Guide to Purchasing and Maintaining High Quality Clothing
Tired of clothes only lasting one season before they’re thrown out? It’s time to make sure that the apparel you’re buying is of high quality.
When buying new garments, there are a few things you need to consider to ensure the quality of the items at hand. Sometimes it is easily identified just by checking the weight and feel of the fabric, while other times the collar construction and how sturdy it is can give you a hint. But before you buy any new items, check the list below for tips on how to spot high-quality clothing:
Metal zippers
Plastic zippers aren’t only difficult to zip up, but they also tend to be of poor quality and easy for a tooth to break, creating a problem with the whole zipper. When buying a new item, make sure it has a strong, metal zipper that is easy to close and is effortlessly fastened. Test it out by putting it on and checking how smooth the process is, to determine the quality of the zipper.
Natural fibers
The more you wash synthetic fibers, the more they wear out. That’s why they need special care or else they end up looking ragged and unwearable. So, if you’re looking to purchase clothing that not only looks good, but is great in terms of quality even after several washes, stick to natural fibers like cotton, wool, silk, linen or cashmere. According to cashmere clothing retailer Italyincashmere.com, the best way to maintain natural fabrics is to wash them by hand. When maintained correctly, these fabrics last for a very long time and always portray the high-quality look.
Strong stitching
When you come across an item you like, you can tell the quality based on the finishing. Examine the stitching to see how strong it is, make sure nothing is loose or crooked and that there are no signs of unraveling. Once you’ve guaranteed that there are no imperfections, check how well the clothing holds together by holding the fabric on each side and tugging lightly. Do not take it if there are any signs of the fabric falling apart.
Fabric patterns that match up
When it comes to patterns, a high-quality piece of attire will be visible just by looking at the seams. This is because the patterns should match up at the seams if the designer put enough effort and time into making sure that the details are taken into consideration. When the patterns do not match, the overall image looks odd, cheap and quite hideous, especially with bold patterns such as stripes or plaid.
Quality buttons
You can tell a lot about a garment from its buttons. First of all, when a piece of clothing comes with extra buttons, it shows that the garment is intended for a long period of time. Then, take a look at the buttons and inspect them for loose stitches as well as the quality of the buttons themselves to identify the value of the garment.
Finished seams
A high-quality garment can easily be identified by its seams. Poor quality garments usually do not have finished seams or the finishing is ragged making the edges seem irregular. By just looking at whether or not the seams are finished, you can easily identify the quality of the clothing.
When it comes to clothing, pricing is no longer a satisfying element to determine the value and quality of the item. It will even be more frustrating if you end up paying a fortune for an item that won’t last a couple of washes. So before you spend your money on any piece of clothing, be sure to inspect it, fold it inside out and look for signs to help you reach a verdict on the quality of the garment.
