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A look into content label

Wise Shopper

(website)

Hello fellow dressers and shoppers! I would like you insight on a subject that I discussed recently in a post and that really interests me.
1) Do you always check the content/care label, namely what the item is made of?
2) Would you buy 100% polyester from a famous brand?
3) What is the deal breaker between price, designer and quality?
I thought it was a no-brainer to always check the label, but recently was very surprised to find out that most people don't. The question of synthetic/natural materials might be the last thing on many people's mind. I am sure this community should know better. Please share your ideas!

Shopping

31 replies

Latest reply was from Wise Shopper

Anonymous

I always check the content label , unless I already know what it is , of course . Care label ? Rarely , as I’m pretty confident in my knowledge of fabrics and how to care for them . I also don’t wash the heck out of my better pieces. It’s all about construction quality and hand-feel , and if it turns out to be polyester , then so be it. Brand/label names are of less consequence - if the piece meets my standards , the name on it doesn’t matter .

SarahD8

Veteran

I always check the fiber content, it’s one of my main winnowing mechanisms.

I usually glance at the care label and think, “‘dry clean,’ lol, as if”

I have two 100% polyester items in my wardrobe, bought because I fell in love with the print, but honestly I don’t enjoy the feel of the material so I’d be unlikely to splash out on a polyester garment.

Quality then price, designer a distant third place unless Liberty of London is involved (but even then, I’m using the label as a marker of quality, as well as aesthetic).

DonnaF

Veteran

I ALWAYS check the care label; trying to teach DD the same. DCO is a deal breaker; makes me feel item is too precious so I won't/don't wear it. Price can be a deal breaker; I don't think of clothing as an investment, and I've been wrong too many times re what will be workhorses for me. I won't pay extra for a label, but poor quality clothing often doesn't hang or fit as well, and lack of fit is a deal breaker.

Gigi

Veteran

I always check the care label. I try to wear natural fibers when possible. I don't generally use fabric softener, so having a lot of synthetics would cause a lot of static! I do have a few well-chosen 100% polyester items in my closet. Generally, when I buy 100% polyester, I am looking for something with a fluid fit, such as a silky button-down or a maxi skirt.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I always check the fiber content. It tells me how the item will wear and wash, and also if it will make me feel. I look at the care level but it is less important to me since I take it with a grain of salt.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I glance at the care label, but ALWAYS check the content label. It’s my first action after an item catches my eye on the rack.

I can’t think of a situation where I would buy a 100% polyester item, except maybe if it were a gear item in a technical fiber.

Carla

Veteran

I ALWAYS check the fiber content and care labels. Also how the item is sewn. French seams, finished seams, beautiful lining and complicated tailoring can get me excited. Designer/brand might cause me to raise an eyebrow, but doesn't influence purchase or the price I'm willing to pay. I might actually NOT purchase an item if it is from a house I have issues with, and I have been known to pick off logos and labels!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I check what it is made of first. I used to not mind about polyester- one of my 100% polyester sheerish soft tops has a totally soft "handle" just like another sheerish silk top. They can both be machine washed in a mesh bag, look and feel the same, the same care. Another 100 % polyester top though I edited out after only 10 wears as I really didn't like the feel of the material. Environment wise, I am not as keen on the polyester but cotton is also terrible for the environment and rayon not so great either. So I'm trying to manage that with buying fewer items and wearing them a lot, from 2017 on. I'm not vegan so will buy and wear leather. Leather also not good for the environment, nor is denim ( I read "To Die For- is Fashion Wearing out the World" and am partly doing #30 wears for that reason, or trying to). The pictures of blue dye going into rivers in China from dyeing denim are horrifying. Also my next question is where is it made, since very concerned about supply chains and ethical treatment of workers since the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. I have the local Ethical Fashion Guide on my phone and check it. It's weird though because Zara gets an A! I am against the likes of Zara and H and M more for other reasons like encouraging churn. I own one item from Zara and am not against shopping there altogether, I would just want to make sure that I would still get #30 wears from any new item I might buy there.
After all that, then the care label. I would never buy anything Dry Clean Only and prefer machine washable. I will hand wash but find it annoying and it makes me want to not wear the item. Prefer to machine wash on wool or delicate cycle and hang dry.

unfrumped

Veteran

What shevia said. I often check content before price! Not because I have any absolute “ won’t buy” limits but because of performance, wrinkling, Care, season of use.

