How can brands justify £50-200 for polyester dresses?

[Thedarklady]

Natural and natural mix is fine but not man made, hot and shedding fibres. Yes, it's tough in retail but is it too much to ask for a nice dress without having to spend £300+?

I have managed to buy a few timeless cotton dresses recently but it's hard outside of summer.

Are man made fibres recyclable? I much prefer cotton or linen too but it's hard to find and much more expensive.

This makes me despair. Whistles has gotten especially bad for this lately. I used to get loads there and now it’s wall to wall polyester.

I don’t shop regularly any more because of this. I buy stuff when I’m really desperate and everything else has worn out!

The price of cotton has soared in recent years due to crop production, demands from local markets and in particular in UK and some specific global chains; the demand for ethical cotton, which means cotton costs have soared
Man made fibres have increased due to cost of oil
Dollar rates and shipping rates have increased
So, how whistles charge is entirely up to them, and us as consumers if we want to pay the prices! But the point is some people prefer man Mande, easy care, good colour etc, it’s not always logical on price!

I’m getting married this summer and wanted a really pretty summer dress instead of a trad wedding dress.
To me that means crisp cotton. I had no idea what a mission I had set myself.

Given how rapidly the quality has decreased and the prices have increased at Whistles WingingWonder, I expect them to go the way of LK Bennett in the next couple of years.
Yes, it’s one way of looking at it to say that it is entirely up to them what they make and what they charge, but a company that ignores it’s customers/market is pretty much doomed.

Resigned myself I have to spend/invest to get natural and quality

Recently got a dress from here. Expensive yes. I like the Lottie b stuff.

www.pinkhousemustique.com/

I only buy vintage these days for exactly that reason, or from shops like Toast who still make clothes with good quality fabrics. I have up shopping on the high street years ago as I can't stand polyester, total rip-off!

Wow those Lotty b dresses are gorgeous!

I agree, OP - the shops are such a sea of nasty shiny polyester at the moment. And shapeless too, which begs the question why bother to pay high end prices, if you're not getting decent fabric or cut?

Agree it's really difficult.

If I'm going to have a polyester dress I may as well pay £12 in primark.

I'm finding small, mid range independent boutiques best at the minute. Bought a dress the other week, it's a cotton/linen mix. £59. Quality fabric.

I can't afford £300 for a dress.

I haven’t seen much polyester in Whistles except for linings - it’s all viscose I think.

There is such a thing as high quality polyester. Usually, I much prefer it to natural fibres as it is easy to maintain and very long-lasting.

What is high quality polyester? Genuine question. Is some polyester not as rustly and not as sweat inducing? Can you tell by the feel of the fabric?

@AnthonyCrowley

High polyester exists although not on the high street. Designers use nice polyester so Harrods or Selfridgesare good too find it. Thinking of the top of my head I've nice pieces from Club Monaco, Escada and Max Mara that are entirely or mostly polyester. Very easy to wear, colours as lovely as if it was silk etc.

It's great for flows items but yes, I wouldn't choose it in a heatwave but ok on a normal summer's day in London.

Try ethical brands as these are almost always organic cotton ie People Tree etc

It doesn't matter if polyester can be recycled. That's not stopping fibres leaching every time it's washed. The aim is to reduce, reuse and only if you can't do the first two, recycle.

I hate polyester..I heat up to the earth's core temps wearing it and pong!

nowisthemonthofmaying me too! eBay usually for fab TOAST items.

I don't like polyester either but let's not pretend cheap cotton is an ethical choice. Off the top of my head, water consumption, working conditions, pesticides - all problematic.

It really annoys me because it used to be that you could avoid polyester by going a bit higher-end. Now I see designs and prints I love and would be prepared to pay £100-200 for occasionally but I don’t because they’re polyester!

However you can still get cotton and silk at some brands - ganni, toast, hush, even H&M and top shop but you have to check carefully as some of them also do a lot of polyester. And I also look out for viscose which i’m Ok with.

I also make my own clothes. There are lovely online shops selling fabulous natural fabrics, like merchant & mills, as well as great remnants/vintage fabric on eBay. And it’s cheaper.

Yes recycled polyester is used to make consumers think “oh great not harmful to the planet” but of course it is, if it’s being recycled into more clothes that shed fibres.

Agree with the polyester sea. But I also see a lot of viscose creeping into the high street. I don’t particularly like viscose, even if it is breathable and semi-natural - I find it creases too much and is difficult to wash. It gets a fair amount of love on here but I always thought it was quite toxic to produce? Is this not true anymore?