It's Not Just Shein: Why Are ALL Your Clothes Worse Now?

We dug into the real reason all of our clothes are getting worse. The fast fashion revolution is making huge brands like Zara and Shein-and their shareholders-rich. Meanwhile, we get worse clothes with no pockets and textile landfills you can see from space.
Featuring ‪@clotheshorsepodcast‬
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[@Praisethesunson]

My favorite part of this is that spending more money on something does absolutely nothing to guarantee the quality of a product. Absolute garbage is being sold as high end.

[@custos3249]

And yet there's plenty who, with no self-awareness, love to spout in response "you sound poor."

[@cassieoz1702]

There is an issue of consumers not being able to spot quality even when it is present. They'd still rather follow 'trends' and buy crapm to throw out at end of season.

[@johnanhmmiii]

@@custos3249 you are so real on that, one time I shared my opinion just like that and they told me I was poor and that's why I don't see the quality smh

[@user-wu4ip7mp3z]

Go to Vietnam and you can get higher quality tshirts sold on the street market for maybe $2, versus $30-80 in America lol. These companies just know the average Americans are too stupid to even consider the importance of the quality of their clothing.

[@PhotoJeticPoet]

Yep, there's a cleaner I follow on here that breaks down how High fashion clothing gets ruined all the time because it's not designed to be cleaned or not long term wear. The channels name is @cleanfreaks please stop tagging me over and over again I've responded the name 4 times this morning.

[@sueyoungg_]

It’s crazy how thrifting went from a cool hobby to an absolute necessity for clothing quality, price, and ethical sourcing.

[@user-dh8nt5mj5t]

if you can actually go to a good thrift store. where i live we have a few of them but the clothes are shit. when i was little, the clothes from our thrift stores were poor quality, so worn out they were a few sizes bigger, stained, and just straight up ugly. we refer to them as "grandma's gardening shirt", the kind of clothes that sit in the back of your closet that you take out once in a while when you need to wear something you don't mind ruining when painting your room or something. young person will find nothing to little to nothing to wear in thrift stores, even if they do it's rare. and thrift stores aren't so affordable anymore. i often find myself in a position when i prefer to buy from fast fashion brands if that means i can actually afford a few things from there that look cute, and not like something my grandma would wear on a random Thursday to peel potatoes.

[@lorihamlin3604]

I like buying thrifted clothing as it affords me the opportunity to see how an item holds up after laundry and use. The last two items I spent over $70 for were a total disappointment. Hems permanently rolled up after first laundry. One item that stands out is a pair of shorts I bought for $30 years ago. I was excited to see exact same brand shorts on sale 2 years ago for $12.50 so I bought 2 pairs..what a deal right? First wash both hems buckled with permanent crease and pockets waded up. The old pair is still going strong although becoming very distressed from frequent use, no problem with hems or pockets. I have just quit purchasing much of anything anymore. It’s such a disappointment to get excited about purchasing what you think is quality, say some brand you coveted but couldn’t afford in the past, only to put in charity bag after a few uses.

[@teacuppie4881]

@@lorihamlin3604 And I think it's another reason way some clothes in thrift stores are high now. Because the old products last longer than the ones now.

[@AutumnVulpes369]

it actually went from necessity to cool to necesity for peple who want good clothes, i used to and still kinda do as i have most clothes from there still, get clothes from thrift stores because we didnt have the money, i was mocked and bullied because all my clothes were too big on me to ensure i could wear it for as long as possible in addition they were just thrifted or as we used to call it before it was "cool" second hand

[@fruitywoodz]

It was never a “cool hobby” to low income people/families.

[@Gustavo-kn9nf]

To me, the most obvious example is Levi's. Their blue Jeans would easily last about 10 years, now you're lucky if they last 3.

[@D0B3RW0M4N]

Doll clothes. Levi’s are seriously doll clothes now. It’s disgusting

[@oktinaa]

and they still cost well over $100 new. i thought i was crazy that a pair i bought about 3 years ago are basically unwearable now. the fabric is degraded in such a confusing way.

[@chu456yz]

yes!! my boyfriend bought a pair for around £90 but he returned them within MONTHS because the material had already began rip

[@fireflymiesumae]

Levi's fell off

[@primetimepreme1776]

Yeah I had a pair that I used for work ... lasted about a year until a huge rip in the crotch .... tried to save it but the other side started doing the same... smh...

[@kimbrolyy]

I have an old sci-fi book from the 60s, with a fake ad from the 2000s for "paper clothes" that are one-time use only. Seemed science fiction then, but basically what we have now

[@GuttedGhostie]

The 60s actually had real paper dresses!

[@DynoPoV]

Except paper only takes a few weeks to break down and our plastic clothes take centuries

[@Febeleh]

Andromeda Strain used that for their underground bio containment facility

[@catthebeautyhunter]

Isaac Asimov wrote about tablets too. How books and information would be accessed from a small square device. I believe it was in Prelude to Foundation. He also wrote about how it would be highly esteemed for men and women to have zero body hair (head hair and eyebrows being gone too). We're not far from that. It's fascinating what was written about that we're seeing come true 🤯

[@tsugirl02]

Literally. My mom was an English teacher and she always brings up several Sci-fi novels that she taught in the 70s and 80s that have elements of truth today!

[@rugbyplayer9100]

Even socks aren’t made to last anymore. The fabric has gotten thinner; therefore forming holes much faster

[@lenoraclemm1892]

I FREAK OUT ABOUT SOCKS! they're soooo expensive and so cheap now!

[@michaelwoods1924]

Exactly. We haven't been able to find all-cotton, reasonably thick socks in years. My girlfriend just asked if she could have half of mine older ones, since I don't wear them that often.

[@Lionwoman]

I feel like I was being crazy. Socks now don't last me as much as old socks have lasted even now just walking around inside the house only. They just break apart out of nothing.

[@Devsterinator]

Darn Tough socks are the only good ones I've ever found, and they're absolutely worth the $20 a pair

[@CrystalGreenNYC]

Yes! If they're getting holes, they don't hold their shape or get fuzzy. Every time I've bought the last 10 years, it's the same problems.

[@danzrs3]

Even fabric to sew your own clothes is not good anymore. The entire textile industry has just plummeted.

[@ZZ-qy5mv]

I wanted to start sewing, and I couldn’t find good affordable fabric I liked. Sucks

[@SEELE-ONE]

This too. I took up sewing again, at least for part of my wardrobe…. EVERYTHING is polyester!

[@chrissy_g]

Depends where you go. Joann is definitely not a good place for quality fabric. Mom and pop shops, and online shops like Mood Fabrics exist.

[@LancesArmorStriking]

​@@chrissy_g For the price-conscious (who think that seeing their own is cheaper than buying- on the same logic that cooking at home is cheaper) They're in for a ride awakening. Genuinely good quality fabrics are hard to come by, and the fabrics themselves are often way more expensive than premade stuff. Add to that the learning curve, and its easier to just splurge on some "ethical" brand with money coming out of its nose. There's no solid, middle-road option anymore. We've truly devolved back to feudalism. Except this time, nobody even makes Sunday clothes anymore.

[@tomjones2157]

@@LancesArmorStriking But cooking at home IS cheaper!

[@TrickyThe0ne]

That woman saying nothing fits anymore SPOKE to me. Every mens shirt Ive bought in the last 8 years doesnt fit properly, and everything shrinks to an unbelievable degree.

[@frankcooke1692]

I've noticed this too. Part of it is vanity sizing, the average man is now a whopping 90kgs, and so a size 'medium' is now a circus tent.

[@TrickyThe0ne]

@@frankcooke1692 exactly everything is either Way too big, or way too small!

[@mori5079]

@@TrickyThe0ne YEESSS its like a headache trying to find anything NORMAL 😭

[@SushmaVivek-xq4nv]

Especially those slim fit dresses...they are really bad

[@JeroenJA]

for t-shirts i mainly noticed how a often worn shirt now WILL certainly have holes in them after max 5 years.. i ignore small holes, but 2 years later.. they became to noticible.. fabric is way lighter .. i have a t-shirt from the 90s, i got for free from my bank then, that's still in almost perfect condition.. i have a rare festival tshirt from 15 years ago, also still vibrant red, no holes, only one color of decoration gone, the black lines still, well as good as from a new shirt now after just about a year?