DonnaF

Veteran

Forgot to mention that I also read content labels. I am wary of 100% polyester because I find the comfy window for such items is pretty narrow for me. And I have sworn off 100% acrylic sweaters because they pill like crazy. I seem to allergic to alpaca and mohair, and moths seem to enjoy my cashmere and wool. Good thing I live in a mild climate!

cindysmith

Veteran

I always check the fabric content on garment labels. I've developed a decent eye for natural fabrics, but I always check the label to confirm.

I try and avoid synthetic fabrics. It's a sensory/texture thing for me. I cannot stand the way most synthetic fabrics feel, they feel scratchy to me. Of course, lots of wool does, too, so there's that. I also live in Texas, and synthetic fabrics suffocate me in the heat we live with most of the time. I have a couple of pairs of faux suede pants that are soft, and I wear them in the cooler weather because they do keep me warmer than cotton.

I also just don't like dealing with synthetic fabrics. I don't get why people say polyester doesn't wrinkle, because I've seen polyester wrinkle something nasty. Once a polyester wrinkles, it is so hard to get the wrinkles out because I can't use really high heat or I risk melting the fabric, and low heat just doesn't get the wrinkles out. Ironing is why I don't like a lot of pseudo-synthetics like rayon; it's too easy to goof up and make them shiny when I'm ironing.

Another gripe I have with synthetic fabrics? They're petrochemicals, and I am not crazy about the idea of wearing a non-renewable energy source.

always trying

Veteran

Fabric content is very important in finding items for hot weather,,absolutely no polyester, but harder to find is no spandex or the like for hot weather items, especially bottoms. Because I only buy 100% cotton t's and tops for summer my selection is limited. No spandex rules out a lot of crops and pants too. I do not mind polyester for winter or clder wether garments and of course one can not find jeans or such without spandex. Everyone wants stretch so garments without stretch have a limited market. Stretch makes everything fit,

Synne

Veteran

I always get so disappointed when I realize beautiful garments are fully polyester. They can look so thrilling in pictures, but I just know there will be huge comfort issues. I am also weary of fabric mixes with polyester and other synthetics. One exception is viscose, which I've found to work for me in stretchy tops. I always check the label, and if definitely makes sense that other people skip this part. I see fancy designer labels putting out ridiculously priced items in the poorest quality. An unlined dress in 100% polyester for 450 dollars?!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Good point about petrochemicals, Cindy Smith!

Some people here have said that poly bothers them in hot weather, but not in cold. Not me. It feels prickly hot in hot weather, and prickly cold in cold.

There are some labels, like V Camuto & Halogen, that I’ve pretty much given up on because they have so much polyester (but I do have a great all-cotton top by Vince, so go figure).

If I look at a content label, it is to check what my hand has already told me.

I am a little confused/considering changing my purchasing habits by new fabrics used in athletic clothes. Moisture-wicking fabrics & the like are comfortable to me there. Is that only because I’m sweatier then, or would these new types of polyester fabric work in other situations too? But then there is still the ethical problem of using non-renewable resources.

Anonymous

I check the content label first, then care. I hand wash most natural fibers, even those that say to dry clean unless they have a lining of a different fabric ( I look at lining content too.). No matter what the designer, I reject polyester unless planning to wear the item in cold weather and just for one season. I would reject polyester from a famous designer unless it were something I really loved and a HEWI and was a great price. Quality is also important. I am sick of shapeless thin knit garments that pill or come apart at the seams after just a couple of wears.

Katerina

Veteran

I always check the content label - it is a deal-breaker especially if I would be willing to pay more for an item. I check the care label too, but it isn’t as important. Most of my silk items are dry clean only, but I wash them, seldom had a problem. The label is important in relation to price - some labels are always good quality (I have beeen buying them for years) - hence willing to pay more, it is an issue of trust. Also the fit and sizes of some brands usually work on me - as I am mostly buying online, it saves returns.

