Live data from Hacker News

How to assess the quality of garments (2014)

anuschkarees.com

161–170 of 292 posts

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

#161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Probably mostly speaks to the grade of the YKK zippers used in the clothes worn by the person, there are many different grades available.

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

#162

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?

It's possible, but the "natural" explanation (capitalism driving costs down/race to the bottom) is just as plausible and much simpler

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

#163

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?

It should be noted the book called it the "theory of socioeconomic unfairness", not "injustice".

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

#164
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…

The founder of Primark died just a couple of weeks ago. His life was touched by a family tragedy in recent years also

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ryan

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

#165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is everyone not heading to a funeral? ;)

Not me! I’ll never go to one and have it in my will that there won’t be one when I pass.

Your Earthly remains will be disposed of, that's your funeral, the form of yours may differ to others.

May I ask why you'll "never go to one", and perhaps how old you are?

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

#166

I mostly dress pretty casually: jeans and a T shirt is pretty typical. My shirts “fail” not because of stitching or things like that. Most of the time they get armpit stains from deodorant after probably 20 time I wear them or so. At that point I toss them. I don’t see how higher laity fabric would result in anything different, so I stick to cheaper basic shirts for everyday wear. I like clothes, but I like variety.…

Try the "prescription strength" antiperspirant. You will sweat much less. It's more expensive, but you use less of it, so each container lasts longer. So it's not much more expensive in the long run by my experience. Especially if it saves you money on shirts.

I know some people sweat excessively, but, in general, isn't preventing sweating like putting a blanket on your computer to stop it blowing out hot air?

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

#167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> don't wear cotton in hot & humid climates I seriously had to LOL at this. When I first moved to Japan, I was clueless. I live in a particularly hot and sunny part of Japan. During the rainy season, we sometimes have rain every day for a month (like this year :-P). It took having my clothes literally rot on the line before I understood this point. My predecessor (government program rotates foreigners to teach Englis…

> I'd give one other small piece of advice: buy clothes in areas that are famous for the weather you want to feel good in. Anybody wants a nice, not-bulky, warm winter coat: buy it in Canada. You want a nice summer suit for 100 degree F weather? Taiwan. You want a sweater for those cold rainy days? Scotland. That's a nice start-up idea. I can't afford to travel the world to do my seasonal shopping.

The World can't afford for people to travel the globe either.

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

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)

I see an interesting form of this that isn't exclusive to the poor: daycare.

My wife has the luxury of not having to work so we have never used daycare. That's tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours driving, not getting sick all the time, not needing a second car, the list goes on not to mention the immeasurable cost of missing out on the absolute best hours of your child's life.

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

#169
post #16

I hate the complete lack of transparency in garments. We need to know all the details, including the weave? For someone that sweats a lot in hot & humid climates, why does one white cotton shirt show the sweat, and another doesn't? Why do I feel cooler with a thicker cotton shirt than a thinner one?

What's even more frustrating is that its impossible to find even a brand that uses good quality fabrics all the time. Even expensive outdoor gear can be hit and miss.

DISCLAIMER: I work at Son of a Tailor

We do exist ! Our selection is not that large yet, but we are growing it steadily and slowly, to make sure that the garments we choose work for the product.

We exclusively use the best quality garments we can find(within reason of course) That means only using Supima Cotton for cotton and Merino Wool for wool products. We even get our fabrics knitted and dyed at a place we trust near or production facilities in Portugal.

I'm not totally sure if that part of our business is totally unique, and i'd imagine that many small brands go to the same lengths to ensure the best quality but maybe you should just stop looking at large clothing companies when searching for quality.

Pretty funny reading an article like this on HN :)

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

#170

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…

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 £2-3…

The story is a simplification, and that's its flaw, like most stories.

My experience is that while lifetime and cost are often correlated, they aren't always, the ratio is often a curve, and the curve is different for every product. My $10 Casio watch has outlasted some nicer watches costing more than $100. But I once made the mistake of buying a $40 pair of shoes, and they were unwearable within a few months.

Another example is that high-end suits with high thread count are supposedly less durable than less expensive suits, because the finer, more comfortable fabric is also thinner and wears more quickly.

Post reply on HN