[@blackpuglove]

Every time someone has mentioned the negatives of Shein or Temu to me, I can't help but point out that Walmart, Amazon, and most big box stores and even boutiques are selling the exact same clothing articles from the same or similar shops. Recently my husband bought me a $119 dress from a boutique downtown, and when I searched the company, it was just another company in China. No doubt more fast fashion even when going out of our way to avoid it.

[@bolshevikY2K]

I swear to god every video I watch about "why is XYZ product or service so shitty now?" contains a segment about "...and then private equity started buying everything." EVERY SINGLE TIME

[@rachelb2464]

Private equity is a curse for every industry. We need laws against their monopolies on all industries.

[@DonoVideoProductions]

You are correct. Profit above all else is the watchword for private equity.

[@adhillA97]

Except here it started getting shit _before_ private equity night everything. PE just made it even worse

[@jayspeidell]

It's wild how few people it takes to ruin an entire civilization.

[@DonoVideoProductions]

@@adhillA97 Private equity is just further on the scale to end-stage capitalism. I worked for a large food concern years ago. Their main mode of operation was to buy a successful, unique brand, and then immediately begin to remove everything unqiue about it, making it as cheaply as possible, while trading on its name and reputation. When the brand was no longer trusted or desired, they would sell it, or discontinue it. Their internal definition of "quality" BEGAN with: Return on Invested Capital. And so, here we are. Wearing s#!+ clothing, eating unhealthy s#!+ food.

[@catalystcomet]

Can we talk about how thrift stores are charging even more money even though the clothes are worth less?

[@herelieskittythomas3726]

It's a sin. They are sick.

[@Timmy-mi2ef]

They forget they're getting used clothes for free

[@Arcanist_Gaming]

I _think_ the justification is inflation in some cases. Renting the space for the stores cost more, so they have to charge more to keep them running.

[@supernova622]

Rent, wages, processing other people's literal unsellable trash... Can't even imagine what thrift stores spend on waste disposal

[@lyndabethcave3835]

Clotheshorse, a podcast with Amanda Lee McCarty (the person with the hat interviewed in this video) has an episode about that!

[@missmelodyjoy]

Something else that contributes to fast fashion that wasn’t mentioned: larger companies are stealing styles created by small businesses. It makes it easier for them to “create” new styles to push out quickly.

[@kudaisiaduntola2523]

We live in a world of fast fashion, fast cars and fast media. Once we learn to take things a little easier we will appreciate quality clothes again.

[@NK-bz9wb]

YT is my only social media and even though I need to decrease the amount of content I consume, I generally have no idea what's in style until the rare occasion I step into a mall to grab something and every single store sells the same crap. If everyone put their phones down, the amount of stuff we produce and buy will decrease so substantially. No one is gonna buy 68 (?!) New items a year to wear when they don't have a SM feed to document what they wore and how great they looked doing something ordinary aF.

[@sportluver98]

It’s so depressing. Everything feels gross, looks gross, everything feels cheap

[@whereswaldo5740]

You forgot smells like poison.

[@imelectraxheart]

Literally the only clothes I like now are old ones. Thrifted or passed down from my mom. It's fucking incredible how a COTTON SHIRT (capitalizing because I'm not even talking about super sturdy fabrics here, like denim or corduroy) from the 80s is still in impeccable condition, not a single loose thread, and the same piece from 2024 breaks down in the first fucking wash. 30 celsius wash, too. Kill me now.

[@DerHalbeEuro]

Not quite true. I thought the same but for clothes it's the same as for many other products and services: If you pay cheap you get cheap.

[@imelectraxheart]

@@DerHalbeEuro It's not affordable anymore though. The wages are lower and the prices are fucked up. And you'll likely still get worse quality than back then, even if it's pricier. It doesn't make sense that I'd have to be in the upper middle class to get quality stuff. It just doesn't. BTW I'm fully respectfully disagreeing, I hope I'm not coming off rude or anything hahah I'm just mad at the state of the world😭❤️

[@nicolerohde6044]

@@imelectraxheart definitely, so many clothing articles now just look completely worn out after a few washings. Even if you use a gentle cycle and fabric softener, the stuff now is just junk

[@camhunts]

Almost impossible to find 100% wool, linen, or silk in stores. Everything is plastic! which makes you hotter in the summer since it traps body heat. I hate it

[@CitizenPlane]

I've come to the conclusion that I need to learn to sew and hope that the high quality fabrics are still available without an industry that wants them.

[@Layla-df7hp]

I buy so much used stuff now just to get better quality lol

[@rosemarymcbride3419]

and it makes BO sooo much worse

[@MulinaTheAngelWolf]

Ultimate reason people must wear smaller clothing. Trying to be cooler

[@hydrophobicbathtowel6816]

Woolrich makes some reasonably priced 100percent wool clothing. Not cheap, but reasonable prices for wool.

[@aiqurga]

I went inside an anthropologie with some friends, and we were messing around guessing the prices. I saw a blouse that literally had the seams ripping, and loose threads on the embroidery, ALSO made with 100% polyester selling for 130 DOLLARS it’s crazy how they have the audacity to make these clothes so expensive with such terrible quality

[@alienraida818]

This is why I mostly shop at second hand stores now. I'm not contributing to producing new garbage and I can see that, if clothes someone gave away survived in good shape, then there's a big chance they'll last for long. Plus it's a nice feeling when you score a perfect find, as if it's been waiting just for you!

[@Jaxmusicgal23]

Even if I end up buying fast fashion, at least I’m not buying something new… I am so shocked at the poor quality of clothes … they pill after two washes and all this new trend of super thin fabric clothes only end up being able to be washed a couple times before they rip and destroyed…. Plus they’re so thin and see-through that you have to wear something underneath…. I don’t understand fashion today….

[@gearedeagle6484]

😂😂😂❤❤❤

[@stevenwyman1379]

Fast fashion is wild, it's like "we have this material that will take centuries to break down, and with it we've made clothes that you can wear once"

[@erinsmart8422]

I just watched a short where they just sprayed the plastic directly on the naked model and she walked off in a microplastic dress that she’ll use to increase the microplastics in the water supply after one wear 😂 there is a reason JC called us sheep.

[@akirathedog777]

KZbin commenting is wild, its like " i dont know how to ohrase my thoughts so like, im gonna quote it in the form of someone elses hypothetical though" Holy f learn to write, im not even american...

[@amdza]

@akirathedog777 Maybe because you're not American you don't understand the colloquial way people speak and therefore write in an informal setting. This is a KZbin comment, not some academic forum. So get off your high horse when you can't even be bothered to spell check your own shit.

[@alyssacassity2558]

@@akirathedog777 If you’re going to tell someone else to learn to write on a KZbin comment, I would make sure your own grammar and spelling is correct first next time.

[@vintage6346]

​​@@akirathedog777 There are three little dots to the right of your comment. Click on it. Choose "edit". That will allow you to correct the three spelling mistakes in your comment.

[@rosicl2867]

Yes, it's not just clothes, it's many things that have deteriorated in quality and don't last long, like furniture, electronics, children's toys, etc.

[@djtaylorutube]

Garden tools! Don't buy the cheap pressed steel garbage, buy old forged steel from boot sales. Handles can be replaced.

[@lilliancao2851]

even human relationships

[@ominosersudlander14888]

​@@lilliancao2851or the human centapide

[@SpringNotes]

@@lilliancao2851 Yes, even relationships 😂

[@uncleronny6748]

Everything is being built to a price point, not how good can we make it.

[@soniamorellobedkova4802]

It sickens me. I feel so bad knowing how much water is wasted to make clothes, and knowing that we are forced to purchase it every fee months

[@socialmoth4974]

When I compare my old clothes to my new, one of the things that stands out the most is the new gets badly wrinkled after a wash. They're not even passable to wear unless I iron them first.

[@Yokartikpeh]

I will never forgive the person who first decided it was a good idea to put elastane in jeans. Everytime I need a new pair of jeans, I have to go store to store and dig through jeans like a damn prospector to find that "one" pair of jeans that is 100% cotton.

