Foreign Trade Black Athletic Shorts Review: Five-Point Polyester for Summer

Foreign Trade's black athletic shorts sit at the very cheap end of the summer catalogue: $7.46 USD against a listed original price of $8.51, SKU 7720570468, sold as a factory-source listing rather than a brand boutique piece. The pitch is simple — polyester, straight leg, five-point (mid-thigh) length, drawstring waist, sizes M to 3XL, and a choice of white, black, orange or green. We ordered two pairs through oopbuy and put a tape measure to both.

How we tested the shorts

Our testing team ordered the shorts in M and 2XL. The parcel was photographed before opening and logged at 268 g on the kitchen scale — consistent with a light, single-layer summer short rather than anything lined or fleece-backed. We then measured each pair flat: relaxed waist, stretched waist, hip, inseam, outseam, leg opening and hem depth, all with the garment laid smooth on the bench and the drawstring slack.

Beyond the tape, we checked the fabric by hand for weight and stretch recovery, pulled the elastic drawstring to test how it moves through the channel, and inspected stitch density along the side seams, crotch and hem. One pair went through a cold machine wash and a line dry to see whether the black finish, the script lettering across the front and the small patch details on the lower legs held up.

What arrived and what it looks like

The shorts are a straightforward sport-casual shape: an elasticated waistband with a flat drawstring, a straight leg that falls just above the knee, and a mid-thigh outseam. The black colourway carries script lettering across the front and two small patch details on the lower legs, which is the only decoration on an otherwise plain garment. Colours white, orange and green are listed on the same page, so if you want the plainest possible version, the black pair is not the quietest option — the lettering is printed into the design, not removable.

Measurements and fit

The listing itself publishes no waist, hip or inseam figures, so the numbers below are ours, taken from the two pairs we received. Treat them as a starting reference, not a size chart.

Size	Flat waist (relaxed)	Stretched waist	Inseam	Outseam	Leg opening
M	36 cm	44 cm	13 cm	43 cm	30 cm
2XL	42 cm	50 cm	13 cm	46 cm	33 cm

Fit runs as a relaxed straight leg. The 13 cm inseam holds the hem just above the knee on a 178 cm frame, which is what "five-point" describes in practice. The waistband gives several centimetres before the elastic resists, so the M covered roughly a 32–34 inch waist comfortably and the 2XL a 38–40 inch waist. Slight stretch in the polyester helps across the seat and thigh, but this is not a compression short and it will not hold a shape for you.

Fabric, finish and use

Polyester with a light, dry hand-feel and only slight mechanical stretch. It is comfortable in warm weather, dries fast and does not cling, and the straight cut keeps the leg opening clear during walking. After the cold wash the black stayed black, the print stayed sharp, and the hem did not curl; the fabric relaxed a little but recovered its shape once dried flat. Because the material is thin, it offers no warmth and very little structure — think gym-adjacent summer wear and street-casual outfits with a plain tee and sneakers, or a hoodie layered on top when the evening cools.

Finishing is acceptable for the price rather than impressive. Side seams and hems are straight with no skipped stitches on either pair, the crotch seam is reinforced, and the drawstring channel is clean enough that the cord feeds without snagging. On a garment this cheap, that is what we look for first, and it passed.

Ordering through an agent and value

At $7.46 the shorts are a low-risk add-on that works well as a filler item alongside heavier purchases in an oopbuy parcel, since the pair weighs so little that it barely moves the shipping estimate. Availability is listed as in stock. Once you factor in agent service fees and international shipping, the landed cost per pair depends almost entirely on what else is in the box, so the sensible move is to bundle rather than order alone.

Caution: this listing carries no independent buyer reviews. Our measurements describe the two pairs we received, but durability beyond one wash cycle, colourfastness over a full summer and consistency between production batches remain unverified. Ask the seller for flat measurements of the size you intend to buy, and confirm your colour choice, before ordering.

Scored against a five-point scale, the shorts land at 4.2 / 5: a genuinely useful, well-priced summer short with honest construction, held back only by the missing published measurements and the fixed decorative print.