Cotton, jade, and crab shells: Hypernatural makes my favorite synthetic shirt alternative

When it comes to performance apparel, polyester has long dominated the market. It is cheap, durable and dries quickly. But it is also a synthetic fabric made from petroleum. It eliminates microplastics, requiring millions of barrels of oil to meet global demand, and it will not biodegrade.

And I have a more personal reason for avoiding it: I have severe skin allergies to the dyes used in most synthetic fabrics.

This is a big problem for people who like to be active outdoors, as most performance apparel contains at least some polyester, nylon, or other synthetic fibers. While exploring options, one of my favorite discoveries are the shirts from Hypernatural.

These cotton-based shirts have become an easy choice for most of my outdoor activities. Not only do they contain zero plastic, but they also look great and include some amazing stuff. The addition of dust from jade mines is believed to cool the shirts, while chitin from crab shells is intended to reduce odor.

In short: Hypernatural’s shirts have performed very well for me on road runs, trail runs, and cycling. Like any cotton-based garment, they are not a good choice for backpackers, and they do not dry quickly. But for anyone looking for a natural-fiber shirt that also feels great against the skin, I can highly recommend it – even over most of the merino wool shirts that have become so popular.

Hypernatural Cotton Shirts Review

Let’s start with arguably the most important aspect of these shirts: they feel great against the skin. By blending cotton with viscose (another plant-based fabric) and adding a little recycled spandex, the shirts are silky and flexible. Since cotton remains the predominant material, the shirts remain breathable.

But HyperNatural also has some surprises: dust from jade mines and chitin from crab shells. HyperNatural is one of several apparel brands that have started adding jade dust to clothing, which reportedly draws heat and moisture from the body. Meanwhile, chitin (derived from the food industry) has become even more popular in apparel in recent years, as it has antimicrobial properties. It reduces odor after extra sweaty workouts, and may also improve moisture wicking.

However, for most of us non-scientists, this is all just marketing until we actually test the fabric. And there is no better test than running in the heat.

sweat test

I’ve been lucky enough to test out a lot of natural-fiber fabrics recently. This has become an ongoing mission for me, because avoiding synthetic clothes isn’t a priority for me – it’s a necessity to avoid itchy rashes on my skin.

As anyone with sensitive skin can attest, this often happens when we sweat, because that’s when our pores open up—leaving chemicals out of our clothes in the process. During these scorching summer months, it’s very easy to sweat excessively in a short amount of time: simply go for a 2-mile run at almost any time of the day.

This has become my favorite clothing test and hypernatural Topanga Featherweight Crewneck Tee Has performed commendably. They may not wick as much moisture or dry as quickly as merino wool, but these shirts feel much better on the skin to me.

But even after getting drenched with my sweat, I can hang them in the bathroom without washing and wear them again the next day. And while they’re certainly a little wrinkled, they don’t smell in the slightest. I have had it for 2 weeks without washing, it has little to no smell. (Although I still decided to wash them at this point.)

I’ve worn these shirts for hour-long bike rides and even day hikes, and they have performed admirably in all cases. Unless you’re looking for something for a multi-day backcountry adventure, these cotton shirts will keep you cool during exertion. I’ve only had these for about 2 months, but they seem to be very difficult to tear, and even after multiple washes and heavy use, they haven’t shrunk or shown any signs of wear.

Security and stability: certifications

HyperNatural has also done its homework when it comes to sustainability and health. For starters, its fabrics are BlueSign-certified, meaning it’s been approved by an independent Swiss agency that tests products to ensure they’re made sustainably and safely. The brand also received Oeko-Tex certification, another Swiss organization that tests products for potentially hazardous chemicals and dyes.

Both of these agencies have become increasingly common among outdoor apparel brands looking to prove their authenticity. This means that HyperNatural’s natural-fibre-based fabrics will not only reduce the increasingly common micro-plastics in our bodies. Blood and water, but it also avoids many harmful or unused chemicals often found in apparel.

extravagant formal wear

Although I’ve spent most of my time testing HyperNatural’s t-shirts, I’ve also tried out their El Capitan button-up. It’s a very heavy shirt, but it feels amazing on the skin, just like a t-shirt. It also has the same fabric blend and Jade/Chitin addition, so it offers the same benefits.

El Capitan Classic Fit Micro-Pique Shirt It’s probably the most stretchy and comfortable button-up shirt I’ve ever worn, and I love the thickness of its fabric, which is impressively luxurious — even when I’m wearing it to climb Stone Mountain. If you’re looking for a formal shirt that won’t get smelly on long, hot days, I can strongly recommend this. At $195, it’s not cheap, but it’s also likely to last you a long time.

Conclusion and warnings

Many outdoorsmen like to point to the old adage “cotton kills”, meaning that the fabric’s inability to maintain body temperature when wet creates a risk. In those cases, you may want to pick up some apparel made from merino wool, or even synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon (assuming your skin isn’t as bad as mine).

But let’s be honest: Even most of us aren’t going on multiday camping or backpacking trips most of the year. As needed, I’ve been using HyperNatural or just normal cotton shirts for most of my activities lately, and they work great in either case. The benefit of hypernatural is a shirt that holds up to long wear, feels great on the skin, and won’t stink when you throw it on the floor after returning from a tiring summer run.

At $85, there’s no doubt that this is an expensive T-shirt — but in the world of performance activewear, it’s in the realm of many name-brand apparel pieces. That’s what I do, and I’m grateful for shirts that allow me to stay sweaty in nature — without getting itchy in the process.