Sorona T-Shirts for Summer: 8 Designs Worth Packing, Printed to Order

Sorona t-shirts are lightweight, quick-dry tees made from a blend of cotton and Sorona, a fibre that is partly plant-based. They feel soft like a cotton tee, dry faster after a sweat or a swim, and bounce back into shape instead of sagging at the neck. At Empulse every one is printed to order in the USA and shipped express to Australia, with most designs at $45.

That is the short version. The longer one is that there are 37 designs in the range, and scrolling all of them on a phone is a job. So here are eight worth a look before summer properly arrives, plus the honest detail on fabric, sizing and delivery that the product pages only touch on.

Eight Sorona t-shirts to start with

Tap any tee to see sizes and colours.

Tee	Colours	Print	Price	Our pick for
Avocado Tee	White	Large front graphic	$45	Brunch, markets, a safe gift
Sydney Tee	Black	Front	$45	Evenings, travel days
Capri Limoncello Tee	White	Lemon print	$45	Holiday dinners
Pineapple Tee	White	Bold back print	$45	Beach to bar
Strawberry Tee	Midnight Blue, Pink	Bold front print	$45	Festivals
Gelato Tee	White	Front graphic	$45	Anyone who likes a bit of pink
Margarita Tee	Green	Back print	$45	Darker colour that hides a spill
Gin and Tonic Tee	Misty Purple, Blue	Front	$39	Best value in the range

Two of these, the Avocado and the black Sydney, are current best sellers. If you are buying for someone else and guessing their taste, start there. If you are buying for yourself, the back prints (Pineapple, Margarita) are the ones people ask about, because the front stays clean and the artwork does its work as you walk away.

All eight share the same body: a relaxed, drop-shoulder cut in unisex sizing from S to 2XL, printed with a water-based direct-to-garment process. The whole line-up lives in the Sorona quick-dry tees collection.

What is Sorona, in plain English?

Sorona is a fibre made by Covation Biomaterials. Around 37 per cent of the polymer comes from annually renewable plant-based ingredients rather than oil, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America's materials index describes the resulting fabrics as soft, quick to dry, resistant to fading and able to recover their stretch after repeated washes. The same source cites manufacturer figures of 30 per cent less energy and 63 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions in production compared with nylon 6.

Worth being straight about what that means. It is partly plant-based, not fully, and it is still a synthetic fibre. It is a better choice than conventional polyester on the numbers, not a free pass. If you want the fibre-by-fibre detail, our guide to cotton versus Sorona for custom tees goes deeper, and the piece on organic versus conventional cotton covers the other side of the sustainability argument.

Are Sorona tees actually good for an Australian summer?

Yes, for the reason that matters most: they do not stay wet. A cotton tee soaks up sweat and holds it, which is why it feels heavy by lunchtime. A Sorona blend sheds moisture faster, so you are dry again by the time you have walked from the sand to the car. Heat guidance published by Play by the Rules, the national safe sport resource, is simple on this point: wear lightweight, breathable clothing as much as possible.

Here is the part most summer tee guides skip. A light short-sleeve tee is not sun protection. These tees carry no UPF rating, and a white lightweight knit lets more through than you would hope. Cancer Council recommends protection whenever the UV index hits 3 or above, and clothing that covers as much skin as possible. So wear the tee for comfort, and sort sunscreen, a hat and shade separately.

Where the fabric earns its keep:

• Travel. It resists creasing, so it comes out of a bag wearable. Rinse it in a hotel sink and it is dry by morning.
• Beach days. Throw it on over damp skin without that clingy feeling. It pairs well with a sand-free beach towel, and our beach towel price guide covers what to pay for one.
• Festivals and long days out. Twelve hours in one tee is the real test, and shape recovery is what stops the collar looking tired by sunset.
• Gym and walks. Fine for both, though it is cut as a lifestyle tee, not a compression top.

How made to order works: printed in the USA, shipped express

There is no warehouse shelf of these. When you order, your tee is printed for you in the USA, then shipped express to Australia. Nothing is made that has not been sold, which means no dead stock and no end-of-season landfill run.

The trade-off is time. Made to order items carry a production window of around 10 business days before dispatch, as set out in the shipping policy, and express transit comes after that. So this is not a Thursday order for a Saturday party. If it is a Christmas present, get the order in during November, and for a January holiday, do it before you book the pet sitter.

Get the size right first time

Because each tee is printed for you, there are no returns or exchanges for change of mind, and that includes picking the wrong size. Faulty items are covered. This is the single most useful thing to know before you buy.

The fix takes two minutes. Lay your favourite tee flat, measure chest width and length, and match those numbers to the size chart on the product page. Remember the cut is relaxed with a dropped shoulder, so it is designed to sit loose. Do not size up out of habit.

Buying for a club, a crew or a work team?

Sorona tees carry Empulse artwork, which makes them a strong pick for gifts, trip shirts and thank-you presents. They show up on plenty of lists like our end-of-season team gift ideas for that reason.

If you want your own logo, club crest or names on the shirt, that is a different product. Head to the custom apparel collection, where the tee bodies are built to take print and embroidery, and read the guide to custom AS Colour tees to pick a blank. Pricing depends on the artwork, finish and quantity, so ask for a quote and you will hear back within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

What are Sorona t-shirts made from?

Empulse Sorona tees are a blend of cotton and Sorona fibre. Sorona is a polymer made by Covation Biomaterials, with around 37 per cent of it coming from renewable plant-based ingredients.

Where are Empulse Sorona tees made?

Each tee is printed to order in the USA and shipped express to Australia. They are not held as stock.

How long does delivery take?

Allow around 10 business days for production before dispatch, plus express shipping time to your address. You will get tracking details once it is on the way.

Can I return a Sorona tee if it does not fit?

No. Made to order tees cannot be returned or exchanged for change of mind, including an incorrect size. Faulty items are covered under the refund policy, so check the size chart before ordering.

How much do Sorona tees cost?

Most designs are $45. The Gin and Tonic Tee is $39 and a small number of styles, such as the Sorrento and Sushi tees, are $49.

Pick your tee before the heat does it for you

Summer orders stack up fast once December hits, and made to order means earlier is better. Shop all 37 Sorona quick-dry tees and have yours on the way before the first proper scorcher.

Empulse is a Melbourne-founded apparel business supplying custom teamwear, tees and accessories to clubs, gyms, schools and businesses across Australia, with logo, name and number personalisation available on custom apparel.