Cool Hunting

One thing that didn't set 2008 apart was the abundance of tees improving on the classic Hanes. As we tear the final page off the calendar, we reflect on the top five tees featured here on Cool Hunting.

We checked back in with Klaus Industries whose irreverent brand of political satire makes us grin on the outside even while we wince on the inside. Toward the end of the year, we shone the light on three talented artists whose respective urban sensibilities from Los Angeles to Brooklyn to Miami came alive in a series of designer tees that celebrates the improvised art that adorns the concrete of the American metropolis.

In January, we stumbled upon Torso Tees of Australia. This label has invited talented designers of all stripes to contribute and the results are intriguing.

On a more philanthropic side, eight top-notch designers have teamed with Alessi to produce a series of shirts to aid an Italian childrens' rights organization.

In a similar vein, the tees from the Panagea Project are attractive and proceeds benefit civil war-ravaged Rwanda.