If you’re interested in sustainable fashion, you may have noticed that good quality clothing is a huge step in the right direction to use your clothes for longer periods of time and buy less. But how do you know what good quality clothing is, and how do you check?
Good quality clothing is made with a high percentage of natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool or silk. High quality garments are durable, comfortable and made with attention to detail (like sturdy zippers, wooden buttons, spare accessories, but also lining, facing and good stitchwork).
It is worth learning the tricks of the trade to discover what really makes the difference between poor and good quality clothing, so let's dive in.
Good Quality Clothing Uses Durable Fabrics Made of Natural Fibers
Good quality clothing is made of durable materials, like natural fibers:
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Cotton
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Linen
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Hemp
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Wool (Alpaca, Cashmere, Merino, Mohair, Angora)
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Silk
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Bison Down
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Qiviut
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Rayon (made of FSC Certified Eucalyptus)
While synthetic fibers are made to be strong, they aren’t necessarily good for durable clothing. As we’ll see later, they’re actually prone to showing wear and tear and they absorb smells easily.
Natural fibers hold up better over time and are therefore much more suitable for high-quality clothing. On top of that, they have many other features apart from durability, like being water-resistant, stain-resistant, and odor-resistant.
The Rayon-CaseRayon is a bit of an exception when it comes to synthetic fibers: it's generally classified as a semi-synthetic or regenerated cellulosic fiber, not a fully synthetic fiber like polyester or nylon. It is a material made from wood pulp and then (chemically) processed into fiber. While there are big differences between different types of rayon, there are many options out there that are in fact sustainable. |
How do you check?
The easy way to find out fabric content is by checking the label. Opt for at least 70% natural fibers to maintain most of the benefits natural fibers inherently have.
Curious to learn more about durable fabrics? Click the link to read this other article I wrote: 10 Durable Fabrics: Strong Fibers For a Lasting Wardrobe! (COMING SOON!)
Good Quality Clothing Does Not Show Signs of Wear and Tear
High quality clothing does not show wear and tear. Or, at least not after one or two wears. Ideally, high quality clothing doesn't show wear and tear after years of usage.
When a garment starts to lose its shape, begins to form fuzz balls, or its colors starts to fade, it means that it has poor quality. Poor quality clothing looks old, worn and out of shape. High quality clothing looks like new, feels like new and smells like new for a long period of time.
Synthetic fibers are not resistant to abrasion and easily start pilling. Even compared to wool, synthetic fibers will get old quicker. Similarly, man-made fibers will easily show holes and other signs of aging, whereas natural fibers are easier to fix.
The problem with wear and tear is that once a garment starts to look old, you are less likely to put it on, which means you are more likely to start looking for a replacement. This maintains the issue of overproduction and straining our resources, the core problem of fast fashion.
It is therefore a benefit of high quality clothing that it will look and stay pretty, even after a long life of intense wearing.
How do you check?
To make sure that you are buying good quality clothing that will not show wear and tear easily, look for natural fibers and avoid synthetic fibers, or choose blends with a higher percentage of natural fibers (70/30 for example).
Natural fabrics are also less prone to fashion trends which means that you’ll be able to enjoy your garment for an even longer period of time.
- Read more about emotionally durable fabrics in another article I wrote by clicking the following link: 16 Fabrics That Are Emotionally DURABLE (And Why it Matters) (COMING SOON!)
High Quality Clothing Smells Good
High quality clothing comes with even more benefits: it is easy to care for. Often, natural fibers do not need to be washed often as they are likely very breathable and therefore don't trap odors quickly.
Some of the amazing benefits of natural fabrics is that they are often odor-resistant, wrinkle free, breathable and/or stain-resistant. This means that you don’t need to wash such items frequently, but can air them instead.
By washing your clothes less frequently, you protect garments from wear and tear; from losing their shape; and you save yourself and the environment a lot of water and energy usage.
On the downside, washing natural fibers correctly can be a bit labor-intense. But, knowing you won't need to do this after every time you wear something makes it totally worth it.
Synthetic fibers are known for absorbing smells quickly and intensely. This is in part because synthetic fibers are not as breathable as natural materials. Meaning you will sweat more in synthetic fabrics. Smell is also more likely to "stick around" due to fiber texture AND harder to wash off. All of this makes it likely that bacteria accumulate inside the fabric, which in turn causes the bad smell of your clothes (and you!)