[@DeannaClark-oo9ut]

The elastic stuff is spandex plastic courtesy of BIG OIL. I hate it too. Walmart still has the old K-mart brand of all cotton jeans called Rustler. At the store it is $15 and dark and medium denim. Online you can get them in light wash as well. It's made in Nicaragua but Christians get holidays there, which is something. Multi national corporations hate ALL holidays and are behind the propaganda against them saying Christmas is pagan blah blah blah. All BS They don't want anybody to be happy or have any holiday or even baseball afternoons in the Caribbean.

[@lookingatdaisies9901]

I love elastane in jeans, when it's 100% cotton I have to get a relaxed/baggy style which is isn't what I want my wardrobe to be filled with. I have the opposite problem to you. Everything is 100%. But I get high quality ones and I air dry all my clothes.

[@mademoiselle....]

@@lookingatdaisies9901 Two per cent elastane is enough for the stretch you need, though. Now they are putting up to 7 per cent (probably more) in jeans and tops and it takes away the value - the comfort, fit and longevity - of the cotton.

[@ellenrittgers990]

@@Yokartikpeh Hear, hear! I thought I was the only one who LOATHES stretch denim!! I comb through thrift stores and men’s jeans for 100% cotton denim!

[@blah914]

just ask at the till for the models that are 100% cotton. that's what I do. I don't even bother searching anymore.

[@zamboozle3741]

i feel way better about my job now, since the literal purpose is to repair clothes, repair them well, and in general to help try and keep them out of landfills as much as humanly possible

[@Barbara50357]

U and your people are amazing.

[@something-fj7oi]

oh can you tell me what those type of shops are called? tailors?

[@theangelicemily]

@@something-fj7oiyes, I’m pretty sure

[@jokerpilled2535]

In your experience, what brands are best to shop from in terms of quality?

[@0000rina]

praise be to you guys. thank you!

[@onesquishbbyone2674]

This video essay is 100%. The pacing, tone, research, different perspectives and delivery, just immaculate.

[@sunnysunshine1065]

Best part is that even if you buy mire expensive clothes , chances are they come from the same factory :)

[@Nk21759]

Who’s buying 68 pieces of clothing in a year! That seems insane.

[@piee683]

Me I’ve a problem 😂

[@_KP1231_]

😂Right?!?! Unless you are counting multipacks of socks & underwear lol

[@piee683]

@@_KP1231_ no I’m only joking but I do get it difficult to throw clothes out

[@_KP1231_]

@@piee683 lol…i hear you…i meant no harm…I am literally in a battle with myself trying to part with some stuff i know i will probably never wear but so many memories attached to what we buy.Most of my clothing purchases were fueled by an emotion lol! I am older now & paring down has become essential but yes…very difficult! 🕊️

[@drawingmomentum]

​@@_KP1231_I take those old clothes with their memories and reconfigure them into new items, a dress becomes a top or a short skirt... I make hair ties, bags, purses, rugs, pillow covers, stuffed toys, curtains... ❤

[@juliemcmenamy1294]

My biggest complaint is shoes. When I was a teenager, shoes had weight to them! They were made of genuine leather and other durable materials. Now, they are basically made of plastic and styrofoam and sold for more money! And, most of all, they don’t last!

[@sueschoers4974]

I'm with you about the shoes. I find trying to find leather shoes that are comfortable when new, a challenge. They all seem to need to be stretched as the length is perfect but the toe box never has enough room so the top of the shoe touches the topside of your toes. They seem to cut back as much leather as possible never mind the fit.

[@ShanteRoxxane]

“Genuine” leather is actually a type of leather. Most people think it means authentic leather but what it is is pieces of leather left behind that are put together with a special adhesive and it’s considered one of the lower qualities of leather. Full grain leather is high quality leather.

[@joesr31]

Don't people usually go for lighter shoes? I don't want to feel like I'm carrying a brick around every step I take

[@BladeStar420]

Vivobarefoot still makes real shoes

[@nunyabiz-]

Research & development is now focused on big, fast profit, not that sustainable and healthy for lifeforms. If it screws things in 20 years (including grandchildren) it's ok - that's called "immediate gratification". Shoes and other products could now be made well (without harming people, or animals, or the environment) but it wouldn't enrich the greedy. Enough isn't enough to some.

[@DanLee1969]

I'm still wearing shirts that I bought 25 years ago. They don't wear out.

[@mrsb9320]

I'm wearing Laura Ashley dresses purchased in the eighties. They are still good and fit well. 17:42

[@TeaLeafReader]

68 pieces of clothing in a year????? that’s a crazy high number

[@6012reasol]

This shows why 2000s fashion is coming back so quickly; it’s easier to find second-hand than any older vintage yet still of an actually wearable quality.

[@tatianahantig]

Brilliant observation!!!

[@darianbarber3763]

Now if we only got frosted tips and that straight yet super gay look for guys, then the majority of men will have fashion sense for once

[@priscillajimenez27]

My HS years

[@who2u333]

When private equity gets involved in anything it goes to hell.

[@nari5161]

It's become one of the dirtiest terms I know and I think most of the people I know irl still don't know what it is

[@supergoku727]

I am an avid bowler and I found out that private equity has ruined bowling as well. Many bowling alleys in my area are either an AMF or Bowlero. What sucks is that many of these locations were never actually built by either. They instead bought out smaller more local/mom and pop style bowling alleys and "rennovated" those. As a result, bowling is now more expensive and the quality of your time bowling has lessened. Many places have their machines and hardware wearing down and since they don't get proper machinists to adequately maintain things or replace them with better ones the lanes suffer as a result. Luckily I have a local bowling alley that still has good support from locals so they can stave off being bought out and are in fact in the process of getting new lanes. Though it saddens me that many other bowlers aren't so lucky. I fear for bowling culture as it is already on a slow decline and I fear for the "maineventification" of many of these alleys

[@Nieghorn]

@@supergoku727 Never thought I'd read about the greed/monopolization by 'Big Bowling', but there it is. Sorry your passion is being attacked! I suppose the same happens with mine, bikes... the first brand I bought I loved. A year or so later, took it in for a repair to a local bike shop and the tech remarked that I had 'the last good one they made', explaining that the company was now owned by a giant and made with the same generic parts most are made from, sold at department stores makes them more money, I presume, but they've cheaped out on quality of parts. The next 'mom and pop' brand I got into now seems to be doing the same, going for the lower quality parts (still good, but not AS good as before... though, to be fair, they haven't yet jacked the prices).

[@Iquey]

​​@@supergoku727can I ask what maineventification means? Like people only go for bowling during birthdays or highschool graduation parties/bachelorette parties, but not for fun on like a weekly or bi-weekly basis as a social sport?

[@johnt5997]

except that Amancio built his company brick by brick on his own. He had to CREATE his own equity. Schmuck.

[@Laniitaa]

Thanks to this.. Fast fashion is so toxic it won't even make it in second hand. I think that all we can do as proper consumers is to stop buying from fast fashion and spread the word about the toxicity of it's methods to everone else. Like you do in this vid. Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@cassaspell]

So this is the reason i see kids on tiktok talking about "vintage Charlotte Russe" that was fast fashion of our time but its wildly better quality than most things today.

[@gIoomykitty]

wdym? if its vintage then its vintage. it doesnt matter if its fast fashion or not ...

[@cassaspell]

@@gIoomykitty because fast fashion degrades faster than slower manufactured products, im surprised it had existed long enough to find itself being called "vintage"

[@ARUchannel1]

dior making bags at 57 usd using chinese slaves in italy isn't better than shein

[@PikaJess123]

Shein clothing is also toxic with unsafe levels of lead. Dont sell them short 😂

[@JH-uv3qx]

And the fabrics of all other brands aren't toxic? Where do you think most of the business get their supplies from??

[@h.w.4482]

Chinese slaves? yeah, most likely. in Italy? not so sure

[@originalcosmicgirl]

​@@h.w.4482Yes, in Italy. Do you think the US and China are the only places In the world that exploit immigrants and ethnic minorities? The insidious part is that the "Made in Italy" label tricks people into thinking they are getting a quality product made by people making a living wage. People are being exploited there just like everywhere else in the world.

[@Scriptadiaboly]

We don't need to choose between only those two

[@MegaSuperCritic]

I buy pretty much all of my clothes from thrift stores, and the fast fashion industry is starting to ruin those, too. They're filling up with garbage plastic clothes, it's tragic. Real wool and cotton is getting rarer and rarer. Occasionally an old man dies and a few silk shirts show up, but it's rare.

