Why is everything such shit quality!?

[gigipom]

even higher end brands.

I spent £150 on a dress from Massimo Dutti, which was machine washable 30 degrees. I hand washed cool to be extra safe and it shrunk.

my dresses from COS, Sezane all feel a bit naff after a few wears and have pulls in them. Knitwear bobbles so fast.

I went for a look around some shops today and I couldn’t believe how shit the quality was of everything. Everything is mixed with a synthetic fabric, but still charging an extortionate amount.

that and just the general styles coming in for autumn are 🤮 (looking at you, Zara).

How long have you got, @Doesanyoneknowwhattheyaredoing?

This is an excellent thread - but I can honestly say I never encounter shit quality clothes. I know where to avoid, but it’s more a case of painstakingly building a roster of reliably wonderful shops and brands. (99.99% online.) And recognising that most things are going to cost more than average High St prices. And, if one doesn’t have limitless funds, taking the time to discover where to buy the best quality greatly reduced - either new or pre-owned.

last year I bought a black and white striped top from Zara, already starting to go… black satiny fabric blouse one button came off cuffs after one wear.

I love preloved and other places for clothes. There are some gems, got a gorgeous light orange and blue floral Arket top over lockdown which is great quality forgot about it the other day.

In fact last night I was thinking about a lovely brown fabric trouser suit my stepdad brought back for me from a business trip to either Netherlands or Germany in the early 1990s. Even then, certain countries were much better than England for style and quality.

Couldn't agree more, OP. I learned to properly sew during lockdown (already was a knitter) which has helped so much. Though sourcing the right fabrics can also be a palaver, even the cheapest stuff is generally of higher quality than the average high street RTW brand's and of course you can control the fit and construction rather than cutting corners to meet ridiculous deadlines.

I still love fashion and browse the shops regularly but seeing anything close-up usually stops me from even bothering to trying it on. The French high street brands (Sezane, Maje, Sessun, Claudie P etc.) are theeeeeee worst for nice designs and shockingly poor fabrics.

@Cyclingmummy1 haha so true!!

To the posters who return stuff that has shrunk or bobbled or whatever after just a few washes/wears, how do you do this as both M&S and Next and most stores say within 28 days with tags on and receipt for a refund. I understand different rules apply if faulty but don't they ask you to prove you didn't wash it wrong or something?? I've never tried to return something I've worn despite it being disappointing quality because I just thought once it's worn and the tags are off they'd just blame me!

@mintjulia if pieces are cut by a machine a garment can be made in a less than an hour. Obviously people should be paid well, goes without saying.

But I've had handmade items made abroad in a couple of hours from measurements being taken to item handed over.

I have a sunspel jumper from eBay that will last until I’m 100!

Can I also add a request for where I can find decent quality work shoes? Happy to spend money on them as they get worn very little (just in the office, I commute in trainers) but eg. Louboutins look very dated now (not that I own any but as an example)

@Aria20 - it’s a question of whether something is ‘fit for purpose’. You have an expectation that when you buy an item of clothing it will last a reasonable amount of time, assuming you don’t mis-use it. This should help:

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act-aKJYx8n5KiSl

When I was 16 I bought a pair of shoes, took them with me on an exchange trip to Germany and wore them, in the normal way, for a couple of weeks there and an month afterwards. And then the sole came off. Took them back to the shop and got a full refund.

I launder things carefully too. I’m also an advocate for sending/taking things back if they shrink etc. I do think shops need to get the message about poor quality. I’m hopeless at eBaying and recently found a bag of things from years ago I had earmarked to sell - lovely silk Karen Millen embroidered tops, coast dresses, jigsaw skirts etc the quality from the late 90s and early 00s is an absolute world away from the cheaply made but expensively priced rubbish in the shops today! I’m now glad I was hopeless at eBaying as will wear some of them again.

@CapaciousHag do they just accept your word for it as hat you have washed it per instructions etc? It's such a pain having to make extra trips to return stuff as well but obviously more of a pain to have to keep replacing for both cost and environmental reasons!