How do you check?
Look for natural fabrics to prevent overheating. Most types of wool are odor-resistant. Cotton, silk, hemp and linen are known to be very breathable, which means you’re less likely to sweat.
The easy way to keep a woolen garment looking like new is by leaving it alone most of the time. Read these tips on how to make a woolen garment (alpaca wool specifically) look good as new for a very long time!
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Alpaca Products: 17 Ways to Keep Them Looking Good as New (Coming soon!)
High Quality Clothing is Comfortable on the Body
Good quality clothing is comfortable to wear and harmless to the body.
Natural fabrics are much softer on the skin specifically and the body in general than synthetic fibers. Fabrics that are harmless to the body are often hypoallergenic, soft, breathable and/or antibacterial. Some examples include:
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Baby alpaca
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Yak
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Qiviut
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Cashmere
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Merino
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Vicuña
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Organic hemp
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Organic (undyed) silk
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Organic (undyed) cotton
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Organic (undyed) linen
Compared to natural fibers, synthetic fabrics can feel a bit plasticky. This is because of the fiber texture, but also because natural fibers are much more breathable. It is important for fabrics to be breathable, because it will make your skin (and your whole body) feel much more comfortable.
(Industrial) dyes are another important indicator when it comes to harmlessness on the body. Chemical dyes can rub off on your skin, which can be uncomfortable. Similarly, chemically washed products can also cause irritation and discomfort.
Softness is another benefit of high quality materials. And as a general rule of thumb, you could say that more expensive fibers are generally softer. However, it doesn’t work the other way around: expensive garments are not always high quality!
How do you check?
Gently rub the fabric on the inside of your arm: you can immediately tell if the fabric feels itchy, scratchy, or in any other way uncomfortable.
Opt for natural colors to find undyed fabrics that prevent skin irritation from fabric dyes or washes even further.
When it comes to wool, it is often worth investing in more exclusive fibers: baby alpaca is softer than regular alpaca, and (high quality) merino wool is softer than Shetland or Corriedale fleeces.
High Quality Clothing is Has GREAT Fixability
Good quality clothing is fixable: not only is it possible to fix a garment (often even in an invisible way!) but also are spare buttons and/or yarn provided to fix the garment that help you fix it.
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High quality products will come with spare parts, like buttons or a piece of yarn. It’s a sign of real good quality clothing that you even provide for the material that your customers can use to repair their garments (or have them repaired).
Particularly knitted woolen garments are quite easy to fix. Most of the time, you won't even see it! Natural fibers have more structure than synthetic fibers, and this makes it easier to fix them and to do so invisibly.
Polyester garments are often produced with very thin threads. While they might be hard to break, once they break they’re hard to fix.
Synthetic fibers also burn more easily, which means that it is easier to cause an irreparable hole in your garment, whereas many natural fibers are self-extinguishing.
How do you check?
Before buying a garment, check to see if there are spare buttons and accessories on the inside of your garment. You’ll often find them attached to the label or to the washing instructions.
Also look for spare room around the seams so that you can make adjustments if necessary.
High Quality Clothing Uses Thick and Even Fibers
Good quality clothing uses evenly thick and dense fabrics. Although, more specifically, the density and the quality of the fibers are the key indicators, which often result in a thicker, heavier feel.
Have you ever compared cotton T-shirts from different retailers? You’ll easily see how they can differ in quality. The thicker and denser the fabric, the stronger and better quality it will be.
Dense fabrics are stronger, more resilient, tighter packed and thus, generally, have a longer lifespan. Added benefit is that thicker fabrics have more body and hold their shape better. This means they also look better on you.
It hurts to say, but it’s true: some artisanal wool producers will spin uneven wool. While it is beautiful and shows craftsmanship, it also means that wherever there’s a thicker part in the yarn, there’s possibly a thinner part, too. Such thin parts are more vulnerable to wear, tear and breaking.
Good quality fabrics show no gaps, no uneven thread, have a good balance between horizontal and vertical weaving lines, and a higher thread count.
How do you check?
Hold the garment to the light and investigate how see-through it is. You can also feel and weigh the garment (and compare if possible!).
When it comes to wool, good quality wool will have longer hairs tightly interwoven with each other. If you can pull the individual hairs out without too much difficulty it means that it is more prone to damage.
