Goodlife Review: Ethical but the Fit Isn’t for Everyone

In this hands-on review, we share our thoughts on the clothing brand Goodlife. Read on to learn more about the company and their products.

Goodlife is an ethical brand that makes clothing basics for men and women. I tried some of their items to test the fit and quality. Here’s my review of what I tried.

Quick Take

Don’t have time to read the full review? No worries! Here’s a quick summary:

Click here to check out Goodlife, or read on for the full review.

About Goodlife

Goodlife is a pretty new brand started by Chris Molnar in New York City in 2013.

While the site doesn’t share much about the man behind the brand, it does share really important details about Goodlife’s mission.

It’s very clear that they’re an ethical company. In fact, they “promise to manufacture products responsibly.”

Goodlife also has their Goodlife Loop recycling program, which allows customers to send in any Goodlife products that they’re no longer wearing.

By partnering with Green Tree Textiles, Goodlife is able to ensure that the clothing is shredded so it can be used as insulation for housing.

Goodlife products provide a fresh but nostalgic twist on some of style’s greatest hits.

from Goodlife’s about page

Obviously, no brand is all about sustainability. The look and feel of the products matter too. Goodlife aims to “provide high-quality classics, reimagined for modern living” that always have “versatility and comfort at the core.”

Needless to say, they keep both style and ethics in mind.

My Build

For reference, I’m 6’1″ and 170lbs. I have a 37″ chest and usually wear Large tops. My ideal pants size is 32×32.

The Products I Tried

I tried four of Goodlife’s products:

• Tri-Blend Scallop Crew
• Double Dye Linen Shirt Jacket
• StretchTex Volley Short
• Essential Twill Pant

Here’s a breakdown of my thoughts on each of them…

Tri-Blend Scallop Crew

The Tri-Blend Scallop Crew is made of a very soft polyester, cotton, and rayon blend.

It’s a comfortable shirt that has a good stretch to it, but it’s very thin. Personally, I usually prefer shirts that are medium or heavy-weight. While I know that a lot of guys prefer thin t-shirts, the Tri-Blend Scallop Crew is concerningly thin to me.

I didn’t find any problems with the quality of it while I was wearing it, but I question how it would hold up over time.

On that note, they have a t-shirt subscription service where you receive new shirts from them every one, two, three, or six months. Goodlife calls this service the T-Shirt Club.

Maybe it’s a good option if you’re very sold on their shirts, but I find this sales model questionable. If you’re spending around $50 on a t-shirt, it should be high enough quality to last several years and be able to take a beating.

I refresh my t-shirts every couple of years or so and donate the old ones to a thrift shop, but it seems excessive to be needing new shirts every six months (or less).

Another note about the Tri-Blend Scallop Crew is that it does, of course, have a scalloped hem. Overall, I don’t understand the purpose of a scalloped hem other than it giving you more shirt to tuck in. Untucked, it feels too long and has a baggier look to it. It doesn’t suit my style.

Luckily, Goodlife makes shirts with regular hems too. Choose wisely if you’re going to buy any of their t-shirts. Try sizing down if you are going with a scalloped hem and want a less baggy look.

Double Dye Linen Shirt Jacket

I’ve owned a few great shirt jackets in my day, but the Double Dye Linen Shirt Jacket isn’t one of them.

Shirt jackets that I’ve tried are usually a thick material that makes you question “Is it a shirt or a jacket?” Well, it’s both. That’s why it’s called a shirt jacket of course!

If you do a quick image search for “shirt jacket”, you’ll see what I mean. Shackets, as they’re often called, are thicker than a shirt but not as thick and heavy as a jacket.

Goodlife’s “shirt jacket” feels like a thin shirt that they added a couple of extra pockets to.

I know it’s made of linen, so I don’t expect it to be very thick, but I think they’re using the term “shirt jacket” loosely.

Even guys who prefer a slim fit might find the Double Dye Linen Shirt Jacket to be a bit odd. The fit is very slender and really tapers in at the sides. It feels like a woman’s garment to me (so much so that I actually gave it to my sister after I tried it out).

Due to the very slim fit, I recommend sizing up if you’re interested in buying one.

StretchTex Volley Short

Goodlife totally nailed it with the StretchTex Volley Short. They’re a pair of swim shorts made mostly of polyester and some stretchy material.

They have a 5.5″ inseam, which is a great length for most guys, especially for a swim short. (Yes, you can pull of short shorts).

I’ve been wearing them to the beach a lot, and I have no complaints. They feel good, they’re high-quality, and the silicone-tipped drawcords are a subtle but awesome touch.

Essential Twill Pant

The fourth product I tried from Goodlife’s collection is their Essential Twill Pant. They’re basically chinos with an elastic waistband, but they look a little more casual than your standard pair of chinos.

They’re super comfortable and have some nice color options. I got the navy which looks good, although they do kind of look like scrubs (as my girlfriend pointed out).

One complaint is that you can’t choose a precise length for the inseam. They offer different sizes (small, medium, large, etc.), but I’d love to be able to choose the length.

I have a 32″ waist so I went with the medium size. They’re shorter than the pants that I normally wear, but they still look good, especially for spring and summer wear.

What I Like

Goodlife pretty much nailed it with the bottoms. They’re high quality, comfortable, and they look good. The StretchTex Volley Shorts are now my go-to swimming trunks, and the Essential Twill Pants have quickly become a wardrobe staple for me.

What I Didn’t Like

The tops I tried from Goodlife missed the mark for me.

The Tri-Blend Scallop Crew is very thin, and I have some concerns about how well it’ll hold up. Especially considering that they offer a t-shirt subscription service.

I love shirt jackets, but the Double Dye Linen Shirt Jacket feels a lot like a shirt and not at all like a jacket apart from two extra pockets they added. The slim and tapered fit may be great for some guys, but I’d prefer a more standard fit.

My Recommendation

Overall, I found Goodlife’s bottoms to be worthy of keeping, and they’ve gotten a lot of wear so far.

The tops weren’t my style, but if you don’t mind the cons that I mentioned, try them out!

One thing that Goodlife certainly does right is their ethical practices. Whether you like their clothing or not, their brand philosophy is something that anyone can respect.

Leave a comment below if you’ve tried any of Goodlife’s products. I’d love to hear what you think about them!