Have you ever been wondering if some Facebook teaser ad, one of those products that seem almost magical, actually work? Beach towels in which the sand does not stick. Multipurpose tools that only need to make the income statement. Even shirts that you can wear on a day-to-day basis without fear of staining or wetting them because it is practically impossible. Well, we no longer have any doubt about the latter. And we have tested those of Sepiia, a Spanish company dedicated to the development and production of smart garments that repel water and stains. And no, it's not a shopping trick.
We have tried this shirt for a week, taking advantage of it for every occasion, although without abusing it to prevent our environment from thinking it was our overalls. Or that we have a closet like Batman's, full of the same suit. You have to take care of your appearance. The fact is that we have wet it, we have stained it and we have sweated it . And yes, this shirt can handle almost anything. But if you're really interested in the details, take a look at the rest of our review.
A shirt like any other
The first thing that catches the attention of Sepiia shirts is their look and feel. And it is that the weaving of this garment is perceived both by sight and by touch. As with shirts made to measure or that use quality fabrics, it is possible to glimpse the fabric of the same, to guess the texture with your eyes. The crosses of the fibers are designed to achieve maximum breathability , but they also mark the personality of the fabric of this garment. As soon as you open the box, it is obvious that the finishes are of quality and that the materials of its production are taken care of. Of course, when we grab or put on the shirt for the first time, the sensations are not so good.
And it is that touch is one of the characteristics that hits the most in the first contact. It has its explanation in the technology that encloses Sepiia's shirt, but it does not mean that, on the skin, the inner layer is rough and not very tasty. Although it is fair to say that the body gets used to it after a few minutes. On the one hand, it is again the fault of the weaving and its 3D structure to leave channels of perspiration, which makes the "soft" part outside, with a more closed, smooth and beautiful point. Thus, it is much easier to see the texture of the fabric when turning the shirt, leaving the rough and less beautiful part hidden from view, but in contact with the skin. In addition, this internal part of the shirt does not have stain protection, since it would create a garment that does not perspire, making our sweat drip from the inside towards the pants. A very unpleasant image.
The positive part of all this is that, in a few minutes, our skin, if it is not excessively sensitive, gets used to this touch that is much rougher and rougher than that of a cotton shirt. But more interesting is that the type of fiber developed by Sepiia and this way of weaving it prevent the shirt from wrinkling easily. And even better: it is elastic. So comfort is assured .
In our experience of use we have moved without any limitation. It is comfortable to wear to an event or for day to day. After all, it adapts really well to the body. It has the drape and body of a breathable gym top, and it won't stiff or bother your seams. In addition, visually it can pass for a regular casual shirt. So far, except for the inner touch, everything is positive .
The shirt that hardly stains
And once we verify that it is not a science fiction, robotic garment or that fits the body like armor, we only have the fun part: testing its anti-stain properties . Something that has brought us back to childhood by allowing us to forget about the problems that can cause careless eating and drinking. Or a fortuitous crash in a bar where you couldn't sit down. This anti-flash peace of mind is one of his greatest virtues.
Sepiia's shirts take almost anything. We have recreated fortuitous but exaggerated accidents more typical of an overstated telemarketing ad: eating a ketshup sandwich that ends up spilled all over the front of the shirt, being approached with a bottle of a certain sugary drink substitute for tea, or even spilling coffee from the clumsiest way we've ever known. And the results surprise both during and after .
The hydrophobic and oleophobic treatment layer allows almost any liquid to run polarized on the surface of the jacket. It is surprising to see how the water seems to roll as if it were liquid mercury on the shirt. In the case of ketchup, the initial shock is passed when seeing how the material slides without leaving any stain on the shirt. And if it doesn't slip, you just have to pour water to make it run down. Hopefully, and if we have not rubbed this substance strongly against the fabric, it will not have been impregnated or dirty at any time. Now, although the spilled coffee was cold, this material does seem to have left somewhat more visible marks on Sepiia's shirt. In any case, they are really subtle stains for what is expected of a garment, and taking into account that they are very exaggerated situations. Any minor splashes go unnoticed without a problem.