Anonymous

I always check the label/care instructions. I reject all tops that are 100 percent polyester (no matter how beautiful). There is no deal-breaker for me in terms of price, quality, designer. Experience has taught me 100 percent polyester won't be worn. Why bother.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Why not, Sterling? Are they too hot? I haven't found this to be a problem with my 100% polyester tops. Perhaps it is because our climate is more temperate in summer than yours...

anchie

Veteran

I always check fabric content, and 100% polyester is a dealbreaker for me. My daughter calls Banana Republic Polyester Republic LOL, because I got so annoyed when checking fabric content on their site and see so many 100% polyester items that she noticed. I am less careful with care labels because I don’t do dry cleaning (allergies) but have successfully washed many dry clean only items including Theory wool suit blazer.

Bijou

Veteran

I always check content and care labels before buying. Washability is my main concern. The one fabric that I hate with a passion is viscose, because it is dry clean only and prone to crushing.

Like Katerina, I buy silk despite its 'dry clean only' requirement and wash it. In most cases this has been fine. Many brands by default label their products 'dry clean only' despite the fact that they wash up well, that REALLY annoys me.

I also like to check where an item is made. Locally designed and produced products get a big tick of approval from me.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I always check content and care labels. Polyester is not a deal-breaker at all if the feel is nice. But I have a strong aversion to certain scratchy or cheap-feeling poly fabrics, so I can usually tell with one touch whether it’s worth even checking the labels. There are some poly/natural blends that feel and wear better than 100% silk or cotton, in my experience. Designer labels and high prices are absolutely no guarantee of quality or longevity, so I take those with a grain of salt.

“Dry clean only” won’t scare me away if it’s an item unlikely to need much cleaning (a lined jacket or a special occasion dress, for example). But it will make me think twice in a more casual “day wear” item like a blouse or trousers. Delicate or “hand” wash is fine by me - I do most of my laundry on the delicate cycle anyway.

Sydney

I'm genuinely curious about the comments regarding not wearing 100% polyester. Is it because of the feel of the fabric? I generally where a sleeveless shell under a suit for work. I have a hard time finding shells that work that are not 100% polyester.

I don't want to dry clean a silk shell every time I wear it and find washing on the silk cycle and hanging to dry leads to a shell that still looks wrinkly after ironing. Cotton doesn't fall nicely on me under a suit.

I have a number of 100% polyester shells from Talbots, JCrew, Banana and one from Brooks Brothers that wash and wear with often no ironing required. I find that the printed fabrics are often better that the solids re the requirement to iron.

Anonymous

I generally dont look at labels, with a few exceptions:
Shoes, it seems like all the leopard print ones are made of calf hair. Aykm?! Not going to condone that.
For fire spinning, items must be 100% natural content, as poly will fuse to skin if burned.
Things in consignment shops that are marked dry clean i wont buy. You dont know how the last person cared for the item. If they dry clean and you wash, the item will shrink, and vise versa.

Anonymous

Synthetic can feel like natural fibers so I always check the label even if I think I know what it is. Because I'm buying cotton, linen, wool or silk, I feel comfortable not checking the care label.

I try to avoid synthetics because I often don't like how they feel, I don't like how they wear, and most of all, I try to buy as little plastic as possible.

