H&M vs Old Navy: which t-shirt wins?
Both land in the budget tier — the H&M Regular Fit Cotton T-Shirt at $10, the Old Navy Soft-Washed Crew-Neck Tee at $12, just $2 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| H&M | Old Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10 | $12 |
| Material | Cotton or cotton-blend jersey, ~4–5oz; some lines use organic or recycled cotton. | Cotton or cotton-blend jersey, ~4.5oz, garment-washed soft. |
| Fit | Multiple cuts from slim to oversized; the Regular Fit runs true with a slightly short body. | Regular fit, true to size; the soft fabric relaxes slightly with wear. |
| Quality | Budget fast-fashion — soft enough new, but colours fade and fabric thins within a year of regular wear. | Budget. Soft from new but the colour fades and the collar loosens within a year or two of regular wear. |
| Best for | Cheap on-trend basics, stocking up on colours, and rotation tees you won't mind replacing. | Everyday rotation, around-the-house wear, and stocking up cheaply on basics. |
| Care | Cold wash and low heat; the light fabric fades and shrinks faster when dried hot. | Cold wash and low heat; the lightweight fabric fades faster with hot drying. |
H&M's Regular Fit tee is $10 of ~4–5oz cotton jersey in a huge range of cuts and colours; Old Navy's Soft-Washed Crew is $12 of ~4.5oz jersey that's been garment-washed soft. The $2 gap is barely a gap — this comes down to hand-feel and fit consistency, not quality tiers.
- The case for H&M
- Cheaper by a couple of dollars, wider choice of cuts from slim to oversized, some organic and recycled cotton lines, easy colour stocking-up.
- The case for Old Navy
- Garment-washed softness from day one, true-to-size fit with no short-body surprise, relaxes comfortably with wear, often even cheaper on sale.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the H&M at $10 if you're stocking up on colours or want a specific cut — just know the Regular Fit runs slightly short in the body. Spend the extra $2 on the Old Navy if you want a softer tee that fits true to size out of the bag. Neither survives much past a year or two of regular wear — H&M thins and fades, Old Navy's collar loosens — so the honest answer is that $2 buys softness and sizing predictability, and nothing else.
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