No matter how beautiful the details or how well-crafted the seams are, a garment made from a flimsy, scratchy or pilling fabric is never a good addition to any wardrobe. When it comes to building our wardrobe, we want to fill it with quality pieces that not only looks good on us, but also those that are able to keep its intended shape and size after multiple washes. How do you determine the quality of the garment you purchase? Does the price tag corresponds to the quality of the item?
The first important point to assess the quality of your garment is to look at the fabric it is made of. The quality of the fabric itself and how suitable is the fabric for the functionality of that item. For example, a high quality silk piece would not make a good choice for fabric wear.
Every fabric has its own unique properties. Understanding their properties and what to look out for, will put you in a good place to decide the best purchases for your wardrobe. And we are going to explore 4 of the most commonly used fabrics in garments.
Cotton
The most popular and commonly used fabric in making garments. It is soft, versatile and inexpensive. The most important quality property of cotton is its staple length, i.e. the length of the individual fibers the fabric consists of. Fabric made from long cotton fibers is generally considered to be of a higher quality than fabrics made from shorter fibers. Best known for its water absorbent and breathable properties.
Assessing the quality:
- Observe the fabric, there should be no pills present.
- Check the density of the fabric by holding it to the light. If the fabric lets through a lot of light, it’s a sign that it is not very dense and therefore will not be very durable.
- Touch the fabric. It should feel soft and smooth on the skin.
- Look closely at the threads of the fabric, they should be spun closely together with no gaps or size difference between them.
Linen
Linen is a fabric made from natural fibers from the flax plant. It has excellent strength compared to cotton and does not have piling problems. It is know for its breathable properties which makes it an excellent wear for hot, humid weather. However, it can appear to wrinkle easily.
Assessing the quality:
- Make sure that the linen does not already contain any small ‘permanent’ creases. As these creases may become more pronounced with extended duration of wear.
- Good quality linen should feel soft to the skin, not scratchy or rough.
- The linen wear you are purchasing, think about whether it will still look ok at the end of the day with some creases.
Wool
Wool fabrics are made from animal fibers such as merino sheep or alpaca. They make excellent choice for winter wear due to their insulation and hygroscopic properties. Usually a cool iron is more than sufficient to ease out a crease if any. However, it can be an expensive fabric and prone to piling.
Assessing the quality:
- The knitting should be consistent and there should not be any knots, loose strands, holes or gaps between the individual threads of the fabric.
- Higher quality wools will be more tightly woven to prevent fibres from becoming loose, reducing the pilling effect.
- Wools that are made with dense, finely knitted wool material tends to pill less easily.
- Wool fabric should be elastic, it bounces back to shape easily when stretched.
- A high-quality wool garment will be tightly woven and dense, without any gaps in between the individual threads.
- Some wools are naturally softer than others, such as cashmere, hence it does not necessarily speak for its quality. Be sure to test the wool not just with your hands but also on other places with sensitive skin.
Synthetics
These fabrics are made up of fibers that are manufactured from synthetic polymers such as nylon, polyester, spandex or acrylic. They are known for their excellent resistance to wrinkles, elasticity and durability. However, it can be a challenge to remove a stubborn stain.
Assessing the quality:
- Synthetic fabrics are the best choices for active wear as they are stretchy, light weight and dry fast. They should be able to return to shape easily when stretched, no obvious holes or uneven gaps between threads.
- Best used when mixed with natural fibers to make a garment for its functionality and breathable properties.
- Check the fabric surface there should be a uniform colour across (unless it is for design purposes).
Does expensive price tag = good quality?
The quality of an item and the price it carries are not always related. Some items are easier to manufacture and hence you will find them affordable for the a well-made quality. At the same time, just because an item is very pricey, sadly does not always mean that the manufacturer used all of that extra money to up the quality of the garment.
So… if you want to make sure you are buying quality garments for your wardrobe, my advice is, to shop physically in the shops where you can touch, feel and try the fabric. This is one thing that online shopping can never replace. Only when up close, will you be able to inspect the fabric, the seams, and the balancing proportions it gives when on your body. Not every item in your wardrobe needs to be expensive to speak quality. Decide which items requires more durable wear before investing in them.
I love hearing from you, if you have any feedback, opinions or questions please comment below. If you enjoyed this post and know someone who could do with this information please share it with them by clicking on the share button below.
If you would like to breakthrough from your wardrobe frustration and step into your True Style Personality, drop me a chat (jeann@stylebyjeann.com) or download my FREE style resource “Look Stylish for Less”!
