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How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

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

#151

Post by artsyca »

RomanBob wrote: post #148
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?

So selling things people want = aggression now? Why is everything viewed in term of us vs them?

oh! man! I'm loving this thread -- there's no question that economic policy is designed as an adversarial game for leverage, especially on the world stage. Taking a step back and seeing how the world has (de)evolved in the past 30 years I'm wondering if selling people what they think they want isn't the best way to bring a society to its knees? edit: and making it just ever so much more breakable to where it's usable but definitely won't last forever..

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

#152

Post by swish_bob »

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 fact that poor people spend more money on things than rich people, once you include replacing them when they wear out.

Or do you think that it's just that the poor people are held down?

(Cue stories about people working their way out of poverty and thus proving the poverty trap isn't a real thing)

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

#154

Post by swish_bob »

RomanBob wrote: post #148
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?

So selling things people want = aggression now? Why is everything viewed in term of us vs them?

Everything isn't us and them, but bear in mind we're not talking about things people want here, we're talking about things people need.

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

#155

Post by joosters »

mattlondon wrote: post #94
cli wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Take a look at Primark seams and then take a look at Brooks Brothers seams I'm not familiar with either. Which store is supposed to have the better seams?

Primark is a very cheap store - t-shirts for £2, trousers for £8 etc. It is fast fashion so stuff changes rapidly and frequently. If there is something on the catwalk at a fashion show that causes a lot of interest or someone famous wears something particularly noteworthy in a magazine photo, Primark will have something very similar to it in their stores within a week or two. Primark is hugely popular in the UK and e…

Same experience here, Primark clothes are always dirt cheap but the quality varies wildly. As I can't tell the difference, I have T-shirts from there that have practically self-destructed after one wash, and others that have kept good and comfy for years!

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

#156

Post by lloeki »

dlivingston wrote: post #17
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…

Do you have any high-quality clothing stores that you recommend?

https://www.loow.com

Wool garments, from a small company set up by a Danish ex Jaeger Corps who was aghast with the quality (or lack thereof) of clothes out there when he returned to civil life.

I don't even remember how I got in touch with them, but I was looking for robust, functional yet stylish clothes I could both wear everyday and do skateboarding with. I just remember buying one for the heck of it early in the company life and be instantly amazed by the fit, quality, and how the t-shirt would cater for sports, casual and professional life. I bought about 10 of those, and then their socks and underwear too. I could put up a day-long skateboarding session with lots of sweating, just hang the thing to dry and it would be fine in an hour, so I could wash them once a week when wearing daily, which is impossible with cotton and has a dramatic effect on lifespan. Very breathable, so nice in summer but also keeps you warm in winter.

The upfront cost seems high for "just a t-shirt" but boy have they endured the trial I've put them through over two years. I definitely recommend following their recommendations for washing and drying.

https://www.loow.com/pages/care-instructions

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

#157

Post by panda88888 »

on_and_off wrote: post #135
panda88888 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you give recommendation on brand and/or store?

Sure ! Anything with a combination of merino + lyocel (so tencel, modal, etc, there are different branded names) should be good. It will also be way costlier than a bad quality cotton where you get five boxers for 5$, but it does not have to go to 100$ either. I own and like : - I have some tshirts and socks from icebreakers. The tshirts are great for working out too ! They can be great for some hard activities like…

Thanks! I’ll check them out.

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

#158

Post by OJFord »

buttikin wrote: post #34
jimmaswell wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems even basic clothes tinkering takes some skill. I had a pair of jeans with a hole, so I patched on a piece of an old pair whose legs were too long. Kept eventually coming off. Maybe a sewing machine was needed.

If you don't have a sewing machine, and you're interested in repairing/tailoring your own clothes (and most importantly you have the time) it's well worth looking into historic sewing methods. Hand sewing can be just as strong if not stronger than machine sewing, it just takes the right techniques and the time and patience to sit there and do it. I've found the two most useful stitches I've picked up are the felling…

I have some socks that probably have more darned surface area than original material, just because it amused me.

Socks have a hard life really, and cheap nasty polyester (or significant % blends) ones can last much longer than more expensive pairs. Especially because you won't want to wear them!

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

#159

Post by algesten »

Mobile phone cameras can do some pretty detailed close photography now.

Wonder if one could train a ML model to recognize "quality fibres" using close up photography?

A simpler variant would be to focus on stitching. Photographs of how fabrics are joined and the stitches in key places.

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

#160

Post by Steve44 »

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 there is a flaw in that story. I’ve a few pairs of high quality shoes and yes they do last well and look good but they still need maintenance. I send them back to the manufacturer for a resole when needed, they come back refurbished but it’s cost about 1/3 the price of buying a new pair.

I also have a 30 year old Omega watch. Every five years that goes back to Omega, it’s away for about a month and costs £2-300 each time.

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