[@kthearcher3357]

Omg yeah. Used to find silk all the time, like guaranteed. Now never.

[@nari5161]

I told my friend I liked going to estate sales of deceased older people bc they don't buy fast fashion but the first part of what I said was "I like when old people die" and they were like "aight imma quote you on that"

[@thousandpetalsproject1494]

We have a hospital seconds shop in my town - sooo many delightful vintage items, absolutely from those that didn't make it through the hospital

[@herelieskittythomas3726]

​@@nari5161it really has come to this. I found a perfect 100% heavy cotton cable knit bubblegum pink Duck head sweater for two dollars. ❤

[@Nieghorn]

Some of them ship off fabrics too. Some will be recycled, which is a good thing, especially if the donated item had hole, tear, etc. I wonder if the cotton ones are more valuable sold to recyclers? At the very least, there are re-sellers browsing these stores daily who are probably snapping them up before you get a chance.

[@roseforeuropa]

00:10 "Could not afford it because my family is middle class". I suspect this woman, like so many, confuses working-class with middle-class.

[@plaster.art.ho3]

Wdym

[@rosiefay7283]

She's confused poverty with class.

[@spiderqueen601]

@@rosiefay7283Not shopping at Abercrombie is “poverty”??

[@rosiefay7283]

@@spiderqueen601 Just going by the impression she gives of her wealth --- or lack of it --- in this video. If you have issues with this, take it up with her, not with me.

[@meandtheveggies1234]

People don’t like admitting they were working class. My mom always told me we are middle class: we were barely working class lol

[@crystalwaters8581]

as someone who thrifts majority of my clothes, when I go to the mall with my friends I never end up buying anything because the poor quality clothing is more expensive, never fits right, and because it’s poor quality you can’t as easily alter the clothes because of how thin the fabric is

[@MyInfotainmentFix]

There's a old saying "If private equity buys your employer, find yourself a new job"

[@HaggisMuncher-69-420]

I think we have different definition of the word old.

[@kayleighrodgers4445]

@@HaggisMuncher-69-420 I think that's the joke

[@collinslagat3458]

How old is this saying really?

[@WhiteLivesMatterPL]

Those green nails were extremely distracting...

[@DELTACO..UBERDRIVER..STOCKS..]

its a saying since the 2001 stock market crash ​@HaggisMuncher-69-420

[@sz7646]

It’s either trendy and cheaply made “affordable” fashion that goes to landfill in a few years, or a baggy plain dress from an “ethical” company that costs $200+. And the thrift stores are ruined thanks to the resellers.

[@allnonethevoid1487]

Goodwill is actively reselling their own items, now

[@Timmy-mi2ef]

Reseller are a good case of greed and why gatekeeping is good. Once thriftimg got trendy people began entering early to take any thing that's actually wearable

[@Arcanist_Gaming]

I haven't had any issues with thrifting here in Canada. What country do you live in?

[@katek1381]

Everything - from food to clothes to home wares to services - that are ethically made or sourced is completely unaffordable if you earn less than six figures USD a year. It sucks

[@doctorwholover1012]

Yes!! I really want to buy ethically made clothing made with natural fibers, but everything is so EXPENSIVE and UGLY like why?? All the colours are muted and bland shades of earth tones, shapeless rectangles, or a fucking button up!! Why can't they just make a normal looking tank top? A normal looking tshirt? 😭😭😭

[@CooksFSH]

Wonderful essay! I grew up in the 90's, have worked as a stylist for 13 years, studied fashion design and started my own brand. I personally hate the quality of garments these days, and have taken the stance of being rebellious and making items of quality meant to last. It's not cheap, but being cost effective isn't my personal goal. My goal is to create pieces that will be part of your wardrobe for decades to come. Craftsmanship, quality natural fibers, and artisan made designs.

[@kat-riddle]

Finally someone that doesn't try to blame the people buying the cheap clothes. The change needs to come from laws and regulation, otherwise nothing will ever change. You're just gonna make people feel bad for not being able to afford better things.

[@Satire-Gaming]

Companies have realized they can make the cheapest garbage, charge premium prices and idiots will still buy it. This is happening in all industries, not just clothes...

[@juliajs1752]

I'm not sure if people are "idiots" or if they just don't know any different. If I hadn't grown up in the 80s and 90s with stuff lasting a decade before showing any wear, I probably would also think that it's normal having to replace something after one year....

[@JustMe-vs1kj]

even if you do realise it, sometimes its hard to find good quality clothes for affordable prices...

[@Chicago48]

I go to thrift stores and am finding Shein more and more on the racks. It's hard to find quality names like Jones New York, Ann Taylor, or even Evan Picone. I look for vintage names.

[@OurNewestMember]

Not necessarily "idiots" -- many people lack the skill/knowledge/time to select for quality or maintain/repair high quality pieces. This is exacerbated the more that labor has its purchasing power degraded (it means even fewer resources to meet life's challenges, even as "small" as clothing your family) People are meant to be less self-sufficient, so they simply take what is offered...

[@GabrielleTollerson]

​@@juliajs1752 how do grown ass adults not know any better? Come on 😂😂

[@lp9280]

My problem is that now you can't buy quality clothing even if you are willing to pay more money... no matter how far you want to go, in some cases you can buy same t-shirt for $6 and for $600, it is basically same crap quality just with different brand stamped on it. So you may as well spend $6.

[@georginaisabelrossi7520]

this!!!! The most frustrating thing!

[@anacorona2527]

Exactly! You pay for a label now. My recommendation is to look for smaller boutiques, sometimes you find treasures there.

[@audrei679]

look for trifted cotton and linen clothing. go to yard sales.

[@patrickpaterson8785]

You absolutely can lol, you're just not going to find it on the first page of Google search results or on Amazon.

[@primetimepreme1776]

Ralph lauren T shirts used to be premium AF... I found one from 2000 and it's still in better shape than a t shirt I bought 7 years ago

[@ksquallfangirl]

I think I still have the A&F gift card that my grandma bought me for Christmas in 2004. I think I bought a single sweater with it. The "wanted to wear it but couldn't afford it" was real.

[@devilslamp7306]

I remember in the 90s my grandmother shaming me for going through pants so quickly. Her brother "only owned one pair of pants, and when he got home from college, he would iron them and hang them up and wear them to college the next day." I guess that works if you're just going to Donald Duck it at the grocery store... The idea that a pair of pants would last more than a year seems crazy nowadays. One caveat has been name-brand blue jeans, but only if you don't wash them! Sounds gross but if you're wearing underwear, they don't get gross or smell. Weird stuff.

[@alexmckee4683]

Denim was originally made for hard farming work, and Jeans were exclusively used outdoors while working. They weren't washed often. The tough weave excludes dirt unless you go out of your way to rub it in, and they would generally be brushed off rather than washed. When they were eventually washed they were washed with heavily starched water as this would further dirt-proof the jeans. So it's quite normal to not wash your jeans. If they're made of good quality denim, they won't be worse off for it but do brush off dirt and debris, air them on a hanger or a rail. Fast fashion jeans will start to smell though due to the synthetic fibres holding bacteria, so wash those normally and buy a real pair next time.

[@ericd7532]

Denim jeans in the 90's were insanely high quality. The weaving industry has almost completely left the United States.

[@Carmen88888]

I have a beloved pair of quality Levi’s I bought in 2001 which I haven’t fit in since my son was born in 2003. I’ve held onto them all these years thinking “maybe someday” 😂😊

[@namehere4954]

Yes, I have Citizens and Hudsons from the late 90s and they're nothing like today's lines.

[@mamba101]

They have been replaced by smaller companies; I own Edwin and Nudie Jean jeans and they feel good quality.. you pay for it though, which I’m ok with if they last (*plus nudie has free repairs for life)

[@numbernine3436]

Omgosh I'd wear my $78 GAP jeans til the wheels fell off. Clothes are disposable now. Influences tell us what we bought 6 months ago is out of style.. craziness

[@numbernine3436]

​@@Carmen88888same. I gave away 9 pair of Levi's l.yr. I loved them. But some didn't fit. Others had zero give. Ive grown accustomed to 3 -5% stretch..

[@raman5628]

Indian govt banned SheIn and TikTok. People don’t talk about this much but this was a brilliant move.

