Best Wrinkle Free Clothing for Men

Is wrinkle free clothing nothing more than a fantasy? You might feel like you're destined to iron shirts, pants, and shorts, even when the tag claims it'll never be an issue. However, there are some clothes that seem to live up to their claims.

Top Choices in Men's Wrinkle Free Clothing

Know what to expect when you're shopping for men's clothing. Expect stiffer fabrics and, in many cases, a higher price tag.

Shirts

Shirts can be tricky to iron and make you late for work if you forget to iron them the night before. Wrinkle free and wrinkle resistant materials can save you trouble during the work week, and sometimes even on the weekend.

The New York Times said wrinkle resistant shirts from Thomas Pink, J. Crew, and Uniqlo were selling even better than expected as of 2015, and Brooks Brothers sold six million non-iron shirts in 2014 (90 percent of their total shirt sales). Try:

• The Thomas Pink Traveller Shirt, available for less than $130.00 in slim and classic fit in a range of colors and subtle patterns. Long- and- short-sleeved versions are available.
• The Non-Iron Madison Fit Dobby Gingham Dress Shirt from Brooks Brothers (just under $70.00). It's available in six colors and three different fits (Madison, Milano, and Regent). Neck sizes range from 14.5 to 20 and sleeve lengths are available in 32, 33, and 34.
• There's also the Non-Iron Madison Fit Blue Plaid Sport Shirt for something a bit more casual from Brooks Brothers. It's about $70.00 as well and made from American Supima® cotton. Sizes range from small to XXL.

Business Insider recommends:

• Twillory SafeCotton shirts. These promise the ease of wrinkle free clothing without the formaldehyde. The reviewers there say they fit well, feel sturdy, and the collars and cuffs hold their shape well throughout the day. The shirts are regularly $99.00, but check for coupon codes before making your purchase. Sometimes you can get them for much less if you're buying several at one time.

According to reviewers across the board on the Orvis website, you'll want to try:

• Orvis' wrinkle free shirts. Most shirts that have been there long enough to have feedback earning almost five-star ratings. They offer almost any color or pattern you could want at less than $100.00 each. Wear a simple pale blue button-up one day and a plaid made up of red, orange, green, and white the next.

GQ recommends:

• The Calvin Klein Steel Men's Slim-Fit Non-Iron Performance Herringbone Dress Shirt (about $75.00). Macy's reviewers tend to agree, as this shirt has a 4.8-star rating with almost 300 reviews. It's available in 14 colors in sizes 14 32/33 to 18 36/37.

  

Pants

Regardless of the cut you prefer, you don't want your pants to wrinkle easily. From cleaning them and traveling with them to just wearing them during your daily commute, there are plenty of ways to wrinkle a pair of pants if you don't have the right material. Luckily, there are a few brands out there that can help.

Dockers wrinkle free pants tend to perform well. You can find them in most department stores and the reviews for them are positive across the board. Choose from Slim Fit, Straight Fit, Classic Fit, Slim Tapered, and more. No matter what your body type or the situation requires, their variety in cuts is unlikely to let you down.

The Dockers website doesn't have many reviews on their pants, but you can find positive reviews at stores like Macy's, JCPenney, Kohl's, and others. Check these out:

• The Dockers Men's Signature Khaki D2 Straight Fit Flat Front earned four stars with over 100 reviews at Zappos. They're also less than $50.00 and available in 22 options.

  

• The Men's Classic Fit Easy Khaki Stretch Performance Pants D3 earned a 4.5-star rating with over 600 reviews. They're available in four colors in sizes 30x30 to 44x32. They're around $50.00.

In terms of wrinkle proof pants, GQ recommends:

• The Bonobos Weekday Warriors, available in 11 different colors and four different fits. Waist sizes range from 28 to 40, and lengths include 30, 32, 34, and 36. Men's Fitness echoes that sentiment, with the writer calling them "the only work pants I'd ever wear."

Shorts

Some guys may stress out less about their shorts since they're not business attire, but who wants to have to iron what they're wearing on the weekend? There's no need to choose between ironing and wrinkled shorts for Saturday or Sunday.

Lands' End no iron shorts get good reviews across the board. They come in different lengths and styles, but the material is the important thing. Beyond that is personal preference.

• The No Iron 9" Plain Front Comfort Waist Chino Shorts have over 300 reviews and still maintain a 4.4 rating. These shorts are less than $50.00 and come in six colors, plus they're available in regular and big and tall sizes (32 to 54). The crisp creases are guaranteed for 50 washes. These shorts are also stain resistant.
• The Non Iron 6" Plain Front Comfort Waist Chino Shorts are also available in six colors, in sizes 32 through 42. These have over 250 reviews and a 4.5-star rating.

L.L. Bean is another option when it comes to shorts you won't have to iron. All of their wrinkle free shorts have at least four stars.

• The Double L® Chino Shorts, Hidden Comfort Waist Plain Front 6" Inseam are available in waist sizes 34 through 46 and four colors for around $40.00. They're designed to be easy to care for, so you can machine wash them and dry them without worrying about wrinkles or shrinking.

  

• There's a similar pair with an eight-inch inseam, also available in sizes 34 through 46 in four colors for around $40.00. The only difference is the extra length. You still don't have to worry about wrinkles, shrinking, or even much staining (the fabric is designed to be stain-resistant, as well).

How They're Wrinkle Free

Most of the wrinkle free clothing is made from cotton that is then treated with chemicals to discourage wrinkling. Reviewed.com explains that the fabric is treated with formaldehyde, which strengthens the material. Business Insider goes into even more detail, stating that cotton wrinkles when you ball it up because the parallel chains of organic compounds are only weakly attached. Wadding the material up or stuffing it into a drawer or suitcase can break those bonds and cause wrinkles. The chemical reaction, however, strengthens the bonds and makes it harder to wrinkle the fabric. This process has transitioned over time to create fabric that's still comfortable to wear, not stiff and easy to rip.

Proper Cloth discusses the differences between no-iron shirts and wrinkle-resistant ones, stating that the most reliably wrinkle free ones are no-iron. However, which one you want will depend on what you need. Wrinkle-resistant materials may be slightly more prone to a wrinkle here and there than no iron ones, but they're also more breathable and softer than their no-iron counterparts. In general, thinner fabrics will wrinkle more easily than thicker ones, so keep that in mind as you shop.

Caring for Your Wrinkle Free Clothing

Caring for your wrinkle free clothing is simple. You should always read the care tag and follow those directions for each specific garment. However, in general, caring for these items is usually as easy as washing them on cool with a mild detergent, drying them, and hanging them up. Do not dry clean the no-iron items unless the tag says otherwise. Even though your items are less prone to wrinkling, you should still remove your clothing from the dryer and get it onto a hanger as soon as you can.

The Easy Wardrobe

Having a few go-to items you know won't be wrinkled when you pull them out of the closet, dryer, or suitcase can make life a lot easier. You may not want to replace your whole wardrobe with wrinkle free clothing (though it could be tempting), but knowing these items are there could take some of the stress out of your work week.