How to Find The Best Undershirt For Sweat
In the ongoing search for sweating solutions, brands have unloaded thousands of products and jargon on hopeful consumers. Unfortunately, you may be left more confused and disappointed than relieved from excessive underarm sweating.
With so many terms like moisture-wicking, quick-dry and anti-sweat flooding the market, you may have trouble choosing the best product for your sweating situation and distinguishing the duds from the sweat-blocking warriors.
But by understanding how these anti-sweat fabrics work, you can choose the best undershirt for sweat, stop wasting money and start seeing results.

The Best Fabrics for Sweating
First, it’s important to understand how different materials respond to moisture. When most fabrics make contact with liquid, they generally react by repelling or absorbing it.
Fabrics that repel liquid push the moisture toward the outer layer where it can evaporate. Materials that absorb water lock it in and are more hard-pressed to release it.
Do Sweat Wicking Clothes Help With Sweating?
"Wicking" another term for repelling. Sweat wicking it’s a common term used to describe many sweat-fighting shirts on the market.
But the purpose of sweat wicking fabrics are often confused, especially when it comes to managing daily heavy sweating.
Wicking fabrics are technical shirts that draw moisture away from the body. They don’t absorb moisture, but push it through to the outer layer of your clothing.
Sweat-wicking fabrics have two purposes. They keep sweat away from your skin and help you dry quickly. This helps you regulate your body temperature more effectively and cool off faster.
While it sounds ideal (we all want to feel cooler!), sweat wicking fabrics do not help conceal sweat marks. Instead, they’ll make them more visible.
So which one should you wear? There’s a time and a place for both.
Moisture or sweat-wicking fabrics are best for aerobic activities, like the gym, hiking or exercising.
If you’re looking for something to help you stop sweating through your shirts, you should look for sweat proof undershirts that are designed to absorb and conceal your sweat, not push it to the outer layers.

Absorbing vs. Water-Repelling Fabrics
In your search for a sweat solution, you can think of fabrics as water-loving (those that absorb moisture) and water-repelling (those that push it away). Here are a few common ones you’ll find:
Natural, Water-Loving Fibers
These natural fabrics absorb sweat.

Cotton
Quality, lightweight cotton is one of the most breathable fabrics and offers some airflow for drying out the dampness. Because cotton is a natural fiber, it absorbs moisture rather than repelling it.

Rayon from Bamboo
Rayon from bamboo is a high-quality, absorbent, breathable and ultra-soft material. It’s also a hygienic and hypoallergenic option due to its resistance to odor, mold, mildew and bacteria, even after multiple washings.

Linen
Linen is a natural fiber that is lightweight, breathable & absorbent. It also doesn’t cling to the body, which can keep you feeling cooler.
Synthetic Water-Repelling Fibers
These manufactured fabrics repel moisture, pushing it out and away from your body.

Polyester
Polyester is a durable yet water-resistant fabric, but it doesn’t absorb sweat. Instead, the moisture sits on your skin or gets pushed to your outer layer.

Rayon
Rayon is lightweight & doesn’t trap heat. However, because it’s a synthetic fabric, it repels water and doesn’t absorb it (i.e., not a good solution for heavy sweaters).

Cotton / Lycra Blend
While cotton is an absorbent fabric, when combined with lycra, it forms a heavy, deadly sweating combination.

How To Find The Right Sweat Proof Shirt
Now that you know how natural and synthetic materials respond to wetness, it’s time to find the fabric that will work best for your needs.
Before purchasing a sweat proof shirt, you need to define your purpose.
- Do you want a shirt you can exercise heavily in and still feel cool?
- Are you searching for an undershirt that will absorb sweat and keep it from showing through your dress shirts or outerwear?
- Do you just want to know the most lightweight, breathable fabrics for everyday use?
The right answer will vary depending on your needs.
For example, if you’re seeking a workout shirt that keeps you feeling dry and comfortable, you may be disappointed by a natural cotton T-shirt that contains and conceals sweat.
If you’re looking for an undershirt to protect your dress shirts or outwear and avoid sweat marks, a dry-wicking shirt could make your clothes even wetter.
Here are some basic guidelines for four common sweating scenarios:
- Choose natural fibers like cotton, linen or nylon, that will absorb your sweat instead of synthetic fabric like polyester, rayon or spandex.
- If you want to stay cool during a workout, try a moisture-wicking shirt.
- Avoid shirts that have been coated or treated with water-absorbing properties. These will wash off with time. Instead, choose polyester blends that wick sweat away from the body to keep you feeling cool.
- If you suffer from hyperhidrosis or heavy sweating, and need to contain and conceal underarm sweat, avoid wearing moisture-wicking fabrics underneath your clothing. Look for cotton or natural fabric options.
Best Fabric to Hide Sweat Marks
Natural fibers like cotton, linen or nylon
Synthetic ones like polyester, rayon, spandex
Best Farbrics for Hyperhidrosis/concealing underarm sweat
Absorbent, natural fabrics
Moisture-wicking fabrics (made with synthetic materials)
Best Fabrics for Exercise
Dry-wicking fabrics can be effective

The Best Undershirt For Sweat
When exercising, sweating heavily isn't just normal, it's expected. Gaping sweat marks signal that you worked hard.
Unfortunately, the same doesn't hold true in the business world. Sweating while working at your desk or giving an important speech only makes you appear nervous.
For those who sweat excessively throughout the day but don’t want a heavy, sweat-soaked undershirt weighing them down, Thompson Tee is the perfect solution.
Thompson Tee sweat proof undershirts are made with 100-percent premium combed cotton, a super soft, strong and high-quality fiber that will hold up through the most intense sweat events and at least a year’s worth of washes.