Quality in clothing: An index
What exactly is "good quality" clothing? I don't know but I'm trying to find out.
I haven’t had the time to write much recently, but I just wanted to pop in here and say hello to all the people who subscribed in the last few months, particularly in response to my last post. I was very surprised to get a message from Substack one morning last week saying I now had 1,000 subscribers, and a big thank you to everyone, for wanting to be here.
I’m sheepish to report that I have exactly one draft rattling about in my drafts folder, and it isn’t even ready to see the light of day. But what I do have a lot of interesting reading material that I’ve been reading while researching for the post, and I think it’s a topic that will interest many: quality in clothing.
“Quality is more than examining whether the seams are neatly sewn. It’s a complex issue that intertwines the designer’s intention and production process, as well as the consumer’s preferences.” — Derek Guy on Put This On
The above quote by Derek Guy (of course) pretty much sums up why this is a topic I wanted to dig into—quality is often what we reach for when we’re deciding whether something is “worth” buying, but we do truly understand what goes into the making of a garment, and if we did, would it affect our perception of it?
In that regard, I’ve been enjoying content that peel back the layers of how clothes are made and priced in our modern, globalised world, and I thought I would compile a mini “index” of sorts, in case this is also of interest to you guys.
Some of the people mentioned below are industry experts who do factory visits and have the production know-how to discuss the technical qualities of clothes, others are style aficionados who pay close attention to the clothes that come their way, and have amassed amazing knowledge about what makes clothes good. And of course, there are books that have become classics in their own right, for documenting the complexities behind every stitch that makes its way into out closets.
I kept this list short to start, but I would love to build up a full index over time, and if you have any recommendations, please share them in comments.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Put This On (website). I’ve been reading Put This On for over a decade now, and I still can find no other site that puts this much effort into analysing the interplay between history, culture, craftsmanship and style in an incredibly accessible way. The site is rooted in trad menswear and ivy, but it’s very expansive and broad-minded in how it looks at fashion and style, and it’s grounded by common sense. This article in particular is a great primer for thinking about how we should judge quality in clothing, and I think anyone can learn something from it, regardless of your aesthetic.
It’s perhaps no coincidence that that article was written by Derek Guy, a long-time Put This On contributor; regular readers among you will know I am a long-time fan of his. His Twitter1 threads are a goldmine of advice—this thread about Japanese brand 45rpm for example, taught me more about craftsmanship and construction than a hundred other “how to buy quality clothes” lists.
Shiftfashiongroup (YouTube). If you are into the nitty gritty of how clothes are made—what’s the GSM of a t-shirt (and does it matter), how did Alo get those tees so soft, why Lululemon leggings are sometimes too sheer, why preshrinking matters—check out their channel. For a start, check out this video where they dissect an A&F t shirt to explain how brands cut corners to achieve a certain look without adding to cost.
Will Lasry (YouTube). I found this just earlier this week, recommended by Percia Verlin (also a great content creator, check out this video where she analyses her own style). Lasry is a product designer and consultant who makes the rounds at garment factories and trade shows around the world, bringing you along the way to see the factory that produces garments for Alexander McQueen, J.W. Anderson and too many brands to count, and showing you how a pair of high-quality jeans is produced in Japan every step of the way. An incredible look at what clothing manufacturing looks like today in the luxury + niche streetwear space.
The Cutting Room Floor by Recho Omondi (podcast). There are too many good episodes of this great podcast to count, but these two episodes from season 1 stand out in my memory for the insight coming from in industry pros, on how clothes are actually made: Maureen Saturne, a technical designer, and Tiia Richardson, a denim specialist. Both episodes (still available for free) give insights into design, manufacturing and pricing, and it really makes you realise that what we see in stores is really the tip of the iceberg.
Amanda Mull (reporting for The Atlantic). Amanda Mull does great reporting and analyses on consumerism and how products are designed and marketed, from why our sweaters are garbage to why handbags are starting to look the same. How things are sold to us greatly affects how we perceive quality, and her reporting does a great job of examining what retailers want us to think when they sell us things.
Are you wearing that? (Substack). There are really not enough articles like this one by Subrina Heyrink about fabric composition that really unpack what we should be looking for when we are shopping. Assessing quality is a really complicated matter, and a lot of content out there sacrifice nuance to make easy-to-read checklists for people, but ultimately, we are better shoppers when we pay attention to details and notice why something works, and Heyrink does that really well in her article.
Sustain This (podcast). This episode on how to assess quality is a good one. The hosts start out talking about tips for identifying quality, but it gets more interesting when they start discussing psyche behind why we shop—particularly aspiration—and how it affects our perception of quality It’s a nuanced chat that doesn’t try to offer pat answers and leaves you with plenty to think about. I also liked this conversation they had with a founder of a slow fashion brand, which sheds light on how it is hard for such brands to compete with less ethically-minded brands on price point and consumer attention.
Permanent Style (YouTube). I hesitated to recommend this because this is very much geared towards people interested in bespoke tailoring, but I often find that content from this universe have really good tips on how things should fit, how clothes are constructed, and so on. I have never worn a bespoke tailored suit in my life but thanks to videos like this, I’m quite confident of my ability to suss out a good blazer in a store, and I have a better understanding of how alterations work.
BOOKS
Design for the Real World by Victor Papanek. This one is about product design, not fashion, but it easily encompasses fashion in the sense that you can learn about what makes the things we use “good”, and how a good designer should think about the permanence and value of objects. It’s very easy to read and despite it being written in1972, its ideas still hold.
Deluxe: How luxury lost its lustre by Dana Thomas. A classic that has only become more relevant over time. Understanding how luxury brands work really changed my consumption of these brands, and this book was pivotal to that shift.
Textilepedia. A gorgeous and comprehensive book that’s a joy to read because it’s so well-laid out and explained. I borrowed it thinking it was a little too technical for my needs, but I often think of the information in this book when I’m looking at clothes—it’s surprisingly useful! Fabric is one of the most tangible things we can feel and assess as shoppers, and familiarising yourself with what’s out there can be very helpful.
Worn by Sofi Thanhauser. A good, if dense book that looks at how clothes are made—and its implications on people—from a textile history and production lens. Like all the resources listed here, it makes a very good case for why clothing quality cannot be reduced to just their fabric composition and country of origin tags, by diving into the historical context as well as the state of modern garment production.
I can’t stop calling it Twitter!
I couldn't click on this email fast enough! You've put together great resources here. Hats off to you!
Fantastic resources. “Worn” is a great read and now I’m interested in “are you wearing that”