FabricIQ
Reading the label…
B
80/100
01Verdict
Strong across the board — well-made, safe to wear, and low planet cost.
Best for Daily wear, no caveats.
Material B · 80Health A · 100Eco · 87Label · high
Why this material grade?
This product scored 80/100 on the material-quality rubric (durability, comfort, breathability, warmth, moisture-wicking, care-ease), based on its composition of 74% Tencel, 26% Linen. Sustainability is scored separately as the Eco Rating. Blended from 74% Tencel, 26% Linen — the score is a weighted average based on each material's proportion.
B (70-84): Good material composition — above average across most axes.
Good quality, eco-friendly
Solid fabric with strong environmental credentials. Tencel (74%) is doing the heavy lifting. This is a smart buy.
Premium fabric, premium price
$100Better-than-typical fabric, but priced above the category median.
$1.25 per quality point Category median: $89 · grade C
Fabric value only — compares material quality to price vs other shorts. Construction, fit, and brand aren't measured.
02Breakdown
Composition
74% Tencel, 26% Linen
All-natural fiber
Added Mar 30, 2026 · Data last updated Apr 1, 2026
Sustainability is scored separately — see the Eco Rating below.
🏛️
Linen is made from flax, which grows in poor soil with little water. It's been used for clothing for over 30,000 years.
🦄
This is a unicorn — high quality, eco-friendly, AND biodegradable. If it fits, keep it forever.
03Network
Cost per wear
rough estimate83¢/wear · 120 expected wears
Reasonable cost-per-wear
How we got there
Base for Shorts: 120 expected wears.
× 1.00 for Tencel (mid-durability fiber, durability 71).
= 120 expected wears. $100 ÷ 120 ≈ 83¢/wear.
Missing GSM — this is a category-level estimate, not garment-specific. Expect ±30% variance.
Real life is messier than a formula: how often you wash, how you wash, whether you wear it inside-out, dry on low — all of it shifts the number. This is the ceiling under reasonable care.
Care Guide
Decode symbolsWash
cold (30°C)
Bleach
Do not bleach
Dry
line dry
Iron
Best For
🏃Athletic Wear
ExcellentExcellent breathability (87) and moisture wicking (70) for active sports
👔Formal/Office
ExcellentExcellent durability (71) and comfort (85) for office wear
😴Sleepwear
ExcellentExcellent comfort (85) and breathability (87) for sleeping
🩲Underwear
ExcellentExcellent breathability (87) and comfort (85) for undergarments
🌱Sustainable Fashion
ExcellentExcellent sustainability (87) and biodegradable — great eco choice
👕Everyday Casual
GoodGood comfort (85) and care ease (57) for casual wear
Better Alternatives
Higher-rated shorts products — each card shows how much better this alt scores vs your current product.
04Tradeoffs
Health Impact
Microplastic shedding · skin-contact synthetic load · likely chemical treatments
A100/100
Low health impact — predominantly natural fibers with no major treatment flags.
Microplastics LOW
Minimal
Skin contact LOW
0% synthetic
Chemicals LOW
No flags
What this score doesn't measure
- ×Fiber grade. Staple length, micronaire, strength. "100% cotton" could be short-staple upland or long-staple Pima — same label, very different fabric.
- ×Yarn processing. Singles count, ply (single vs two-ply), spinning method (open-end vs ring-spun vs compact), mercerization. Invisible from any label.
- ×Knit / weave structure. Single jersey vs interlock, knit tightness. A loose knit pills; a tight knit lasts.
- ×Fabric weight (GSM). One construction signal among several — and high GSM can come from loose cheap yarn just as easily as from fine tight yarn. We have it for blank manufacturers, rarely for retail.
- ×Pre-shrink processing. Sanforized cotton shrinks ~1%; non-sanforized can shrink up to 10%. Not visible from the composition tag.
- ×Construction quality. Stitch density (SPI), seam types, collar geometry, manufacturing tolerances (AQL). These often matter more than the fiber itself.
- ×Specific chemical loads. Health Impact flags "likely PFAS / possible formaldehyde" from composition × category — we don't lab-test individual SKUs.
We rate the fabric, not the garment. Composition is the floor of what you're guaranteed to be getting — most shoppers don't have that.
05Action
