The business shirt is part of a working uniform for many men. Accordingly, it is often worn and washed again.
A good shirt is therefore not only characterized by its fit, it is also durable and easy to clean. Properties that do not necessarily have to be paid dearly, as a study by Stiftung Warentest shows. A winning model comes from the discounter and costs ten euros.
14 light blue business shirts made of 100 percent cotton subjected the examiners to a stress test. They were washed, spun and ironed 30 times, writes the magazine "test" (issue 9/2019). In addition, the wearing comfort and breathability were evaluated and tested for harmful substances. Half of the models rated "good" in the standardized tests. The rest got a "satisfactory". Harmful substances contained none of the shirts.
Interestingly, the two top rated shirts are among the cheapest. The two test winners come from Lidl (10 euros) and P & C Dusseldorf (30 euros), they each got the mark 2.0. With 2.3 to 2.5 each cut off a model of Hugo Boss (100 euros), Walbusch (60 euros), Brainshirt (80 euros), Van Laack (140 euros) and Esprit (40 euros).
Good social standards are the exception
The testers were also interested in the conditions under which the shirts were made and how much the environment was polluted. Suppliers were interviewed and local sewing factories were inspected if the companies allowed it, for example in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, Poland, Tunisia and Turkey.
There is no clear winner here. Minimum standards - such as occupational safety - would be complied with. However, real commitment, such as fair wages or union support, is the exception. "The fairness to workers and the environment is relatively high for only three companies," writes Stiftung Warentest.
Men can take a buy tip from the test: Only from the 21st wash the testers saw first damage to individual shirts, including holes at the collar tips of models with fixed rods in it. These bump into the washing drum and tend to rub faster, according to Stiftung Warentest. If possible, you should therefore be able to take out such rods in the laundry.