Oh and some old whistles stuff back when it had the pink labels - so lovely and such nice quality. Agree with PP on zara, some nice looking designs but quality utterly dire. I remember when zara first arrived in the UK and giddily buying lovely quality things at the Trafford centre store. It is now terrible and extremely risky for returning online too given all the horror stories and awful reviews.

Definitely knitwear is the worst. Everything bobbles, even before it's washed, and regardless of cost

Yes, now instead of worrying about what happens to all the plastic bottles we discard we can tell ourselves it’s fine because we’re wearing them.

I hate this recycled man made fibre crap. Let’s just cut down on plastic.

A few weeks ago I took a full day to try and buy work and other clothes at an outlet centre. I came back with two pairs of trousers (yes, polyester). I didn’t see a single top I’d be happy to wear and when I looked at the other shoppers to see how other people were doing it, I realised there was nobody I considered well dressed.

I bought a pair of M and S boots a number of years back and the sole wore down so badly that you could see the mastic in the heel. I only had them about six weeks and although the SA put up a fight I successfully argued that they were not fit for purpose.

Mastic =plastic

I've returned the following to M&S...a boyfriend cardigan which went out of shape and bobbled badly after one wash, 2 pairs of linen blend wide leg trousers which both shrank in length and lost their shape and one pair of straight leg trousers which had false back pockets, the lining of which rolled up and wouldn't stay flat even after pressing.

Each time the assistant didn't query the return and just refunded. It was as if they'd had many returns for the same issues.

Poor quality items made from cheap man-made fibres aside, but even pure cotton, wool, cashmere has changed in quality. Cotton jersey t shirts always seem to lose their shape and the fabric doesn't appear as 'new' looking after a few washes compared to previously. They are also noticeably lighter in weight. Wool and cashmere bobble under the arms after the first couple of wears.

We have a t shirt belonging to my eldest that was worn to death, handed down to siblings, continued to be worn to death and washed for years since, and it still looks in better condition and shape than recent purchases.

I noticed this week end even high end fashion has switched to viscose. I found an Eileen Fisher dress and a Baukjen long sleeve top both viscose.

I refuse to pay high end prices for polyester etc. even if I do like the design.

Wish I had known you can take back things you have worn them, I had a pair of black trousers with a white stipe, faded so bad after two washers, and sweatshirt both from m&s that bobbles after 2 to 3 wears. I no longer would buy a sweatshirt fabric from m &s or their jersey trousers. And hush wide leg sweatpants why did I buy two pairs, the knees go baggie when you wear them.

Poor quality items made from cheap man-made fibres aside, but even pure cotton, wool, cashmere has changed in quality.

M&S 100% cotton knickers are now so thin that you might as well be wearing paper pants.

I'm ruthless about returning clothes which aren't fit for purpose. I view it as theft if an item shrinks in the wash or the seams come apart after a couple of wears. Clothes are supposed to last for years, not months.
Obviously I wouldn't expect a t shirt bought in a supermarket for a fiver to last as long as an expensive version (although I have had Primark/Tesco ones that survived being handed down to 3 boys). But I'd still return it if it fell apart after a couple of washes.
Returning things is the only way shops will learn they can't get away with selling cheap shit at expensive prices!

Another vote for Charity shop shopping.

I got a linen top from Marks and Spencers, a thick cotton Zara t shirt and a 100% lambswool jumper for £12 in total.

I can spot cashmere from a mile away and always check labels. I always check the men’s jumper section in Charity shops as nearly all are 100% wool compared to the women’s section where about 5% are wool.

If I’m buying high street I do find H and M and Mango good quality, but again I always check labels before a purchase. I can’t afford places like Cos who do great basics, but would shop there if I could. Gap and Uniqlo are good too.

I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks as all the charity shops will be bringing in their winter jumpers and coats. And I’m always obsessed with getting wool coats! I want a good navy one this year.

Take up knitting then you can make your own quality clothes however you will need to buy decent yarn.