[@SaranshV]

The ban on Shein was lifted last year and we still have a ton of other fast fashion stores. No one is safe.

[@namehere4954]

I've never used either. I don't use Temu, H&M, Zara, or other trending outlets.

[@LaowaiDaveJCP]

as if Indians don't buy Chinese goods. probably tapping a Chinese keyboard

[@zytcuy1111]

Also I recently saw many news articles stating Ambanis are bringing back shein in India

[@Shubham-dg3rb]

​@@zytcuy1111 yes its coming on Ajio

[@xLinda2009x]

One of the best documentaries I have ever seen on the subject! The comparisons you did between vintage clothes and the ones sold today is eye-opening, nothing can explain better the loss of quality of the last 30 years 😊

[@chualarbill]

My wife loved that skirt from Zara so much, that I went back and got 3 more. 10+ years of weekly use and they are all still in great condition. It's hard to find good quality nowadays, but if you do, get a few extra.

[@gamingradeon]

No one talks about how much shedding synthetic clothing has. Basically, by wearing these clothes, you are filling your home and even your natural clothes (when washing them together with synthetics) with dust. Plastic dust.

[@CCCC-fp5gw]

I notice that which creates an infinite amount of dust. God forbid if you have carpet or rug

[@bethweeks5943]

YES!!! 😮😢😮

[@andreaalbert5096]

That's right... ugh, and knowing the effects of microplastics on health, I feel sick.

[@Horsy2345680]

Fr then that plastic dust goes into our skin pores 😢

[@curiousbystander9193]

I wore a t-shirt made in 1997 yesterday, still looks great. Today I have on a T-shirt I bought last summer. It is falling apart.

[@samanthaharrell7342]

I bought a swimsuit at target last year and had to throw it out yesterday because it fell apart. I was so annoyed.

[@TheChipMcDonald]

I came here to say that. They now are transparent or feel like sandpaper.

[@cbazxy2697]

​@@samanthaharrell7342how much did it cost

[@samanthaharrell7342]

@@cbazxy2697 it was one of their nice one pieces. I paid $40!

[@MarenWilliams-oc8hh]

I still have three tank tops I wear that I bought in the 90’s. No pilling, hardly any fading, no shrinkage…

[@TheDatadrew]

One of the best videos I have seen in a LONG time. Great research, great editing, great presentation.

[@Mushu8004]

Thank you for this! You did such a good job researching this issue that must have been hard to dig through just to educate the world on how to shop better.

[@MeinCouch123]

it's the absolute worst for all of us growing up through this. So much good stuff came out, but we couldn't buy it because we didn't make our own money, and now that I can afford things, I'm barely buying shit because everything feels so cheap and looks so terrible. I swear, the moment I was able to make money, they swapped out all merchandise.

[@Liusila]

Yeah I had it similar. And as was briefly mentioned here too, even “luxury” brands are cutting corners on quality, because why not more profit.

[@sweetpea841]

Yup, everyone is so greedy that they just care about making 💰 😢

[@nastasia.dobrova]

The more we depend on other people the less they will give. It's been discussed here in comments about sewing, for example. Sewing skills make you richer, you can make or repair things. The same about any aspect of our life - cooking, gardening, fishing, hunting etc. Noone can make it better than you.

[@kittyei9]

yep. once we made money and became adults the workplaces started falling apart, so did the economy, fashion, food prices sky rocketed, taxes on insurance are so high for us its insane, etc etc, yet we still get the question "why dont you try?" well because i was always grasping for a reality that doesnt exist anymore and theres no point in playing a game when youre guaranteed to lose.

[@goudagirl6095]

YOU NAILED IT. I'm in my 60s. Ages ago, I couldn't wait till I could afford "good" solid classic clothing and jewelry that would last for years. But alas, twas not to be. Ironically, I still hang onto several articles of clothing from a couple of _decades_ ago, even though they were from places like TJMaxx and Marshalls....even Target. Why? Because, as I say over and over: they simply don't make things like they used to. The "heft" and quality of most garments is no longer there. I think that's why so many people shop thrift stores. They (like me) are hoping to find that hidden gem made out of real cotton, wool, linen, or leather, because they know they'll last longer. And women bear the brunt of it all, since 75% or more of the fashion industry is aimed at us (probably more like 90%). Such a wasteful industry.

[@alwaysOverthinking-cl5tz]

I work in manufacturing and it seems like EVERY industry is in a race to the bottom death spiral.

[@sarnaik]

Late stage capitalism buddy. Everyone was warned in the 60s this would happen but no one cared. Americans wanted it cheap no matter what it took. Now every publicly listed company is racing to the bottom to maximize profits and cut costs no matter what.

[@raedinsmore7732]

Yup. As soon as the company I worked for started producing in Bangladesh, I started looking at university again because I decided I needed a career change. Unfortunately, housing prices have skyrocket since then, and if I stayed in my career I could have gotten into the housing market 😢. At least I can sleep soundly in my overpriced bachelor apartment, I guess?

[@HighSierraDawn]

What will they be wearing 50 years from now? Disposable plastic bag garments?

[@vickikay54]

They are.😞😞

[@N20Joe]

@@HighSierraDawn They will be wearing recycled supermarket plastic bags, and it will be mandated by the government!

[@kuritheking]

There’s a huge difference. Clothes from the 2000s and clothes made to imitate them are NOT the same

[@William-k6e]

WOW! You really did your homework. I had no idea but I should have. I shop in thrift stores and I buy quality older clothing as long as it fits and feels good. I started altering my clothes with tie dye and bleach and use of a circut machine just to be unique. I really appreciate your video. Thank you I will adjust. Let's send these manufactories a message by not buying their crap.

[@samuelmontypython8381]

My older brother is 15 years older than me and he gives me his old clothes from the early 2000's all the time and they're in better shape than shit I bought just a year ago

[@melanie_meanders]

I work at a fabric shop. Usually, if you make your own clothing it’ll be of better quality than something you’d buy, but now that there’s also what I like to call “fast fabrics”, you also have to make sure the materials you purchase are of good quality too. Making things well is super expensive. I find myself purchasing clothes that are decades old and they last forever vs new stuff that’s basically disposable.

[@pioneercynthia1]

I used to sew like my machine was on fire, but now I don't even bother. Most fabric is crap. I still do alterations (another dying art), make one of a kind items, and costumes for dancers. Even _thread_ is much worse.

[@melanie_meanders]

@@pioneercynthia1 it’s so true!! i know you get it. especially dance costumes… $500+ for something that can only be used once before it breaks! it’s really disheartening.

[@TriBeccaDesigns]

You are so very correct. I've been sewing for decades and no longer purchase fabrics by the yard. I purchase draperies and linens from my local thrift shops instead. The quality is much better.

[@namaking3993]

Very true, used to make lots of clothes, Joann's fabric used to be amazing and it was much cheaper to make your own with just as much wear and tear. Now it's more expensive to make your clothes and you get next to nothing for wear and tear. But it's not just clothing and textiles. Our fridge thar came with our house as a kid was already about 20 yrs old, never replaced it in the time we lived there, at least another 10 yrs, now I replace my fridge every 6-8 years. My grandfather's Jeep from the 1970s still runs strong, my 2000s Jeep is broke down in the driveway yet again. Not too mention the number of "economy" cars that I've owned have had their engines suffer catastrophic failures. (And not because I didn't keep up with general maintenance) Early 2000s there were ads run about how "plastics make it possible". It truly was a time that quality plummeted across the board. Machinery put in more plastic parts, from sewing machines to power tools, making them cheaper but also requiring constant replacement, cars use more plastic parts leading to more failures, and clothing moved from cottons, wools, and linens to polyesters, elastine, and nylons, some blended into natural fibers and some just straight up trash fibers. Initially it seemed a good economic solution, you could afford a brand new car and get great gas mileage, without us realizing that we would be replacing it in 5-10 years because it needed a new engine, rather than handing the keys to the oldest kid and only replacing it after 20 yrs if they wrecked it. Or buying a new fridge because it would save hundred in power bills, not realizing it would need to be replaced in a fraction of the time the old ones did. Mattresses are on 5 yr life spans versus 20-30 years, pillows are annual replacement versus 3-5 yrs. Even furniture is cheaply made wearing out long before the old. I still have my father 1950s Ethan Allan desk and other than some minor cosmetic dings from 70 years of kids, the finish is great, and the wood in great condition all parts still functioning and it was never kept as a heritage piece. My cousin's childhood desks had to be thrown out before they even grew up, drawers broke, finish lifted up and mdf they were made from crumbled to dust. Worldwide and in all manners of our lives we have lost quality over quantity. From housing to produce.

