How to assess the quality of garments (2014) • Hacker News Board

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#141

Post by artsyca » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:47 AM UTC

ptmvp wrote: post #140

artsyca wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ever wonder if cheap commodity exporting countries might play this as a form of covert economic aggression?

It's an interesting thought but I think there's little basis to believe there is a concerted effort here, as the average consumer is very aware that the quality of, say, a screwdriver from China, is very different from that of a German made one. I think it's just an unintended consequence of a race to the bottom in cheap, disposable manufacturing. Even then, I'm unsure if on an aggregate level the progress in materia…

It's not a concerted effort, but over the course of forty or more years it may seem like a trade surplus built on disposable goods is somehow a strategic move?

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#142

Post by darkerside » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:48 AM UTC

kortilla wrote: post #92

killjoywashere wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is almost inevitable that the largest manufacturer has the largest number of failures. But your anecdote gives me no sense of their failure rate, and certainly tells me nothing about their failure rate in the context of other manufacturer failure rates.

3 zippers for a single person is really high, even if they are the largest manufacturer.

Almost like it might say more about the person than the manufacturer?

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#143

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:48 AM UTC

ptmvp wrote: post #140

artsyca wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ever wonder if cheap commodity exporting countries might play this as a form of covert economic aggression?

It's an interesting thought but I think there's little basis to believe there is a concerted effort here, as the average consumer is very aware that the quality of, say, a screwdriver from China, is very different from that of a German made one. I think it's just an unintended consequence of a race to the bottom in cheap, disposable manufacturing. Even then, I'm unsure if on an aggregate level the progress in materia…

[deleted]

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#144

Post by taneq » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:51 AM UTC

masklinn wrote: post #110

dhd415 wrote: post #15

In a previous life when I wore suits to work on a frequent basis, I got interested in this topic and spent way too much time learning about it. I now have a closet full of quality clothes that I wear much less frequently, but, for whatever it's worth, they'll last me the rest of my life. There's a lot of good info in this article, but there's also a lot more beyond it. For example, it mentions (accurately) that the f…

> Or rather, they're expensive upfront but often turn out to be more economical over the life of the garment. In either case, they will be more pleasant to wear than a lower quality alternative. Good ol' Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice strikes again: > At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots…

I think about this a lot when shopping. If I see non-perishables on sale for 20-30% off, I'll stock up on 6 months' worth and almost be able to guarantee I'll see them on sale again before I run out. Someone who doesn't have that much float wouldn't be able to do so, and so would be stuck paying 20% more than me for everything forever. So much of economics is chicken-and-egg.

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#145

Post by taneq » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:52 AM UTC

artsyca wrote: post #23

How refreshing to see something like this on HN; I want to iterate that there is an inextricable link between textiles and computer technology going back to the invention of the loom

Indeed, looms were some of the earliest programmable machinery, and the cause of arguably the earliest concerns about automation causing unemployment.

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#146

Post by RomanBob » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:57 AM UTC

masklinn wrote: post #110

dhd415 wrote: post #15

In a previous life when I wore suits to work on a frequent basis, I got interested in this topic and spent way too much time learning about it. I now have a closet full of quality clothes that I wear much less frequently, but, for whatever it's worth, they'll last me the rest of my life. There's a lot of good info in this article, but there's also a lot more beyond it. For example, it mentions (accurately) that the f…

> Or rather, they're expensive upfront but often turn out to be more economical over the life of the garment. In either case, they will be more pleasant to wear than a lower quality alternative. Good ol' Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice strikes again: > At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots…

What is the injustice here?

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#147

Post by artsyca » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 7:59 AM UTC

Pimpus wrote: post #118

dhd415 wrote: post #15

In a previous life when I wore suits to work on a frequent basis, I got interested in this topic and spent way too much time learning about it. I now have a closet full of quality clothes that I wear much less frequently, but, for whatever it's worth, they'll last me the rest of my life. There's a lot of good info in this article, but there's also a lot more beyond it. For example, it mentions (accurately) that the f…

> I now have a closet full of quality clothes that I wear much less frequently, but, for whatever it's worth, they'll last me the rest of my life. > Or rather, they're expensive upfront but often turn out to be more economical over the life of the garment. Okay, but this is assuming that your body composition does not change and the clothes continue to fit you. Your body is more important to how you look than the clo…

You gotta check out 'The Suit' by Nicholas Antongiovanni -- I'm not sure your assumption holds about the body being more important, this is something you may reconsider; people struggle with all sorts of body issues and clothing is the one great democratizer in that it gives us an extrinsic way to control our appearance

Furthermore, fashion trends being what they are, cheap trendy clothing doesn't make sense either, there are many factors but it's a calculus optimization yet again, how can you get the maximum longevity (including fashion relevance) with the minimum cost?

This hardly takes into account human psychology: let's not pretend humans don't communicate through clothing -- as a species we are able to assign meaning to anything including a plastic bag blowing in the wind. Many times the clothing we choose speaks for us and it's not always saying the most complimentary things

All these things considered, for a man at least, a rotation of 8 high quality suits and related sports jackets and accessories is still the best value even if society has strayed from these mores and those who get it get it, those who don't wear crocs everywhere

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#148

Post by RomanBob » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 8:06 AM UTC

artsyca wrote: post #119

masklinn wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Or rather, they're expensive upfront but often turn out to be more economical over the life of the garment. In either case, they will be more pleasant to wear than a lower quality alternative. Good ol' Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice strikes again: > At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots…

Ever wonder if cheap commodity exporting countries might play this as a form of covert economic aggression?

So selling things people want = aggression now?

Why is everything viewed in term of us vs them?

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#149

Post by vvpan » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 8:07 AM UTC

RomanBob wrote: post #146

masklinn wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Or rather, they're expensive upfront but often turn out to be more economical over the life of the garment. In either case, they will be more pleasant to wear than a lower quality alternative. Good ol' Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice strikes again: > At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots…

What is the injustice here?

Perhaps that in theory it's more expensive to be poor?

Re: How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

#150

Post by watt » Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 8:11 AM UTC

RomanBob wrote: post #146

masklinn wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Or rather, they're expensive upfront but often turn out to be more economical over the life of the garment. In either case, they will be more pleasant to wear than a lower quality alternative. Good ol' Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice strikes again: > At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots…

What is the injustice here?

The rich get richer and the poor only get poorer. It's the principle as old as the bible, and the Vimes part simply puts it into very accessible terms that everyone can identify with.