Good Quality Clothing Uses a High Percentage Certified Natural Fibers
Good quality clothing uses a high percentage of certified natural fibers.
Natural fibers have so many benefits because Mother Nature designed them for specific environments. Often, they derived from animals (like different types of wool) or they come from plants (linen, cotton, hemp). They come with a combination of features, benefits, and uses.
However, the major downside of natural fibers is that there is a limit to how much of them can be ethically produced.
Everything on this planet has a limit and while using natural fibers is less taxing on the environment than some synthetic fibers can be, there are still risks of exhausting our natural resources.
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Good quality clothing therefore respects the limits of our planet and makes sure that the negative impact is limited.
Using certified materials helps producers acknowledge the limitations and ethical production of their materials. Additionally, When manufactures use more natural fibers than synthetic fibers for their products, it shows a few things:
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They choose quality over quantity
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They produce more durable garments
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They produce more comfortable garments
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They show less wear and tear
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They require less maintenance
However, natural fibers often come with an increased price tag. But the good news is that even a percentage of high-quality materials will make your garments more comfortable and durable.
How do you check?
Look for certifications like OEKO-TEX, GOTS, Fair-Trade, EU/USDA Organic, or specific information on the website of smaller brands! (Not all fibers have certification available, but will be fair-trade and/or sustainably made!)
When looking for blends, look for at least 70% of the higher quality fiber, especially when mixed with synthetic materials. Bingo if you find a natural-fiber blend that combines two (or more) natural fibers: these garments often have increased performance as they combine the best properties of both fibers.
High Quality Clothing Uses Good Quality Parts
Good quality clothing comes with parts that are equally good quality.
Just like the spare buttons and yarn, high quality clothing uses high quality materials, not only when it comes to the fabric, but also (especially) when it comes to the other essential parts of the garments: like the zippers, yarn, and labels.
Not only the quality of the parts themselves are important, but also the way they’re attached to the garment. Detailed workmanship provides for improved use and a decreased chance of wear and tear.
How do you check?
Check the buttons and zippers carefully: look for loose threads or loose buttons and look for cleanly finished button holes. Also check the material: wooden buttons are stronger and even special buttons with pearls show more attention to detail (although that's not a guarantee for quality.)
High quality zippers are made of metal, coil, and vislon: they need to be sturdy enough to be reliable on heavy-duty garments. Move the zipper up and down to see if it moves freely.
High Quality Clothing Has Lining, Facing & Good Stitchwork
Good quality clothing uses lining, facing and good stitchwork.
Lining is an extra inner layer on the inside of a garment. Using lining makes a garment warmer and stronger. It also adds extra attention to detail, especially when contrasting colors are used for lining. Lining also protects the “vulnerable” inside of the garment (where the stitches and seams are) from abrasion.
A facing is a piece of fabric used at the edges of a garment. It is mostly used around the neckline and armholes. A facing protects the garment in places where there is more friction and increased chance of wear and tear.
Good stitchwork uses more stitches to make garments stronger and less prone to tearing. The number of stitches is important, but the placement of the stitches is too: high quality clothing will have extra space between the seams and the stitches.
How do you check?
Look for lining on the inside of a garment and for facing around the armpits and the neckline. Both could be made with separate pattern pieces or an extension of the fabric itself.
Good Quality Clothing is Tailormade & Straight
Good quality clothing is tailormade. If it’s not tailormade, then it is at least straight, symmetrical and consistent in sizing. All of which help to make garments more well-fitted.
Not everyone has the budget to have their clothes tailormade. But those who do will have beautifully made clothes that will fit them perfectly, making them looks great and feel incredibly comfortable.
The minimum requirement of high quality clothes is that they're symmetrical and straight. Poor quality clothing is often asymmetrical. Such garments have terrible drape and don’t look flattering (on anybody---it's not you).
Similarly, good quality clothing will take the different shapes of the body into consideration, whereas low quality clothing will have more straight cuts: they’re easier to design, reach a broader audience and are thus cheaper to produce and easier to make sell.
How do you check?
Fold the garment and see how symmetrical it is. If it doesn’t look straight while folding it, it won’t look straight on your body either.
High quality clothing will have extra space on the inside of the seams so that you can always adjust some parts if necessary (e.g. to adjust the sleeves.)