[@georgiareyn]

its crazy because I never thought of Zara as one of the older fast fashion brands, this is really interesting. When you think of fast fashion, I think a lot of people forget that literally every shop in a mall nowadays is all fast fashion. I am almost 20, and I will never spend out on clothes because I don't trust that a 'higher-end' looking store isn't fast fashion. When I was a young teen I thought of Zara to be 'higher-end' because of its brand look.

[@flunmi]

I feel very sad that I might not be able to pass my clothes on to my future children like my mom and grandma did to me.

[@bendickerson1943]

Is this… real journalism?!?! I thought we all agreed not to do that anymore! Seriously though, solid video

[@Placidzzz]

I feel like this is nonchalant gossip of nothingness.

[@SaranshV]

Why do you think that, placidz?

[@jmacindc]

@@SaranshV Because they don't care about the effect fast fashion has on our lives, the economy, the environment, etc. people just don't care anymore. That's a very important tenet of capitalism.

[@hildy3356]

Shocked that you recorded in A&F and you didn’t get caught and asked to leave. 😭

[@KarlSnarks]

Next video: "It's not just Info Wars: Why al the news channels are worse now" ;)

[@billykuan]

This is so true, the buttons fall off easier, the material is thinner, the hems are uneven, the thread is less durable and much of the hems start to fail after one wash.

[@MK-lh3xd]

What will happen when the women stitching are working 80 hours a week, with their washroom breaks highly regulated to the minute, and asked to meet impossible targets?

[@andrej2375]

I buy fast fashion clothes, and wear them for 10 years. They don't look new, but it takes a _long_ time to get a shoulder-sized hole in a shirt

[@dr.user.]

the threads feel so weak on tug and they break

[@mindacarpenter2996]

The thinness of shirts is so annoying. Even more expensive brands will someone be paper thin and the holes start to appear in a month.

[@wodentoad1]

@@billykuan And women's/girl's clothes are worse than the men's/boy's clothes.

[@karenninascott]

I love the focus on quality in this video. I love thinking about quality. And fashion.

[@alexeireyes3683]

Thank you for posting this well-researched and deeply insightful video. Your penetrating analysis on the issue of fast fashion is truly a masterpiece! I wish you well on your endeavors!

[@jsmxwll]

none of this was new to me, but the way this video has been constructed with such a clear narrative throughline and maintaining engagement is really outstanding.

[@SpringNotes]

Yes, they did a pretty good job.

[@mati.benapezo]

We think alike.

[@jellypenguin1826]

Exactly what I was thinking, they did an amazing job

[@pointeplusplus]

Yeah I kept watching even though I knew a lot of this info. Nice video! I buy mostly used clothes now which turns out is also nicer to the wallet

[@phoenix5054]

Even Dior is fast fashion adjacent now. A report recently shown that they exploit Chinese workers in Italy just for the ‘made in Italy’ label. And they charge €2500 for something that costed them €57.

[@platgeslagengehaktbal]

Dior is not the only one, many Chinese factories have moved to Italy, clothing being made in Italy doesn't mean anything anymore

[@annabarr1304]

It was stated labor was 57€ if it took 4.5 hrs to make at 12€ a hour just above the 10€ minium wage. I'm going to break things down roughly. 50 labor 50 hardware (including labor to make hardware) 50 materials 50 overhead at factory (they have to pay public liability for the workers too) = 200 x 3 Dior markup= 600€ wholesale x 3= 1200 + 200 VAT = 1400 that should roughly be the retail price but then there are additional expenses like shipping, creative team, product development, retail (cleaners, rent, security, etc), commission, marketing, etc. The bag should definitely not be over 2k, but around 1400-1600. I can understand why it costs so much, I can't understand why other things cost so much less!

[@phoenix5054]

@@annabarr1304 The hourly rate was €2 per hour.. in Italy! There's a reason the Italian prosecutor is going after them: they violated labor laws.

[@thomasl4665]

​@@annabarr1304in the article the net profit margin after all expenses incl corporate and marketing was €1300. Trash

[@ulrikesextro4187]

I agree with you on the point that they do it for the "made in Italy" label but from what I learnt these factories are illegally moved from China to Italy. They are copying what's shown on the runway in the latest fashion show and reprocuce them as fast as they can under very questionable circumstances. Workers literally sleep at their workplace and are called "walking ATMs" because they are often victims to robbery when trying to send their wages home. The sad thing about those factories: Once you close such an illegal worksite, another opens up somewhere else and hidden better than the ones they closed down.

[@wing3789]

Really appreciate how well researched this video is. It absolutely need to come from policies and governance to keep things in check, given we dont lose to corruption and lobbying first. As consumers the most we can do often is just purchasing less and purchasing used. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

[@maracummings9767]

Wonderful documentary! Thank you! I want to respectfully point out that it's not just greedy corporations, it is also all of us people who want to have more and more stuff. We are not satisfied with having couple of outfits or one watch or one purse, we want more and while there is demand there will be supply. All of us are responsible.

[@user-lh5re8jh7u]

Making wool, cotton, silk clothes again is better for the environment and less toxic.

[@sashamoore9691]

Miss having cotton clothing! Why is everything so stupid plastic!!!

[@nomansland123]

Woolovers sells cotton,silk,wool clothes at a reasonable price.

[@lyndabethcave3835]

Ehhh not exactly. . . Impacts of various textiles is a complex and nuanced topic (like cotton uses so much more water and pesticides than other kinds of fibre). The only FOR SURE sustainable option is to make less. Use what you have. Buy secondhand.

[@user-lh5re8jh7u]

@lyndabethcave3835 Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia easily grow cotton and they get lots of rain. Also, alot of open land.

[@JaneNewAuthor]

​@@lyndabethcave3835as opposed to acrylics which NEVER rot down?

[@sunshine3914]

When I returned to my hometown in 1983, my dad & I went shopping at Sam’s warehouse, & I got a bag of a dozen Sassoon socks. Ten years later I moved into my new place & I remember being amazed that I still had all 12 pairs. When my dad passed in 2006, I still had 6 pairs left. Can you imagine not having to purchase socks for over 23 years? I’m so grateful to be old so I don’t have to watch the world burn for much longer.

[@misslayer999]

It's amazing that you were able to keep up with that many socks for so long! I feel like some of mine disappear every time I wash them LOL

[@JasonAtlas]

Its the sock gremlins. They live in the washing machine.

[@jackieboy1593]

Try Darn Tough socks. Only have 3 pairs of their socks, and they have been going strong for 2 years.

[@hazelbasil4989]

@@jackieboy1593 Seconded. Those socks are amazing, plus they have a lifetime guarentee.

[@SummerOf1987]

❤

[@Chthonian121]

I bought some jeans from H&M in 2016 I still wear them i don't understand fast fashion. The style still holds up today

[@piecanl]

And thrift stores almost cost as high as normal stores, it's crazy

[@airamortiz4661]

When I was a little girl, my grandmother, aunts and most of our neighbors worked making clothing in American factories. There was a commercial of a lady singing "look for the union label." I haven't heard that lady singing in decades.

[@tablescissors]

About as long as it’s been since I heard kids saying The Pledge of Allegiance in school every day.

[@GlasPthalocyanine]

Well that's another problem with clothes made in developing countries. None of the women (let's assume it's women) making the clothes wear these kind of clothes or dress their children this way. I hate to sound old, but ... I look at the shabby clothes for children, especially teenagers. Any sensible sewer, who knows the clothes market that they're working in, will talk to the sewers they work with. They might say something like "would you ever want to wear this?", or maybe "would you be happy to let your daughter wear this?".

[@charleneroyal7381]

Clinton sent the manufacturing jobs out of the US.

[@xx_pcgamer_xx6866]

@@tablescissors 0 iq comment

[@xx_pcgamer_xx6866]

@@tablescissors o iq comment

[@Pistolita221]

This has happened to trade workers clothes, there used to be a dozen brands making quality boots, now it's hard to spend 400$ and get more than a 200$ boot, and Carhartt stopped selling their indestructible Twill pants. They're convinced they're in the fashion game not making tools. I hate it, so much.

