Foreign Trade Black Athletic Shorts Review: A $7.46 Polyester Five-Point Short, Measured at the Bench
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We ordered the Foreign Trade black athletic shorts in black, size L, and measured waist, hip, inseam, leg opening, weight and drawstring hold at our bench. Here is what the $7.46 factory listing gets right — and what it leaves out.
- Hands-on score
- 4.0 / 5
Editor score 4.0 / 5
What works
- Straight, mid-thigh cut with a wide elastic drawstring range — 39 to 47 cm flat on our size L.
Watch-outs
- Listing publishes no waist, hip or inseam figures, so fit must be requested from the seller.
Research record
Factory-source listings rarely publish numbers, so we ordered these shorts at retail through the same agent any buyer uses, photographed the parcel unopened on the bench, and measured the sample ourselves. The listing is titled "Foreign Trade black athletic shorts in sport-casual style", carries SKU 7720570468, and sells for $7.46 against a stated original of $8.51. It names polyester as the main fabric, a five-point (mid-thigh) straight cut, slight stretch, four colours and sizes M through 3XL. Here is what our sample actually did.
What arrived
One pair, black, size L, in stock at the time of ordering. The parcel held the shorts and nothing else — no spare drawstring, no swing tag, no care card. The small factory label inside the waistband names the manufacturer as Chenshida, which matches the supplier data behind the listing. The black colourway is the one pictured with script lettering across the front and a small patch detail on the lower leg; the white, orange and green options are shown in the listing gallery.
Bench measurements
We laid the shorts flat, took every reading twice with a seam gauge, and weighed the sample on the digital scale. Waist figures are flat measurements across the front, so double them for circumference.
| Measurement (size L, black) | Our reading |
|---|---|
| Flat waist, elastic relaxed | 39 cm (approx. 78 cm around) |
| Flat waist, elastic fully extended | 47 cm (approx. 94 cm around) |
| Hip, flat | 53 cm |
| Inseam | 15 cm |
| Outseam | 44 cm |
| Leg opening, flat | 28 cm |
| Sample weight | 156 g |
| Drawstring anchor, pull test | Held at 9 kg, no stitch slip |
| Weft stretch under load | Approximately 14% |
The listing publishes no waist, hip or inseam figures at all, so the table above is the only measurement source we can stand behind. If you are ordering a different size, ask the seller for the same flat numbers rather than scaling ours up or down.
Fabric and stitching under the loupe
The main fabric is a plain-weave polyester with the light sheen you expect from that fibre and a cool, dry hand. It is not a mesh and it is not lined. Under the 10x lens the overlocked leg openings and side seams are clean, with no loose thread tails and no skipped stitches; the raw edge is neatly wrapped on all four hems. Stitch density sits at roughly four stitches per centimetre, which is normal for this price band but not generous.
The script lettering across the front is applied rather than embroidered, with a defined edge and no lifting at the corners on arrival. We cannot say how it survives repeated washing, because that is a wear question and not a bench question. The listing does not state a wash instruction, so treat cold water and air drying as the safe default.
On the body
The elastic waist plus drawstring gives a wide adjustment window — the 16 cm of flat stretch we measured covers a real range without the waistband bunching. The straight, mid-thigh cut ends well above the knee and the leg opening is wide enough that there is no cling across the thigh when walking or climbing stairs. The slight stretch is felt most when squatting, where the fabric gives rather than pulling at the seat seam.
Nothing here feels like performance kit. This is a street-leaning everyday short, which is exactly how the listing positions it: a warm-weather, daily-wear item in the brand's own street category. Worn with a plain T-shirt and sneakers it reads as a neutral black short; the script lettering is the only element that carries any real identity.
What the listing leaves open
- No published garment measurements, so fit is guesswork unless you message the seller first.
- No independent buyer reports we could find, which means no second opinion on sizing, shrinkage or how the print ages.
- The spec sheet contradicts itself on season, listing both 2025 summer and 2024 summer. Minor, but it tells you the spec block was assembled rather than checked.
- Durability and print longevity are unproven by a short order window; we report what arrived, not what a year of washing does to it.
Measured straight, stitched cleanly, and priced at $7.46 — but you are buying blind on size until the seller sends numbers.
Bottom line for buyers
For under eight dollars, the arithmetic is simple: you get a plain polyester mid-thigh short with a functioning drawstring, tidy overlocking and a size run that reaches 3XL. What you do not get is documentation. Bring your own tape measure to the conversation, request flat waist and inseam figures for the size you want, and compare them against a pair you already own. Done that way, this is a straightforward warm-weather pick; done the other way, you are betting on a spec sheet that disagrees with itself.
Priya Raghavan is Reviews Editor, covering movement regulation, timegrapher testing, case finishing, bracelet fit, and bag hardware inspection. They test every replica watch in six positions, check bracelet end-link clearance with a 0.05 mm feeler gauge, and edit every review published under the desk's name. Their bench work also includes inspecting case edges and crown threads under a 10x loupe, counting zipper cycles, and conducting bag hardware pull tests. Where the original item referenced by a replica is available on the bench, Priya compares every reading against it. The watch record retains rate, amplitude, and beat error for each of the six tested positions.
How we tested
Our sample was size L in black, SKU 7720570468. We weighed it, took flat waist, hip, inseam, outseam and leg-opening readings with a seam gauge, inspected overlocking and the applied script print at 10x, and pulled the drawstring anchor on a luggage scale.
What does the five-point cut mean on these shorts?
It is a mid-thigh length that finishes above the knee, paired here with a straight leg. On our size L sample the inseam measured 15 cm and the outseam 44 cm, which on a 180 cm frame lands roughly mid-thigh.
How should I choose a size without a published chart?
Message the seller for flat waist, hip and inseam figures, then compare them with a pair of shorts you already own. Our relaxed size L waist measured 39 cm flat and 47 cm extended, so the elastic range is genuinely useful.
Are there buyer reviews for this listing?
We found no independent buyer reports to cross-check against. The listing carries supplier specifications only, so sizing, shrinkage and how the applied script print ages over months of washing remain unverified by anyone outside our single order.
Editor verdict
A cleanly stitched polyester mid-thigh short that measured straight on our bench and held its drawstring at 9 kg. At $7.46 the value is real, but with no published measurements or buyer reports, sizing stays a seller question. 4 / 5.