What are we doing about.....poor quality clothing ?

We've discussed the general downward trend in clothing quality here on the forum - and I'm curious what we/are doing about it.

I consider myself pretty well informed about garment construction and fabric quality, but I've been let down by 4 pieces in the last week - which are at different stages of life in my wardrobe but still relatively new.

1. I wore my Spanx AirEssentials track pants to work the other day, and while sitting outside in bright daylight, notice tiny pills forming all over the pants (Angie wrote about this) . Barely discernible but I see them. I bought these late last summer and maybe wore them 2x before putting them aside for winter. They have not been through a full wash cycle (only a steam refresh) . They were $130 Cdn, and have rave reviews on the website. I wrote a review on the site , and sent an additional email. No reply. The fabric content is a mix and does include polyester (a common offender).

2. A sweatshirt from Splendid (a US casual wear company - sold here by an indie boutique/spa/salon - pilled SO badly after it's first wash last week ( which was way after any return period offered by the boutique ) it's no longer wearable. Oh and surprise, surprise, it has some polyester in it. UGH. It's a beautiful cafe coloured French Terry top and Splendid pieces usually do well for me. Purchased late last summer and worn a couple of times before the season ended. Paid about $125 for it. Wrote the company and got a "sorry we can't help you with pieces sold wholesale to another store" reply.

3. A Yaya Woman (which always shows up as some massmarket US company when one googles it but it's a Dutch company sold in one indie boutique here ) fine gauge sweatshirt style sweater I bought 2 years ago has been washed once, worn maybe 5-6 times and is pilled and worn looking. Can't really be shaved as it's quite a fine gauge knit. I think I paid about $160-170 for it. I've bought a fair number of pieces from the brand BECAUSE of the quality and design. Wearing it today around the house but am ready to chuck it. Won't go back to the boutique to complain because I'm a regular there and also get a sales rep discount now. No action to take . And guess what - more polyester in with the cotton.

4. A 100% cotton heavy cotton jersey top from Aritizia - purchased a couple of weeks ago at $65.00. Washed it last weekend and now it's stretched out at the hem, cuffs and neck and looks worn and cheap. Left a review on their website and apparently I'm not the only one with this issue. Too late to return, and Aritizia tends not to care if you live or die unless you are a 30 year old . Can't wear this one outside of the house now.

Polyester is/was added to knits and wovens to help with fabric stability and strength , and longevity! It also helps fabric hold dye. I admit that I didn't realize that the two tops mentioned above had poly in the blends - of course the Spanx pants contain polyester and that was expected. But it polyester so bad now that it's going to pill? I have 2cheap sweatsuits from GAP/Costco that are full of poly and have washed and worn like iron this past winter. This goes against my natural/small maker ethos I know but.....for at home wear I need inexpensive and hardwearing stuff .

I don't want to spend my time and energy writing reviews and complaining to companies about their poor-quality clothing, but what the heck can we do about issues like this that don't appear right away? I clearly need to be better at examining labels when shopping and stop assuming I know what's in a fabric just by looking at it. At least $500 Cdn worth of clothes that didn't perform, and 2 of which are going into the garbage, unfortunately . The Spanx pants are still ok for now......

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7 hours ago

Irina

Veteran

Well, I know that it is popular strategy to leave no retail stone unturned but I stick only to brands I know. Even then, it’s not a 100% guaranteed. Natural fabrics fare better, almost always. My issue with it is a poor construction but at least it’s visible right away.

Funny, I hardly buy anything from Zara and usually shoes, cotton or linen items. But I was tempted by cute nylon socks with tiny flowers. Wore them yesterday for the first time and found one is shorter than the other

LJP

I agree that natural fibre fabrics are usually better - but synthetics are needed in some garments to maintain structure and shape ( like in track pants , workout wear , etc) . 100 % cotton knit pants never hold their shape .

It seems that companies / retailers are no longer willing to stand behind their merchandise . Retailers who buy from wholesalers vs those w vertical integration like Aritizia) can’t get credit back from suppliers for merch that’s more than a season old . And even that’s a hassle .

6 hours ago

elena

Active Member

Ugh, Lisa, how frustrating! I sympathize! This seems like a problem we can’t predict except maybe by reading reviews. And even then, problems don’t always show up immediately.

I bought a “like new” condition Rag & Bone cotton sweater from The Real Real recently. It looked beautiful out of the package and I tried it on, loved it. Then I washed it as I do with second-hand things, using a mesh bag, on the delicate cycle, dried flat - and found snags and pills had appeared all over one sleeve! I don’t know if I caused that or I missed them initially, but good grief! Rag & Bone is expensive and you’d expect their things to hold up to a little washing.

I don’t know what we can do about the quality issue. It’s incredibly annoying though.

Dee

Ugh, this is exactly why I'm reluctant to part with any of my decent older pieces, but by the same token, I'm also leary of wearing them out because then I'd have to source a replacement which is a real struggle for quality as you’ve already pointed out. It's a catch 22

I've now become a serious label reader lately, and try to stick to mostly natural fibres. I have a few trusted retailers like Uniqlo or Muji where I usually buy my basics but it's not completely foolproof either. I also thrift in person where I often find older items that were better constructed and I can also tell how well its held up from being previously owned. Its not a perfect solution but I have found some quality gems this way.

Now that private equity firms have basically taken over the industry, it seems its only profits and the bottom line which are the top priority because its certainly not lasting quality. What's a consumer to do?

Jaime

(website)

Ok I feel like I have a slice of expertise on this issue having handled literal tons of second hand clothes over the years. (Who am I kidding, I probably handle at least a ton every month!) I do not buy a garment without looking at the fabric label. That is key. I do not buy exclusively natural fabrics but the use of polyester etc. has to make sense for the garment. Look at the fabric finishing, that will give you a hint to the care put into the garment.
And, I just have to say it again, when you buy second hand you see how the garment wears. Hold it up to the light and see if it has pilled - particularly under the arms and/or crotch. I have seen new with tag items that are already pilled.

4 hours ago

Lisa

A shame about your items. It's frustrating to pay top dollar for something and then it's not durable, which is more and more common in today's fashion world. The poor quality issues gives me a reason to shop more often. Not saying that's a smart approach for one's wallet, but it certainly encourages shopping more frequently when quality is not up to par. I'd prefer to own items that last longer, but regardless of the brand it seems like clothes are always hit or miss now-a-days.

elpgal

My strategy is to wash clothes after the first wear. I keep tags and receipts. And Don’t hesitate to return for poor quality within the 30 day period. Just this week I ended up filing a warranty claim for $200 sneakers that developed a whole, then unlikely spot after two months of purchase in a handful of wears. Nordstrom refused to refund my money so I went straight to New Balance who promptly sent me a gift card. I tend to stick to places like Athleta, Uniqlo, Eileen Fisher and am ok with buying Old Navy for trendy stuff.

2 hours ago

Star (Lise)

This is one of the reasons I shop second hand but my situation is different as we have a huge supply constantly from western Europe. The old stuff holds up better!

I'm surprised that polyester is the culprit. Like you I don't like it, in the heat especially, but I know it to be a great stabiliser and shape keeper. I have always thought the pill maker is viscose. In general I believe most fabrics now days are woven too loosely, all types. The manufacturer is cutting costs and the customer is paying more. Terrible, I empathise.

39 minutes ago

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