The Declining Quality of Clothing & Goods

[HeatherAnne]

Let's discuss/vent/b*tch about the declining quality of clothing, extending even to shoes and accessories.

Am I the only one who sees this as a significant problem?

Popular American brands like The Gap/J. Crew/Banana Republic/Ann Taylor/Madewell [a new brand that was stellar in quality in their first year, now I can't wash a t-shirt without it falling apart]/L.L. Bean, etc. result in : Sweaters that are itchier. Things piling when washing. T-shirts, are all see-through and stretched out. Pants, unlined. Tailoring, non-existent. Denim has gotten thinner. ......I could go on and on.

Brands I used to be able to count on for quality products that wouldn't break the bank.

More disappointingly I feel like I'm starting to see designer brands declining as well. A designer pair of shoes I just bought, is falling apart after just a few wears. The leather goods of luxury brands doesn't seem quite as soft. The silks not as high quality....

What's the reason? What are your complaints and thoughts? Or maybe wax rhetorical about what you used to be able to buy for the same amount of money. Would love to hear it.

 

[squilliam]

I totally agree. Quality has gone downhill. Now it's all about making it fast and cheap, and that throws quality out the window. If you want quality, you better be prepared to pay a lot of money. It disturbs me. I guess in this new frightening era of fast fashion you want be wearing the clothes for that long anyhow.

 

[dodencebt]

I think that's really the problem. The majority of these brands' clientele wants to buy trendy clothes which are as cheap as possible and for one season only and therefore doesn't care about quality. Which, if you ask me, is a shame. I guess in order to get high quality items today you need to orient yourself to lesser known brands whose customers still want long-lasting apparel.

 

[snickerdoodles]

Every brand is cutting corners. Sweaters in blends instead of 100% wool, unlined pants, skirts and suits, cheap plastic buttons, unfinished hems, super thin knits, clothing that just looks plain WORN OUT after only a few months. I used to get years out of clothing but now I have a really hard time finding anything that is equal quality to what I bought 10 years+ ago. It's really sad and frustrating and I find myself not wanting to buy anything sometimes bc I don't want to waste my money. Sigh... shopping is supposed to be fun!

 

[Nymphaea]

Yes, I can totally see and feel it the decline of quality of clothing. The big stores here did produce quality some 10 years ago, but today it's just garbage, after a few months up to a year you can throw it away. These big stores are also disappearing and you only keep the cheap stores with a lot of rubbish, but most people go there, can't imagine why probably only for the cheapness. So the trend the past couple of years is more and more stores with bad quality stuff and if you want quality you have to pay a lot and still don't get the quality you want. It's a really disappointing era now concerning quality of goods/clothes. I can imagine it's also bad for the environment all that more garbage they are generating because people throw their buys faster in the trashbin etc.

 

[eizhowa]

I don't think most consumers care about this at all Zara sold a "light wool blazer" on their website this season that contained 0% wool. Zara admitted the mistake as soon as I pointed it out, but don't get why none of the people who had bought it had said something... It had been for sale for months when I emailed Zara. Apparently nobody cares

I think it is such a shame, but I really think we are in the minority. Most people seem to be happy with buying cheaper clothes without even factoring in quality.

I have managed to teach my little sister that quality is important, but a lot of the people I know are very negative towards spending more money on quality clothes. I find this so weird, because people in my country do not tend to be poor... When I told a relative I had taught my sister to buy wisely (and more expensively), she almost told me off for teaching her expensive habits

 

[Trenchcoat]

Very true. I remember H&M used to make better clothes 15 years ago. The clothes lasted for years and looked good. Now it's just crap!

 

[Trenchcoat]

I think its very hard these days finding good quality clothes. Sometimes I just buy a white shirt from ZARA even though i know the quality is crap, but buy it anyhow because there are no better alternatives.I once bought the famous white tee from T by Alexander. And it started pilling after wearing it a few times.

 

[Koibito]

You can find the reason why here, esp. number 4:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannon-whitehead/5-truths-the-fast-fashion_b_5690575.html

 

[eizhowa]

From the article above:

4.) Clothing is designed to fall apart.

Does this mean that I can go back and complain and demand my money back is an item doesn't fall apart after two seasons?

 

[HeatherAnne]

Thanks for posting that koibito. Their point about discounts not really being discounts certainly hits home. I thought my inbox would stop being bombarded after the holidays with "hot sales!", but nah, it just keeps on going. You're basically insane to buy anything full price these days.

I'll admit I got caught in a few of those "great" holdiay sales, that didn't up being that great when all was said and done. Also, why am I paying a hell of a lot more money in 2015 for clothes that were made better than I paid much, much, less [inflation ain't the answer] for 10 years ago?!

One thing they didn't mention in that article: are we more pressured because of the internet to be up to date when it comes to the current styles? Instead of being influenced by monthly magazines we are not getting hit daily with images and articles about being "on trend".

Like Trenchcoat and eizhowa mentioned, even stores like H&M, Zara, Topshop (who are famous for fast-fashion and shoving these trends down our throats) used to make must better quality clothes.

 

[squilliam]

I've shopped at h&m for several years and their quality has definitely declined but the prices went up.
My mom has also commented on the quality of clothes and agrees that it's declined across the board

 

[ErnstLudwig]

Even on the high end spectrum the quality is getting worse, because of a limitation in supply of the materials.

