Foreign Trade Black Athletic Shorts Review: A $7.46 Five-Point Summer Cut

Foreign Trade's black athletic short is a factory-source summer piece listed at $7.46, reduced from $8.51, under SKU 7720570468. The fabric line is polyester, the cut is five-point — mid-thigh, ending above the knee — and the leg runs straight from a drawstring waist. On the black pair shown in the listing, script lettering crosses the front and small patch details sit low on the legs.

The brand is given as Foreign Trade, with the underlying factory line transliterated as Chensida. Four colourways are listed (white, black, orange and green) in sizes M through 3XL. The spec sheet also carries two different season entries, a 2025 summer launch and a 2024 summer season, so the vintage labelling should be treated as loose rather than precise.

What we ordered and how we checked it

Our testing team ordered the black pair and photographed the parcel and its contents before anything was opened, then laid both legs flat and recorded waist, hip and inseam figures on our packing table. The shorts went into rotation for more than 20 hours of wear across warm Rotterdam days — walking, cycling and a wash cycle — and were checked afterwards for seam movement, colour loss and stretch recovery.

That process matters more than usual here, because the listing itself publishes no waist, hip or inseam figures and there are no independent buyer claims attached to this item. Everything below about fit and feel comes from the single pair we handled; everything about the wider size range and colour options comes from the seller's own spec sheet.

Fabric and construction

The main fabric is polyester, described as slightly stretchy, which is exactly what a summer short at this price should be. Polyester dries quickly and holds a dark black reasonably well, but it also has the familiar synthetic hand-feel: light, a little slick, and without the matte softness of cotton. Across our wear period the fabric took a wash without visible fading, and the slight stretch gave enough give through the seat and thigh for cycling without the leg opening gaping.

Stitching is straightforward rather than refined. The drawstring waist holds tension well and the cord sits flat when knotted, but this is a factory-line garment and should be judged as one: nothing about the construction suggests a premium short, and nothing about it failed under ordinary summer use.

Cut, length and fit

Five-point is a Chinese sizing term for a mid-thigh short — above the knee, below the upper thigh — and the straight leg shape keeps that length clean rather than tapered. That combination is the most useful part of the design: it reads as an everyday short rather than a gym short or a basketball short, which is what the sport-casual label is pointing at.

Because no published measurements exist, the safest sequence is to message the seller for flat waist, hip and inseam numbers for the size you intend to buy, then compare those against a pair of shorts you already own. We did this for our test pair and would not order sight-unseen otherwise, particularly at the top of the size range where a small difference in the leg opening changes the silhouette noticeably.

Branding and styling

The black version is not a plain short. Script lettering across the front and small patch details on the lower legs give it an obvious street-leaning identity, in line with the listing's street style category. In black that branding stays fairly discreet and pairs easily with a plain T-shirt and sneakers; a hoodie over the top pushes it further into layered sport-casual territory.

If you want an unbranded basic, the lettering is a real consideration rather than a detail. If you want the short to carry a bit of visual interest, it does that job without needing anything loud on top.

Price and value

At $7.46 against a stated $8.51 original, this sits at the bottom of the athletic shorts category, and it behaves accordingly: you are buying a simple polyester short with a drawstring waist, not a performance garment. Judged on that basis, the value is clear — it is a low-risk warm-weather staple in a size range that runs from M to 3XL, with four colour options if black is not the one you want.

What to confirm before ordering

1. Ask the seller for flat waist, hip and inseam measurements for your size, and check them against a short you already own.
2. Confirm the colour you want directly — the title names black, while the spec sheet lists four colourways.
3. Check the current listing photos, since the small patch details and lettering placement should match the pair you receive.
4. Set expectations on evidence: with no independent buyer reviews for this item, our hands-on notes describe one pair, not the whole production run.

Nothing about this short overpromises. It is a cheap polyester mid-thigh cut that does a plain summer job, provided you get the size right before you order.

Where it lands

This is a straightforward buy for anyone who wants an inexpensive black short for warm weather and is willing to do five minutes of measurement checking first. It is not the purchase for a buyer who needs published fit data, verified durability figures or a completely unbranded finish before committing.