It seems like the quality of garments has gone down over the years, hasn’t it? Perhaps you’ve noticed, but what used to last up to a decade strong like the Superman of garments now only hangs around for a year or two and nobody really bats an eye at that. Instead, we’ve accepted it as the norm and chosen to circle through our wardrobe oh so quickly. We have another option, though. Let’s take a step into the world of quality clothing.

For starters, what defines high quality clothing? According to the Luxe Strategist, “quality is all about the fabric and the construction. When nice fabrics meet excellent construction, you get a garment that tends to last longer and age gracefully.” It’s hard to tell sometimes if a garment is made with high quality in mind when you don’t know what you’re looking for. You can go by the price, but that doesn’t always guarantee a higher quality product. Neither does labels or name brands.

You may also be wondering, “why high quality?” (besides the obvious). There is one big reason for choosing high quality clothing. As Good On You writes, “one of the most pressing reasons to prioritize quality clothes is the environmental impact of lower-quality fast fashion items. Cheaply made garments that are designed to be worn only a few times before falling apart contribute significantly to the fashion industry’s footprint.” As you can see, the sustainable and eco-friendly choice is going to be with high quality garments. They last longer, so you’re reducing your carbon footprint. When it comes to picking out products that will last, here are some things you’ll need to look for.

The Seams

If you do a little digging online, you’ll find that a lot of experts will point to the seams as a sign of quality (or lack thereof). Seams hold it all together, literally, and the last thing you want is for your garment to fall apart after a couple of washes. There’s a lot you can look into as far as seams go, but the main thing you’ll want to look for is that they’re cleanly sewn and pressed snug against the garment. Anything else, such as 3D stitches, won’t hold up.

Fabric

Sustainable fabric is where it’s at. Things like organic cotton are going to last a lot longer than fabrics such as polyester. It’s going to hold up to all of the wear and tear that clothing goes through, such as simply washing.

Durability

SANVT has a great way to tell if a garment is durable. They write that, “another trick is to hold the garment against the light. If the fabric lets a lot of light through, it is a sign that it is not knitted or woven densely and is likely to lose shape and wear out easily.” This simple trick is sure to help you out in determining whether or not the fabric will hold up over time. Lighter fabric will wear easily, while thicker fabric will stand the test of time. Thread count is a big factor in this. That's what will determine whether the fabric is thin or thick, which you can also find out just by doing the light test.

Ethically Made

A great way to determine whether or not a product is high quality is if it's ethically produced. When it's ethically produced, more care is absolutely put into the garment. You have to take into account how the workers are paid, what the working conditions are like, and what resources they're using. All of these factor into what brings a product together. When workers have proper working conditions, when they're paid well, they're able to put more attention to detail into everything they do. Ethical brands will be sure to include this information on their website.

As you can see, there are a few simple ways to determine whether or not a garment is high quality. These are things anybody can do, and they only take a couple of seconds. We hope you’ll give it a try.

Additionally, here at Verte Mode, we seek to provide high quality products based on our own set of standards. We want the consumer to receive a product that they’re going to be able to use for years to come--no buying and trashing after a few uses. As such, we promote slow fashion, which, as you’ve read, is eco-friendly. Our website is yours to explore.