[@MarkAvo]

The future is pretty crap

[@botcherbutcher7608]

Yeah bought some carhartt overalls to replace my old ones and they sucked. Luckily (thank you grandpa, you're awesome!) I learned sewing during COVID while taking care of my grandparents so I just sew my own overalls n stuff now since I can choose my own fabric and hardware quality. It just sucks as obviously not many have the privilege of an old sewing machine and enough free time to make your own gear.

[@Stretch501st]

I don’t buy carhartt anymore. I work outside in natural resources, so I really like arborwear pants. They are super tough, even against thick brush and thorns. They cost more (at least $75-$100 a pair) but I’ve had them I use everyday for over three years now! I’ve patched them a little on the seams recently but bc it was quality fabric was actually able to repair easily.

[@CaseNumber00]

I hear ya brother. Sad to say is some of the good quality makers are still around but they had to keep up with rising costs so their items just exploded in prices. Bought some Whites boots, hand made full lether boot, for $425 in 2019, now they are about $590. The problem is rising costs are so much faster than people wages.

[@Pistolita221]

@@botcherbutcher7608 That's such a great skill, and a wonderful thing to do for your family, especially during that time. I bet the clothes fit like a dream, too! People will eventually have make time for it, I'm almost there.

[@lilli-.-]

This was the most informative video I’ve seen on fast fashion. Thank you

[@nicolebaker885]

This was such a fantastic video and excellent reporting. I had no idea this started with Zara, and definitely did not know about the clothing dump in Atacama

[@drewmorrison]

It’s weird how fast fashion has become a psychological thing too. My fiance said to me, “you need some new clothes.” I said, “why? What do I need?” “Idk you need something new to add.” It’s like it just invaded our psychology convincing us that we need a new style or we’re peasants. No, if you’re keeping up with fast fashion, you’re not being trendy, you’re being a sheep.

[@MeldaRavaniel]

Personal uniform is the new punk. 🤘

[@happytofu5]

Here is a tip for when you actually want to spice things up: dye something in a new color, embellish it (e.g. with embroidery, a cut off design from another shirt, lace, beads...) or adjust it in another way (like a thrift flip, but instead of thrifting, shopping your own closet).

[@MeldaRavaniel]

@@happytofu5 i do that with my old old Uniqlo stretchy pants. One started gray and started looking grungy after a lot of wear, so I dipped them in indigo a few times and they looked new again. The knee busted, so now they're patched. They'll be mostly patches before I retire them! :)

[@happytofu5]

@@MeldaRavaniel I started buying mostly white clothes, so that I can change their color a couple times before ending with black 😁

[@MeldaRavaniel]

@@happytofu5 that's really smart! Historically accurate, too. :) And means you avoid some of the scarier dyes the industry uses. I was reading 'To dye for' and her recommendation was to avoid very saturated, bright colors, and the darker colors, since the dyes there are some of the most toxic. Basically, stick with natural fiber color or lighter, pale colors.

[@asadburden1621]

Have you noticed that graphic TShirts more oftenly have their designs (best way to describe it) painted on? After a few washes, they are cracking and chipping away. And they're usually still $60. It's ridiculous.

[@sharyn4271]

I’m wondering if it’s because of plastics. I don’t machine dry my clothes for more than a few minutes, then I hang to finish. They seem to not crack as easily.

[@TalkingWeirdStuff24]

I got a shirt as a gift, it had a graphic for a show that I LOVED, and I was so happy to get it. the design started cracking after just a couple of washes, and by the 1 year mark there was no point in wearing it as it had ceased to be a 'graphic' tee and was now just a plain black tee with some tiny flecks on it.

[@Pyritie]

that's called screenprinting, it's cheap and easy but limits the amount of colors you can have. It should be for like $10 shirts, not $60

[@jongmassey]

Screen printing is the way that t shirts have always been printed. I've got screen printed t shirts that are 25 years old and still fine

[@pioneercynthia1]

​​@Pyritie _Actual_ screenprinting is excellent. It's been done for thousands of years. The only color limits are the number of screens you're willing to make. What you're probably thinking of is thermo applique. It's pretty cheap, but it can last much longer if you don't dry it in a dryer.

[@mialeroux2943]

This really makes me want to finally sew again. I have such nice clothing that only needs to a bit of mending, thanks for the motivation.

[@sodabread7956]

I think another thing to add to this is the interconnectedness in the depression of wages of the average person across Europe/USA/other more developed nations...also fueled by intense profit seeking. Basically profit before people and you end up in a hell scape 💔

[@T.R.75]

i dont even need to watch this entire vid to know that it was the profit margin that made everything go downhill. sell them crap, so they have to buy more crap, quicker. exploit the workers/makers, rake in obscene profits. its hit nearly every industry.

[@sunshine3914]

There was more to it than I thought.

[@RedSpicyKiwi]

It's always been the same, it's just becoming more streamline and efficient. Any and everything can be commodified.

[@smrk2452]

Cut corners to lower production costs. Raise quotas. Workers don’t get bathroom breaks… hire illegals to pay them less, use children who don’t speak English… and when somebody dies on the job, cover it up and find their replacement.

[@catherinehazur7336]

Planned obsolescence has been a thing for some time. Are we just discovering it now? Though I still have clothes from 25 years ago that I still wear and still are in good condition. Quality clothing is still available, but it is best to evaluate it in person like you could do when shopping was done in sticks-and-bricks stores. With internet buying it can be a toss up regarding quality what you finally receive.

[@Arcanist_Gaming]

@@catherinehazur7336 Weirdly, I've had a couple flukes with shopping online, but I'm _aware_ they were flukes. The good stuff is usually found in backwater pages of the internet, or through weirdly circumstantial advertising campaigns that never happen again because the ROI wasn't great. (Anecdotally, of course.)

[@MissJensk1]

What I've noticed over the last few years, us that there is SOOOOO much synthetic fabric, icky polyester etc, even at the height of summer. Horrible, uncomfortable clothes, shrinkage, & most things look tatty after just a few washes. I used to have favourite clothes I washed & rewore many times. Now nothing lasts. Also the designs look tacky.

[@jean4157]

I never buy polyester. I can tell immediately if I touch the fabric. It’s awful

[@ngndnd]

i sweat so much with polyester its crazy. Thats why i refuse to buy anything from shein. Even the non-clothing items are just junk that will break down in a week. The bad reviews get hidden

[@zegmaarwiet]

Thank you for this! Put some things back in perspective for me, going to work on seriously minimizing my buying behaviour.

[@Max-nt7ho]

I just found your channel & subscribed. Thank you for your research & sharing the info in an organized & chronological manner. It confirmed my observation of the fashion industry & my own experience of being a consumer. Another thing that isn’t mentioned in this video is that, many of these materials used in making the fast fashions may contain toxic chemicals due to the production process and/or the origins of the materials.

[@discordiadingle3203]

Another “fun” fact about polyester clothing: As we wash our clothing, some of the microplastics come out and end up in the ocean with the rest of our laundry water.

[@rosem7889]

yep. polar fleece is the worst! 2 pound garment can produce 4.5 million micro plastic pieces per wash. A hydrologist I know said that almost all of the plastic (by volume) in fresh water sources is micro plastics from clothing. it makes me sick to think about

[@bananaboiii3960]

They also get into your body and give you cancer, i am shocked no one else is talking about that here

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

@@discordiadingle3203 And from there they go into the fish we eat, and we now know that they then accumulate in our organs.

[@joem-q4m]

I trashed all of my polyester clothing. it traps in body heat and odor, feels awful, and pills way too easily. like you said, it's also not good for the environment. I hate this stupid tacky material and how hard it is to find clothes that AREN'T made of this crap. I just want my cotton clothes, man.

[@jennifermarlow.]

@@joem-q4m I've been wearing cotton and wool all my life. Yeah, it has cost more, but my skin can't breathe in polyester. Some of us didn't buy into the BS of processed everything. I also never ate margarine or other processed foods --- BUTTER and homemade all the way! BTW, 66 years old and no meds, and still a size small.