There is a reason why Hermes has it's own tannery & LVMH acquired Loro Piana. Nevertheless, f.e. good cow hide have become scarce and did decline in quality overall (extreme weight gain in short time = skin is thinner, especially at the belly region).

You have to pick a label that cares about quality not fashion...

 

[Nomar]

Yes I definitely agree that this is a major issue affecting many different goods that nowadays I tend to avoid buying cheap things and look more towards designer clothes which even though they cost a hell of a lot more I know that they will last a lot longer (hopefully so I can one day pass them on). It has made me become more conscious about how I shop and I've definitely grown to be incredibly careful nowadays and always do a little bit of research before I make a purchase (especially if it's designer), looking at where it was made, the materials used and just reading other peoples reviews about the quality.
My friends think I'm an idiot for spending so much money on one piece of clothing when I could've bought four different things from say Topman for example but they just don't understand...

 

[blusheels]

I agree with pretty much every thing has been said about this topic. It's frustrating entering a ZARA store and see a t-shirt costing 15€ and was made for the price of 1€.
People always criticize me when I buy designer clothes, saying that I've got expensive habits. Well, I just bought a Acne leather jacket. And I think this is the secret for a smart wardrobe: invest in timeless, classic items!

 

[Nymphaea]

Well, I just bought a Acne leather jacket. And I think this is the secret for a smart wardrobe: invest in timeless, classic items!

Can't agree more!

 

[ssgghh]

The declining quality of clothes for me means much more time spent shopping and much more thought about what I am buying. Surprisingly, lately I have been buying less and less clothes because it feels like very few items are actually worth it. Sometimes I spend hours shopping and not buy a single thing, especially in high street shops. You can count on people being exploited in the production process and you can count on your item to be of inferior quality and outdated in 3 months.
It is hard to find good alternatives though, good and truly creative independent brands that are actually affordable and not of dubious quality, but I am working on it and I am trying to contribute to the lot myself, partially motivated by the whole story of declining quality of the bland offer in high street stores.

 

[Caramel]

This is something I have also been noticing/thinking/been frustrated about over the past years. I have also had high street clothing that has lasted me 10+ years, while nowadays I feel lucky if pieces from those same places last more than two seasons. I remember getting rid of one of those basic lambswool sweaters from Benetton a few years ago - I got it when I was in middle school and 15 years later it was in mint condition (sadly, I was not quite the same size 15 years later ). I got one of those same sweaters about 2-3 years ago, and it has long ago been degraded to loungewear, with several holes and pilling.

My mother has always been saying how much more expensive clothing used to be 30+ years ago, which I'm sure was reflected in the general quality. The 'cheap and fast' culture that we are used to today just wasn't an option.

I've seen a lot of bloggers (mostly sewing blogs and minimalist type fashion blogs) write about this issue in recent years, and more and more people of a certain demographic seem to be focusing on it, but it's still probably a small minority...

 

[fashionista-ta]

What's really noticeable to me is the decline in quality since I was in high school and college, particularly wrt leather. Then, for less than $100, I could get a pair of beautiful kidskin shoes. Now, leather that I could get then someplace mainstream like Pappagallo isn't available at any price. (I'm talking designer shoes, which is normally what I buy ... don't know about couture.)

I don't typically have very many quality problems ... I did have a pair of denim trousers last year that lasted me less than a year in heavy rotation, which I considered unacceptable. I think it is possible to get decent stuff at 'prices that don't break the bank' ... from places like Talbot's, Ann Taylor, Bodem. But for items that will see heavy wear, I'm looking for something at a higher level, and if I can get it at a discount, great. I don't even darken the door of places like H&M, and I wouldn't buy clothes at Target (though I did buy some socks there recently, and the low quality was apparent).

I consider low quality an insulting waste of my time. I expect things to last for years, and if they don't, I make a mental note that will help me avoid the problem next time. Yes, the retailer is to blame ... but so is the shopper. It really irritates me how cheap people are.

I saw an online discussion of where someone could get cookware made in the US at "reasonable prices." Let me translate for you ... she wanted cookware made in the US at made in China prices. That is not how it works.

I hear a lot of talk about people getting "tired" of things. I think that may be the really fundamental problem, because if they're tired of it, they don't care that it's worn out. I don't honestly understand this "tired." When I go to the trouble of picking out something I really like, even when (thinking of interiors) it is not to my current taste, I still enjoy it, still like it, still use it.

I think a lot of people in the first world are spoiled rotten. It's really up to us to reject planned obsolescence and the consumer culture that's being foisted on us, and insist on the quality we want and need. In my experience, it is available ... and second-hand is an option too, when you want real quality at a low price.

 

[*Bianca*]

Maybe something only I have noticed, but with the latest washing machine technology (we have a brand new front loader Miele), they are all using much less water - which is great in terms of energy savings - but with such low water levels, there's far more friction. It has been destructive in my case. Majority of my clothes look 3 or 4 times their age - pilling, holes, etc - which I have only noticed since using the new machine. Crossing my fingers it's just a faulty machine, and not the future of washing... handwashing is killing me.