A little late, but better than never – here is part two of my search for the perfect set of white sweats!
MATE the Label is a brand that has been on my radar for quite some time. I’ve seen their neutral, classic pieces pop up every now and then on @selltradeslowfashion. Based in LA, they work with local factories to produce loungewear made from organic materials. More information can be found in their 2020 Impact Report.
I was lucky enough to receive their Fleece Crop Sweatshirt and Fleece Relaxed Sweatpants as a holiday gift from family
Material
Both of these items are made from a 50% cotton fleece / 50% organic cotton blend that feels like french terry. Initially, I thought these would be too thin upon seeing the material, but they are actually quite warm! I wash these cold and tumble dry medium, and have not seen any shrinkage.
More impressively, these are quite opaque, even in the light Bone color. In these photos, I am actually wearing black underwear – which you can’t tell at all. That’s a big win over the Allbirds set that I reviewed here recently.
Fit
I got these in a size small, which is the perfect size to have some slouch, but also accommodate outer layers. If you want a more oversized look, I’d recommend sizing up, at least in the top.
Drop shoulder silhouettes can be hit or miss for me. I didn’t love them in Girlfriend Collective’s more standard fleece material (reviewed here), since they emphasized my already broad shoulders. So I was pleasantly surprised with MATE’s fit. The cotton blend french terry-like knit provides more drape, so the shoulder seams don’t stick out as much.
Lastly, while the sweatshirt is technically cropped, I find it to be less aggressive of a cut compared to other cropped items I have tried.
Verdict
10/10, these are my favorite sweats. Highly recommend giving them a try – they have lighter terry cotton pieces that are more appropriate for these upcoming summer months. If you are a first time shopper, you can use my referral link to get $20 off your order. Please note that I’ll receive a $20 credit as well!
Just One More Thing…
However… if you are in a rush to wear your items and are unsure of fit, I recommend ordering two sizes and returning one. Unfortunately, their support operation leaves much to be desired.
While the support agent was helpful in coordinating an exchange for me, I had to follow up multiple times about shipping / order status. I started an exchange in mid-December, and did not receive my exchanged pieces until mid-March. I understand that they are a small business and operations have been tough for many this past year, but felt that this was enough of an outlier to caveat!
