Have you seen the latest breakthroughs in T-shirts? Some of the designs are made of milk or soy. The Good Housekeeping Institute tested the newest styles to see if the claims of comfort, fit and appearance would hold up over an eight-week period.

Testers and the volunteers who wore Colorado Clothing's Soy/Cotton Blend Tee ($25; www.coloradoclothing.com) were impressed. This supersoft champ can be dressed up for work or down on the weekends.

The snazziest T-shirt: the Piscotta ($110; www.piscottacashmere.com) is made from 100 percent milk. The liquid is freeze-dried and spun into yarn for a texture that feels as smooth as silk but breathes better. Hand-wash and line-dry only.

The L.L. Bean Stain Resistant Cotton T- Shirt ($12; 800-809-7057; www.llbean.com) fared the best in the stain test, which included spots such as mustard, ketchup, salad dressing and red wine. Lipstick and ink proved a little too stubborn, but they are typically tough to get out.

When choosing a new T-shirt, traditional or not, make sure you look for one with double stitching on the sleeves and around the waist. This helps keep the hems from getting uneven as the shirt gets tumbled in the wash.