This might help a little:
https://www.gardenmyths.com/landscap...barrier-cloth/
I like using leaves because they're free and easy to move if you need to. I have ran into the problem of getting too much rain and had to rake the leaves away from the plants so the soil could have a chance to dry out some. I also like the fact that they are natural and will eventually compost.
I'm not sure about old T shirts?