14 chic T-shirts from independent brands perfect for summer

These unique T-shirts from independent, female-owned businesses are perfect for afternoons spent in the park or evenings at the pub and two of them are exclusive to The Drop by Stylist. The beauty with this wardrobe staple lies in the fact that a layer you can  add underneath or on top for those chillier summer nights. 

Whether you’re looking for a slogan tee or something more understated, there’s lots to choose from and just remember, there’s no such thing as having too many T-shirts…

• Emma Warren doodle embroidered T-shirts

  From strawberries at JW Anderson to mushrooms at Rodarte, fashion is having a love affair with nature-inspired motifs right now. So why not upgrade your white T-shirt collection with one of Emma Warren’s embroidered tees to be bang on trend this season?

  Made from organic cotton sourced from a sustainable and ethical wholesaler, choose from two nature-themed designs: one featuring a vibrant green and pink moth, the other a sunflower on the front and a bee on the sleeve. Nature never looked so stylish.

  Shop Emma Warren Doodle Embroidered T-Shirts at The Drop, £24

• House of Alice diva tee

  With the 90s and Y2K fashion resurgence going nowhere – not to mention the nostalgia trend – House of Alice’s Diva slogan T-shirts couldn’t have come at a better time. Founder Alice Thornton’s collection of small-batch T-shirts pay homage to iconic musical divas, with 90s bubble writing to complete the throwback look. 

  The hardest part? Choosing between Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston and Britney Spears.

  Shop House of Alice diva tee at The Drop, £35

• Kim & Tonic Just Quietly Smashing It T-shirt

  Maybe you’ve scored a promotion, come out the other side of a break-up, or achieved a long-held personal goal – whatever the milestone, it’s always a good idea to celebrate it. This T-shirt makes a great gift for anyone who deserves recognition or is in need of a confidence boost.

  Shop Kim & Tonic just quietly smashing it T-shirt at The Drop, £14

• Lisa Macario Fully Vaccinated T-shirt

  If there was ever a T-shirt that summed up our goals since the pandemic started, it’s this one. And, although the world is opening up more, we still care about being vaccinated just as much. This is a piece you’ll want to throw on when you’re lounging about the house or headed out to run errands.

  Shop Lisa Macario fully vaccinated T-shirt at The Drop, £35

• Birungi Kawooya Art hiplet ballerinas organic T-shirt

  This Hiplet Ballerinas T-shirt is the dance-inspired masterpiece we’re obsessed with. Made from organic cotton, we’ll be tucking it into a pair of straight leg jeans and adding a straw basket bag for a laidback weekend outfit.

  Shop Birungi Kawooya Art hiplet ballerinas organic T-shirt at The Drop, £30

• Tea Please plant lady T-shirt

  Available in soft white cotton and printed with vegan environmentally friendly ink, Tea Please work with sustainable fabric that is fair trade certified and sweatshop-free. All their packaging is recyclable and biodegradable too, making this a top you and your plant-lover friends will cherish forever. 

  Shop Tea Please plant lady T-shirt at The Drop, £24

• Cocolulu organic cotton hand-embroidered heart T-shirt

  Embroidered tops are the homespun trend that shows no signs of abating this summer and we particularly love this one with red hearts placed squarely on the bust. Cocolulu founder Louise hand-embroiders every T-shirt so please allow a week’s lead time. 

  Shop Cocolulu organic hand-embroidered heart T-shirt at The Drop, £25

• Black & Beech liberté, egalité, sororité feminist T-shirt

  This uplifting Liberté Egalité Sororité feminist charcoal tee is Black & Beech’s take on a phrase which can be traced back to the Mouvement de la Libération des Femmes in 1970s Paris.

  Ethically produced (WRAP certified) using 100% organic cotton to the highest ethical standards, it’s been screen printed using water-based commercial inks in the UK.

  Shop Black & Beech liberté, egalité, sororité feminist T-shirt at The Drop, £25

• Coco Roses exclusive sisterhood T-shirt

  Mimi the founder of Coco Roses Apparel says: “I design everything with one purpose: to inspire, empower and make women feel good about themselves (once and for all).” With this vital message in mind, she created a tie-dye, limited-edition tee for The Drop by Stylist. 

  Shop Coco Roses exclusive sisterhood T-shirt at The Drop, £30

• Calabash Coast exclusive calabash coast signature femme organic T-shirt

  If there’s one thing we love more than a slogan tee, it’s a slogan tee that uses a stylish font to say the French word for ‘woman’ in sunshine yellow. Did someone say, ‘perfect gift for all your girlfriends’? 

  Launched in December 2020, Calabash Coast is a lifestyle brand created by London-based sisters Samantha and Alison Ellington – inspired by their West Indian heritage and the charm of the Caribbean, the brand is the epitome of laidback cool.

  Shop Calabash Coast exclusive calabash coast signature femme organic T-shirt at The Drop, £25

• Coco Roses sisters got your back T-shirt

  Need some joy? Know a friend that needs some joy? Well, Coco Roses’ Sister’s Got Your Back T-shirt is guaranteed to bring buckets of the stuff. With a beautiful front original pinkie promise design and the iconic back slogan in an ethically produced cotton and printed in vegan ink, this is the tee that everyone needs for summer 2022.

  Shop Coco Roses sisters got your back T-shirt at The Drop, £30

• House Of Alice personalised initial white tee

  Launched by fashion buyer Alice Thornton during 2020’s lockdown, House Of Alice is a dedicated sustainable T-shirt brand that uses 100% organic cotton and a small batch process with limited quantities that ensures zero wastage. 

  With a special price available exclusively at The Drop by Stylist, choose from three colours – lilac, aqua and red – and personalise with your initial, which is entwined by a trio of daisies (a key print for summer).

  Shop House Of Alice personalised initial white tee at The Drop, £30

• Sabinna stronger together T-shirt

  This is the perfect loose-fit white T-shirt, but also one that comes with serious eco-credentials. Sabinna have collaborated with Austrian illustrator Karo Oh to create a message of hope with their “Stronger Together” design which also has a QR code on the label. This means that when you no longer want or need your T-shirt, you can send it back to the factory and they’ll recycle it. Genius!

  Shop Sabinna stronger together T-shirt at The Drop, £39

• Luxtra T-shirt with hand-embroidered rainbow

  LUXTRA’s classic white T-shirt is a simple, wardrobe staple with a hand-embroidered rainbow motif symbolising solidarity. Made from soft 100% organic cotton, the tee is cut in an easy, relaxed fit that suits men and women alike with a crew neck, regular length sleeves and side seams. Put simply: this is a cruelty-free and sustainably made keeper.

  Shop Luxtra T-shirt with hand-embroidered rainbow at The Drop, £39