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?
Verl 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!
Durable Fabrics of Natural Fibers
Good quality clothing is made of durable materials, like natural fibers:
- Cotton
- Linen
- Hemp
- Wool (Alpaca, Cashmere, Merino, Mohair, Angora)
- Silk
- Bison Down
- Qiviut
- 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 clothing. On top of that, they have many other features apart from durability, like being water-resistant, stain-resistant and odor-resistant.
Rayon is the only exception when it comes to synthetic fibers: it is a man-made material from wood pulp, which can be a durable option for specific purposes, such as active wear.
How do you check?
- The easy way to find out fabric content is by checking the label. Opt for at least 70% natural fibers for any piece of clothing. If possible, opt for 100% natural fibers.
Landskrona 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!
No Signs of Wear and Tear
Good quality clothing does not show wear and tear.
When a garment starts to lose its shape, to form fuzz balls, or its colors 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 ageing, 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 because it doesn’t look as good anymore. It is therefore a sign 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.
- 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)
Doesn’t Need To Be Washed Often
High quality clothing does not need to be washed often.
When high quality clothing is made of natural fibers, it comes with even more benefits!
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 prevent garments from wear and tear, from losing their shape and you save yourself and the environment a lot of trouble! High quality clothing is worth looking after (especially once you know the tricks).
On the other hand, synthetic fibers are known for absorbing smells quickly. Because you will sweat more in synthetic fabrics, it is more 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 tip on how to make a woolen garment (alpaca wool specifically) look good as new for a very long time!
Harmless to the Body
Good quality clothing is 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.
- Baby alpaca
- Yak
- Qiviut
- Cashmere
- Merino
- Vicuña
- Organic hemp
- Organic (undyed) silk
- Organic (undyed) cotton
- Organic linen (natural earthy colors)
Compared to natural fibers, synthetic fabrics feel hot or almost like plastic. This is because natural fibers are much more breathable. It is important for fabrics to feel 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.
High quality clothing also indicates a softer fiber: low quality sheep wool is not as soft as high quality cashmere.
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 make sure fabrics are undyed to prevent skin irritation from fabric dyes.
- When it comes to wool, it is often worth buying more expensive fibers: baby alpaca is softer than regular alpaca, and (high quality) merino wool is softer than Shetland or Corriedale fleeces.
High 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.
I once read that high quality cashmere products are often presented with not only a spare button, but also a small amount of yarn included.
- 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).
Polyester garments are often produced with very thin threads. While they might be hard to break, once they break they’re hard to fix. Compare this with woolen garments that you’ll be able to fix quite easily without leaving a trace.
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.
- Make sure to look for spare fabric around the seams so that you can make adjustments if necessary.
Thick and Even Fabrics
Good quality clothing uses evenly thick and dense fabrics.
Have you ever compared a high quality cotton shirt with a low quality cotton shirt? You’ll easily see which one is better quality. The thicker and denser the fabric, the stronger and better quality it will be.
Dense fabrics are stronger, have more and better qualities (like warmth) and are prettier.
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 uneven parts are more vulnerable to wear, tear and breaking.
Obviously, good quality fabrics shown 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 hairs out without too much difficulty it means that it is of lesser quality.
High Percentage Certified Natural Fibers
Good quality clothing uses a high percentage of certified natural fibers.
Natural fibers have so many more benefits than synthetic fibers. However, the major downside of natural fibers is that there is a limit on natural fibers. Often, they derived from animals (like different types of wool) or they come from plants (linen, cotton, hemp).
Everything on this planet has a limit and while using natural fibers is less taxing on the environment than using synthetic fibers, there are still risks of exhausting our natural resources.
Good quality clothing therefore respects the limits of our planet and makes sure that the negative impact is limited.
When manufactures use more natural fibers than synthetic fibers for their products, it shows a few things:
- They choose quality over quantity
- They produce more durable garments
- They produce more comfortable garments
- They show less wear and tear
- They require less maintenance
Another great way to use natural fibres to their full benefit is by blending them with other fibers! Get inspired with this list of (wool) blends that I wrote:
13 Wool Blends that You Will LOVE (from Alpaca to Qiviut)
How do you check?
- Look for at least 70% of the higher quality fiber, especially when mixed with synthetic materials.
- 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!)
Good Quality Accessories
Good quality clothing comes with good quality accessories.
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 accessories: like the zippers and buttons.
Not only the quality of the accessories 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. Move the zipper up and down to see if it moves freely.
- Check the material: wooden buttons are stronger and even special buttons with pearls show more attention to detail and possibly better quality.
- High quality zippers are made of metal, coil, and vislon: they need to be sturdy enough to be reliable on heavy-duty garments.
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.
Tailormade & Straight
Good quality clothing is tailormade. If it’s not tailormade, then it is at least straight and 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 and feel incredibly comfortable.
The minimum requirement of high quality clothing is that it is straight. Poor quality clothing is often asymmetrical. Such garments have terrible drape and don’t look flattering (on anybody).
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 and thus cheaper to produce.
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!