what good organic cotton does. The stitching is holding perfectly. These are not disposable tops.
The Fairtrade Part Actually Matters to Me
I want to say something about the ethics of this, because it's not just a label to me. Fairtrade certification means the farmers who grew this cotton were paid fairly, worked in safe conditions, and had a say in how their communities develop. The production facilities run on renewable energy. That's a supply chain I can feel good about being part of.
I'm not going to pretend I've overhauled my entire wardrobe overnight. But this top is part of a shift I'm making, one item at a time, towards buying things I know the story of. At £12.00, it makes that shift genuinely accessible.
Who This Is For
Anyone who spends time outdoors, anyone who runs warm, anyone who's tired of tops that don't survive more than a season, and anyone who wants to wear something they can feel good about. It comes in multiple colours and fits a range of body types thanks to the relaxed, curved silhouette.
You can find the Fairtrade Organic Loose 3/4 Sleeve T-shirt here. If you're exploring more, these collections are worth a browse:
I still reach for these two tops more than almost anything else I own. That gap in my wardrobe is well and truly filled.
— Claudia Ferreira, Herefordshire
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