For decades, consumption of fashion has accelerated alongside a rapid decline in the quality of clothes. Australiansare the largest consumers of fast fashion in the world, and wedispose of our clotheswith an intensity that reflects this.
The simplest antidote to fashion’s impacts is wearing clothes for longer. A2017 study foundextending the life of a garment by just nine months could reduce its carbon, waste and water footprints by up to 20%. With this in mind, here are eight ways to spot durable garments you’ll be able to keep, repair and wear for an extended time.
The most significant determinant of a garment’s durability is what it’s made from. Start by rubbing the fabric between your fingers to get a sense of the hand – “how something feels when you touch it,” says Gareth Kershaw, a lecturer in fashion technology from RMIT University. Take into consideration things like softness, smoothness, fluff, elasticity, strength, drape and density.
Next, according to sustainable design consultant Kristen Nuttall, you should check the label to see the fabric composition. “Is this a wool cashmere, or is it a viscose blend made to feel like cashmere?” she says.
Natural fibres like cotton, linen, wool, cashmere and silk will generally be more durable when not blended with a synthetic like elastane, polyester or nylon. A telltale sign of high-quality cotton and wool is a smooth finish as this indicates longer, finer staple fibres. The density of a knit or weave is another sign of quality as it generally requires more fibres (which is more expensive) and reflects that advanced technology was used in production.
The next step is to assess how a garment has been constructed, which means taking a look inside.
A well-made garment will have thoughtfully constructed openings and closures that are reinforced at more than one point (like a button that does up inside the lapel or a tab inside the top of the fly on trousers). And they will move with you. When you try a jacket or shirt on, there should be no tension when you raise your arms. Similarly, trousers shouldn’t pull or gape when you sit down.
In the context of construction, elastane is a red flag. It has a four-way stretch, which is necessary for swimwear and underwear, but in other garments, it does a lot of heavy lifting to make poorly constructed clothes fit. Plus, over time, it loses elasticity from repeated stretching and washing, which causes the material to sag.
Something else to pay attention to is how neat the seams are.
French seams – folded over and sewn down along both edges – and those bound so the edges are covered are much stronger and more durable. These, Kershaw says, “give you more stability in the garment itself” compared with the widely used overlocked or lock stitch seams with a row of stitches running along a raw edge. Dodgy seams will also have larger stitches, which indicates that a garment was rushed through the machine quickly. This can lead to faults like puckering in the fabric.
Since it adds warmth, keeps the exterior of a garment from getting dirty and makes it more pleasant to get dressed, lining is another indicator of quality. But it’s important to be mindful of what it’s made from, as cheap polyester, nylon or acetate will disrupt any thermoregulating properties in the outer layer since they don’t breathe and make garments feel sticky and sweaty. Look for lining made from cupro, silk, cotton, modal or lyocell.
Well-placed, deep pockets made from a thin but strong material are another indicator that a garment has been designed and manufactured by someone skilled and knowledgable.
“Pockets can wear out quickly, so the quality of the fabric is important, as is the placement,” Kershaw says. Look for pockets that have been reinforced or tucked into the seams and are sitting appropriately on the body so when you put something inside them, it won’t fall out or upset the line of the garment.
The weight and material of zippers, buttons, press studs and hook-and-eyes are also key. “There should be an elegance to opening and closing the zippers or snap buttons or whatever the fastening is,” Nuttall says. “If it’s difficult and they’re not functioning well, that’s a sign of a garment that wasn’t well considered.”
“If something is well made, as you grow or shrink and change or your style changes, you should be able to adapt it,” says Nuttall.
Look for garments that have extra fabric stored in the seams so they can be let out or taken in if your body changes. Or design features like ties or fastenings that mean they can be worn in a variety of ways.
Choosing styles you love and want to keep wearing is perhaps the hardest thing to get right. It requires developing a strong sense of your own personal style – a good place to start is analysing what you already own and love to wear. It can help to view each new purchase as an investment, which might mean researching and saving up so you can find and afford the dress, trousers or coat with the most value embedded in it.
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