It's a struggle to find professional clothes in natural fibers. Work force dress codes can be really tough to dress for without synthetics, between appearance and expense, and honestly between that and the environmental impact of all that plastic, air conditioning, etc, I am hopeful for change.

puppycat

I think of myself as a natural-fibers girl, but on reflection, I have lots of polyester and blends in my closet. Why? As a poster above remarked, as a professional I find it difficult to find non-poly blouses that work under suit jackets, and for some reason I just like the look of (and purchase) the poly printed blouses that Pleione, Lucky Brand, and Vince Camuto seem to put out every season. I have found rayon workwear is lovely to look at and comfortable to wear but tends not to last very long, but I keep buying it because I love the drape and feel. Most of my work jackets and trousers are a poly/rayon/spandex blend, and most of my underthings are microfiber or nylon. I only wear leather shoes unless I’m in Tom’s or flip flops or athletic shoes. Ditto bags—-I wear leather unless it’s a nylon backpack or a straw purse in summer, or a Vera Bradley bag in a colorful cotton print. My workout gear is mostly technical fabrics which are generally some kind of synthetic wonder-material. So where does my natural fiber personality come out? Generally on the weekends. I wear lots of linen pants and cotton or linen tops, modal loungewear from Soma, and rayon maxi dresses. In winter I wear cashmere sweaters and wool hoodies with jeans and leggings (which I just realized always contain spandex).

Bottom line I’m a bundle of contradictions. I’m all natural in my mind but far from all natural in my closet. Interesting.

Wise Shopper

(website)

Thank you very much everybody for your opinions.

Jenni NZ - great point about the environment. I was mostly thinking about my skin damage that synthetics can cause, this is something else to consider.

DonnaF - I'm with you on acrylic, it's the worst!

FashIntern, so true about the new athletic clothing trend. I read that anything wrinkle-free or stain resistant uses a lot of chemicals in the process, therefore is not healthy. However it can be more breathable than cotton which is good for working out. I guess if you just use it for 1 or 2 hours - no big deal.

Roberta

Veteran

I think everyone will have a different response based on what feels good, what they are sensitive or allergic to, suits their lifestyle, aligns with their ethical viewpoint. But it appears most of us agree we want our clothes to LAST. One of the best things we can do for the planet is to wear things often and for as long as we can. So flimsy construction is as bad as degrading/pilling/fading fibers. I don't mind drycleaning wool jackets and pants, since you can wear them several times before they get smelly. I don't mind polyester because it is a good choice for work tops. I find a little acrylic in a sweater makes it more forgiving of stretching and crumpling. I will wear leather, but not fur, and so on.

And I thank everyone above for reminding me to think of the whole process in making clothes (and who makes them).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I ALWAYS check the fibre and wash care labels. I was a retail buyer for many years - it’s innate. I don’t always adhere to wash care labels because I’m a careful washer. I also don’t mind eco friendly dry cleaning.

I don’t buy 100% viscose. I don’t buy calf hair, pony hide or real fur.

I try to keep leather to a minimum with shoes and bags. I prefer pleather belts, but they are hard to find. I don’t buy leather jackets, and absolutely nothing made of lambs leather.

I do buy 100% polyester and rayon.

I absolutely believe that polyester has its place, and I’ve written several posts about my point of view. Polyester can be brilliant in blends. Cotton despite being more breathable, is an unstable fibre and not as eco friendly as one would expect. Silk has its challenges too. Personally, I think it’s a dated concept to think that natural fibres are always best. They can fall short in many ways.

Inconsistent quality is unfortunately a reality at any price point these days.

Deal breakers: inferior fabric, shoddy workmanship, bad fit that can’t be altered.

A certain amount of value is important to me too. A Furla bag is exceptional quality. I travel with them very frequently. Sooo robust and polished. I will happily save up for them and pay the high price because I perceive it as value. A $30 top that does not look like it will go the distance offers me little value and that’s a dealbreaker despite the cheap price.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Angie, you are so right about cotton not being as eco-friendly as we think! The amount of water used to create a pair of blue jeans is incredible, and cotton crops often supplant food crops. I knew that idea from my studies, but it was really, really driven home to me when my Somali boyfriend took me home to Ethiopia, where he’d grown up. We went out to visit some relatives on their farm. Everything was carefully balanced—they knew the precise number of this kind of plant intercropped with that, the irrigation dams had been built by hand by themselves or their fathers or grandfathers. But many of their vegetables were not producing. When I asked why, they pointed to a building that seemed far away. It was a cotton processing plant. It had taken the water table so low that the roots of their plants could no longer reach it. They were desperate for a water pump.

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