How To Tell If You’re Buying Quality Clothes

Just because you buy clothes from famous brands, doesn’t mean that they’re made to last. Many of the world’s top manufacturers cut corners and use cheap fabrics to increase their margins. Often, you’re purely paying for a name – and nothing else. 

 

So how do you know if you’re buying quality clothing? What signs do you need to look out for?

 

You Can’t See Through The Material

 

Unless you’re buying a barong Tagalog or sheer knickers, you shouldn’t be able to see through your clothing. If you can, it’s a sign that the material is poor and the item isn’t going to last. 

 

Wearing thin materials is fashionable sometimes. So if you choose an item for style reasons only, use it sparingly. Don’t try to make it something you wear every day. You’ll wind up disappointed. 

 

It Feels Heavy And Stiff

 

If somebody told you their clothes felt heavy and stiff, you would assume it was bad. But, actually, it is a sign of quality – especially when you buy clothes new for the first time. 

 

A new pair of jeans or Gitman vintage that has a certain bulkiness about it is reassuring. It means that the fibers that went into constructing it are thick and tightly packed. Usually, it will take longer for the garment to wear itself out. 

 

There Are Extra Panels

 

Manufacturers know that their garments have specific weak points – places where they are more prone to failure. Often, therefore, you’ll find them adding reinforcement to prevent breakages, allowing you to keep your clothes for longer. 

 

Look for reinforcements on jeans around the crotch and between the shoulders on shirts. These extra panels resist stretching that can cause failure in these areas. 

 

The Fabric Matches The Seams

Take a look at the seams on a piece of clothing, and then compare them to the fabric. If the item is of high quality, they should match. 

 

Pay particular attention to the seams on striped or plaid garments. When the pattern is more complicated, it is easier to spot mismatched thread. 

 

The Hems On Garments Are Finished

 

Next, take a look at the hems on your garments. Ideally, manufacturers should use extra material to round them off instead of just leaving the fabric “raw.”

 

If the fabric is raw, then your clothes are much more likely to unravel as you wear them. Yes, it requires spending a little extra money, but it usually means that your clothes will last longer. 

 

Zippers Aren’t Exposed 

 

Exposed zippers are one of the clearest signs that you’re dealing with an unsatisfactory quality item of clothing. Clothes makers usually cover the zipper with a piece of fabric, incorporating it into the item. But when they’re trying to cut costs, they will leave it exposed. 

 

Quality items shelter zippers in a fabric placket. And the deeper the placket, the higher the quality of the piece of clothing concerned. It helps to give garments a more polished and seamless look, so you should notice the quality immediately.