But here’s the uncomfortable part no one is talking about: our role in all of this.
I believe we, as consumers, are just as responsible for the decline in clothing quality. More often than not, the issue goes beyond manufacturers cutting corners; many of our own buying habits have helped shape the industry into what it is today.
One of the clearest examples of this is our growing preference for cheapness over quality.
Imagine you own a high-end restaurant that sells healthy food. A few years later, another restaurant opens down the block and overnight, you lose 50% of your customers. Naturally, you’re worried, so you decide to find out what’s going on.
After some research, you discover not only is their food much cheaper, but they’re selling junk food. Regardless, customers don’t care, as long as it’s cheap, happy days.
Now, the next time you’re restocking, you decide to add a few burgers and chips to your menu, and suddenly 80% of your remaining customers choose that instead. From a business standpoint, as an owner, what would you do? I’d bet next time the menu becomes 50/50.
This is exactly what I believe happened in the fashion industry, and is still happening now.
Ultra-fast fashion brands like Shein surged almost overnight. Slowly, we shifted from buying fewer quality pieces to buying more, cheaper ones.
Why spend £100 on a T-shirt when you can get one for £5? Or simply buy twenty.
Quality began to fade while quantity exploded.
What we weren’t aware of, but now know, is that cheap products are often made with low-quality materials. Or maybe some of us did but didn’t care.
Another thing we didn’t factor in was cost per wear, and the environmental damage caused by disposable clothing. High-quality clothing often far outweighs the perceived value that lower-quality pieces offer.
A good example is one person buying a well-made £300 pair of Japanese selvedge jeans, which could easily last three years or more and, if cared for properly, can still be worn or even resold as second-hand. Versus another person buying 30 or more pairs of SHEIN’s £10 jeans, most of which will end up in landfill in that same timeframe.
Our shopping habits gradually shifted away from durability and craftsmanship towards convenience and low prices, and traditional high-street brands adapted accordingly in order to compete. After all, synthetic fibres and blended fabrics are cheaper to produce, quicker to manufacture, easier to maintain, and far more cost-effective to ship globally. From a business standpoint, the shift makes complete sense.
In many ways, the market simply responded to what we consistently rewarded. We wanted more clothing for less money, and over time, quality became the compromise.
A huge part of the problem is our desire for constant variety.
We buy more clothes than we actually need instead of maintaining the few good pieces we already own. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram play a massive role here. Trends move fast, and the pressure to keep up is relentless.
Your favourite fashion creator has 100 outfit videos with different clothes.
You want the same.
So you buy more. And more. And more.
In effect, we pushed brands to prioritise speed and margins over craftsmanship.
We want fast fashion, fast shopping, fast delivery, and fast disposal.
According to the BBC, "Shein can turn around a new item in about 25 days, while competitors like Boohoo and ASOS offer next-day delivery". We click, buy, wear, and after a wash or two, the item loses shape or fades, so we throw it away.
We rarely stop to examine construction quality: stitching, seams, fabric density, or how the garment might age.
At a pocket-money price, or the cost of a coffee, who really cares? You’ll just order another one.
Somewhere along the way, we forgot that quality takes time, and often exceptional skill.
I recently watched a documentary about Hermès and the success of the coveted Birkin bag. Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the brand’s Artistic Director, was asked why Birkin bags have such long production times, frustrating consumers who want them immediately.
His response reiterated what I’ve just mentioned:
“Building something timeless takes time. Exercise some patience, and it will come to you. You cannot compress time without compromising quality.”
Ultra-fast fashion has completely warped our understanding of what quality even means, and many high-street brands are now stuck competing in that environment simply to survive.
But despite all of this, I don’t think the situation is hopeless. If our buying habits helped shape the current state of fashion, then they also have the power to influence where it goes next.
The second is speed
A huge part of the problem is our desire for constant variety.
We buy more clothes than we actually need instead of maintaining the few good pieces we already own. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram play a massive role here. Trends move fast, and the pressure to keep up is relentless.
Your favourite fashion creator has 100 outfit videos with different clothes.
You want the same.
So you buy more. And more. And more.
In effect, we pushed brands to prioritise speed and margins over craftsmanship.
We want fast fashion, fast shopping, fast delivery, and fast disposal.
According to the BBC, "Shein can turn around a new item in about 25 days, while competitors like Boohoo and ASOS offer next-day delivery". We click, buy, wear, and after a wash or two, the item loses shape or fades, so we throw it away.
We rarely stop to examine construction quality: stitching, seams, fabric density, or how the garment might age.
At a pocket-money price, or the cost of a coffee, who really cares? You’ll just order another one.
Somewhere along the way, we forgot that quality takes time, and often exceptional skill.
I recently watched a documentary about Hermès and the success of the coveted Birkin bag. Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the brand’s Artistic Director, was asked why Birkin bags have such long production times, frustrating consumers who want them immediately.
His response reiterated what I’ve just mentioned:
“Building something timeless takes time. Exercise some patience, and it will come to you. You cannot compress time without compromising quality.”
Ultra-fast fashion has completely warped our understanding of what quality even means, and many high-street brands are now stuck competing in that environment simply to survive.
But despite all of this, I don’t think the situation is hopeless. If our buying habits helped shape the current state of fashion, then they also have the power to influence where it goes next.
The solution, at least in my view, starts with becoming more intentional about the way we consume clothing.
Awareness: Start paying attention to fabric labels and avoid garments made mostly from synthetic blends. Synthetics do have their place, particularly in outerwear. Reputable brands like Barbour or Baracuta use them intelligently for durability and performance. But when it comes to base layers and everyday essentials, I’d generally recommend sticking to 100% natural fibres where possible.
Long term thinking: If you’re not creating fashion content or running a fashion brand, buy fewer, better-made pieces that are going to last, even if they cost more.
Reject ultra-fast fashion entirely, and tread carefully with fast fashion: Focus on timeless basics rather than throwaway trend pieces which offer no value.
Support brands that prioritise quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship: If they’re out of reach, explore second-hand and vintage pieces.
Final Thought
Fashion quality didn’t decline only because brands changed.
It declined because we changed.
We wanted cheaper clothes. Constant newness. We chose novelty over longevity, and helped turn clothing from a long-term investment into something disposable.
I don’t blame fast fashion alone. I blame all of us, my past self included.
Recognising that is the first step towards changing how we consume. If enough of us start valuing clothes that last over clothes that simply look good for a moment, the pressure will shift.
And maybe fashion can move back towards something more meaningful; less “look of the week”, more “style that lasts.”
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