But not all that glitters is gold. In our particular tests we have also noticed certain problems: the inside of the shirt does not have any protection so it can get wet or stain like a normal shirt . Yes, it dries faster than a conventional shirt, but it still leaves some sensitive areas unprotected such as the sleeves (if they are gathered up) or the neck (if it is open). In addition, it is necessary to learn not to rub stains and products, since these can be absorbed by the inner layer of the shirt, thus leaving a fence. You always have to use water so that the remains slide.
Apart from our drastic testing, we have found that normal shirt wear can regularly get the cuffs dirty. However, it is true that the peace of mind that comes from knowing that almost anything is going to slip on the surface relaxes us in certain situations. And, in addition, we know that small drops of wine, coffee or any other daily product will not force us to wash our shirts . Which notably lengthens its useful life and invites us to not worry about tasks such as laundry or ironing.
No smells or wrinkles
One thing is the stain protection layer, and another very different thing is the technology behind the fibers and the weaving so that this shirt does not wrinkle or smell. On the one hand, there are the fibers, which not only provide elasticity, but also have very small silver particles that prevent the proliferation of bad-smelling bacteria. I mean, it goes in the genes of this Sepiia shirt to smell good. Or rather: not to smell. When we checked the results of our tests, we were surprised not to find the acidity and characteristic smell of ketchup, or not even the smell of coffee. The operation is not exhaustive, and with the stains that remain on the fabric it is possible that some odor remains. However, it is surprising what happens to perspiration. Despite being collected with the inside and permeable part of the shirt, the smell does not remain. Of course, the smell of the fabric softener does not seem to remain after washing. The olfactory seal of the Sepiia shirt is a somewhat characteristic non-odor, more typical of fabric or cardboard . It's not unpleasant but forget about it smelling like the rest of your clothes.
As for wrinkles ... it's another story. It is cloth, and as such it wrinkles. Of course, nothing compared to cotton or linen shirts. In fact, the texture of the fabric is much more similar to sports shirts, keeping the same wrinkles possibilities: practically none. Now, as in previous cases, it is not definitive. We can squeeze part of the fabric in the cuff and squeeze hard. The safest thing is that we will not get more than a signal. And the same happens when it comes out of the washing machine and dries on a hanger. The hem is always slightly more wrinkled, although far from any other normal shirt. What is surprising is the result of the cuffs and collar, which are perfect. Of course, if necessary, we can alwaysgive the Sepiia shirt a pass with an iron regularly at medium or low temperature so as not to damage the fibers, which are plastic based.
Variety of models and fittings
We have tried a light blue shirt with a straight fit. But there are plenty of other options in the Sepiia webstore. In fact there are a total of 12 colors and patterns to choose from. All this to achieve a more formal or more casual style. Always keeping in mind that they are shirts with a sport cut. White, sky blue, navy blue, or even with squares and asymmetric patterns. And from sizes S to XXL, all this following the measurement guide shown on the website itself and which really fit well with the final result according to our own experience. There are two models: straight fit or Slim fit , to make the figure. These shirts are priced at 84 euros without shipping or collection costs.
But it is not the only garment they have on the Sepiia website, the only place to buy these shirts. There are also 62 euro polo shirts with three color varieties: black, gray and navy blue. In this case, the notch is unique, slightly picking up the part of the waist. Again, all the details of measurements can be consulted in the size table of the web. There are all sizes, although it is possible that some of them do not have units available and you have to wait.
Sepiia sells its products directly through its website , and does so with a pre-purchase system. This is due to their small production of shirts, which does not allow them to generate all the variety that they have on the web to sell as quickly as other stores in the sector. So they invest the money from the pre-purchase in the production of the shirt that has been requested. Something that can extend delivery times a few days.
Conclusions
It looks like magic but it isn't. Sepiia shirts work , and they are certainly a great solution for those who wear shirts on a daily basis and have no time to waste washing, dreading eating and drinking or ironing. Its use is like that of any shirt. In fact, it is machine washed in a normal way (without bleach and at a temperature below 40 degrees), and it is not necessary to iron it unless we want to go as a real brush.
Is it the final garment? No. You have to know how to treat it to avoid rubbing stains and getting soaked into the fabric. And it must be taken into account that its properties are lost over time with washing. However, they are a great time and effort saver. And they are able to really repel sweat and stains.
Now, does your time and effort cost 84 euros? Doing numbers, and if you wear shirts every day, you may be interested in buying a couple of them. After all, they have the same price as a signature shirt without these special properties .