[@axiss5840]

Part of the problem now is that even if I DO want to spend $100-250+ on something that I hope will last me 10+ years, there's never a guarantee that it will. No matter who you're buying from, it's ALWAYS a gamble unless you explicitly know what to look for.

[@SweetDreaming28]

This is part of the plan to implement income inequality. It’s so insidious it’s venal. They buy a well know marker of quality products load up the company with debt, reduce quality, reduce staff, steal/ sell anything worthwhile including robbing pension plans, then bill the company for ‘management fees’ and when business goes downhill they sell out or declare bankruptcy, or spin off the part that’s carrying the debt. Meanwhile people lose jobs, paychecks get smaller, businesses close and they walk away using $100 to make cigars…

[@chicnoir29]

@@SweetDreaming28 See Red Lobster SMH.

[@ultramegax]

@@axiss5840 you can find those items that will last decades but you do indeed have a responsibility to educate yourself so you do know what to look for. There's no way around it.

[@ultramegax]

These days it's really up to the consumer to educate themselves and learn what to look for. Unfortunately, this video didn't really do any of that. But there are plenty of resources online to learn.

[@notaspectator]

Fair point, so instead of an influencer, we would need to consider an option of a garment worker, designer, a bi top material scientist and ideally pay them $5 per quick opinion. Sounds like an intentional living :))

[@updownstate]

I tried to buy fabric for a dress. I went to several names and discovered they are now arts & crafts stores. One employee explained that there is little fabric because people don't sew garments anymore.

[@noriethegreat]

Thank you. My clothes from the 80s are still wearable (but out of style) and my recent clothes are falling apart. Time to start sewing my own clothes.

[@_A4A]

It's insane how it always comes down to both Greed & Dishonesty that ruins EVERYTHING for the masses!....

[@DypoMage]

it's called capitalism!

[@rsr789]

@@DypoMage It's not truly free-market capitalism though, as there is a TON of collusion, semi-monopolies, etc...

[@michelerigley9286]

It's what made America great!!

[@YanettElement]

It's called capitalism. Greed makes it seem like a personal problem when it's the system we're in that's the problem, which requires systematic solutions.

[@Hrcbzvz]

And consumers are part of the problem too

[@pieternel101]

I will absolutely not purchase anything when the zipper feels and sounds cheap. On the rare occasions I am in a clothing store I am shocked at the poor quality on the mannequins, the creased and cheap feeling fabric. It is a shame for the younger generation to not know that clothes quality was not always like this.

[@user-zu3md5qz8y]

make sure the zippers are YKK

[@Mellyouttaphase]

Excellent video essay! I have been becoming increasingly frustrated with the state of clothing (I live in Australia) and every time I need to buy something am left feeling dismayed. It makes me angry!

[@freebritneynorway]

As a former worker in the secondhand industry I can say that it has traumatized me to the extent of to quit shopping for clothes for years. This is so important!

[@robynnordstrom7799]

This is why I stopped paying attention to trends and started making and mending my own clothes. My clothes probably aren’t in style, but I feel like the best version of myself in them.

[@maryjanedodo]

Gen Z has so many different style trends due to unlimited content access - so individual style & wearing what suits your body & is comfortable is always the best way to look cool.

[@TheDroShow]

Rocking your own style is the BEST thing ever!

[@CordeliaWagner1999]

I Am Gen Z. I have my own style. I shop Second Hand and I look for items that are good quality and match everything else in my wardrobe. Not all of Gen Z is TikTok addicts that do everything Influencers tell us to do.

[@anthonysalemi373]

​@@CordeliaWagner1999 millenial here. I'll thrift and shop second hand as much as possible, but it comes with limitations being a big guy. Thankfully my city has a load of vintage/thrift shops that it makes variety easier. It's funny how people want the 90s aesthetic but won't actually buy clothes from that era.

[@globalfamily8172]

@@CordeliaWagner1999 I thrift from my own closet (well boxes of older clothes). I go shopping looking for quality stuff and never find it.

[@virtualgambit577]

Thank you for addressing this, I worked in a textile factory for some time. It’s hard to justify purchasing new clothes when the quality is poor and fits terribly. A lot of them also use toxic dyes. Not to mention all “vegan leather” is made from PVC with phthalates and/or BPA, something I’d advise staying far away from. I worked in a vinyl factory and all employees had children with birth defects (they were pregnant whilst working there) and experienced a variety of health problems, including cancer and hormonal imbalances. I personally had migraines for almost a year after I quit working there. Vegan leather needs to come with a warning label. And the toxic dyes need to be completely banned.

[@paranoah8550]

This comment needs to be pinned

[@JaneNewAuthor]

@@virtualgambit577yet PETA pushes vegan leather. Got to wonder who's funding them

[@nicholasvinen]

If only there was a natural alternative...

[@_kaleido]

there's vegan leather made out of cactus and banana and stuff

[@JustMe-vs1kj]

how did it even go from pu leather or fake leather to "vegan"leather.... fast fashion catched up on the trend of veganism and just tried to capitalise on it, because if its not biodegradable or worker friendly its NOT vegan!! vegan is not just about the animals and there should be more laws forcing companyys to comply to actual naming of their products instead of trying to make it sound fancy, trendy, greenwashed or whatever else.... - for anyones information, actual vegan leather can be made with plants like pinapple for example -

[@jer1776]

You know its getting bad when knockoff clothes are better quality.

[@user-gc6ct9jl8h]

Thank you so much for doing this!! I wish I could have EVERYONE watch this video!

[@transcendtient]

Literally everything is getting enshittified.

[@Arcanist_Gaming]

Figuratively* Good stuff still exists and sometimes even at decent prices, it's just hard to find because it doesn't make the platforms paid for advertising as much money as the crap does.

[@TheAmericanAmerican]

@@Arcanist_Gaming seriously drop some brand names then!

[@Arcanist_Gaming]

@@TheAmericanAmerican I mean, my aesthetic isn't typical, but ok lol Off the top of my head: Steel Boots and Tru-Spec. The former is a brand of leather fashion combat boots from Czechia (also steel-toed) and the latter is a random brand for tactical pants I found on Amazon. I wear both _constantly_ and the only damage the boots have is from cats, and there was one itty-bitty tear in an inner thigh seam on the pants, but I'm pretty sure that's because I sit like a bisexual and my thighs* contain almost all my muscle lmao The boots were $176 CAD and the pants were $90 ish (I think). Had both for over two years, though, and they're holding up great. Only problem is that the pants _are_ solid polyester. BUT, _so_ many pockets. The "phone" pockets aren't big enough for my android, but my cherished (and 4th)4th gen iPod touch fits fine.

[@jagpilotohio]

Enshittified. Nice. I’ll have to borrow that. 😂

[@dollarstorevodka]

@@Arcanist_Gaming Steel boots are most definitely not high quality, theyre fashion boots...

[@gailcarey3597]

I live in an area that was once a major textile hub. In the late 1980’s a woman and I were shopping and in disgust she said she had once worked quality control at a major mill. She said nothing on the racks would have passed inspection. I sew and can’t even locate fabric that I would consider purchasing. We must bring back our own industries and start exporting quality products and not importing junk.

[@moniqueball3559]

Agreed

[@dianaulait]

THIS. it helps to knit and crochet because at least then you can source yarn that’s 100% wool, silk, etc. such a shame that brands don’t make this a little more accessible for folks, even at the higher end of price points.

[@MsRubyet]

Sure! The problem is it’s so much more expensive that most people won’t buy it

[@Cobalt985]

I agree with you, however, this is only a symptom of a more structural problem. To put it simply, infinite growth in a finite system is logically impossible. Degrowth MUST occur.

[@tjmarx]

Who is going to buy it? Consider the wages each of the people in the process would expect. Consider the overheads for the business. Now the mark-up to have some profit to make the whole exercise worthwhile. Then the distributor mark-up. Then the retail mark-up. How much do you genuinely think a locally produced quality T-shirt would cost today? Who is buying that, especially in a world where you are competing again Shein and Inditex? Come on, you can't put the genie back in the bottle. Everyone wants to pretend they live a kardashian lifestyle on a burger flipper wage at 30 these days. You have to fix consumer behaviour first, and that starts by convincing millennials and zoomers to live inside their meger means.

[@timojarun7830]

Thank you for this brilliant and eye-opening video. I notice this quality decline in many trusted brands, not the cheap fashion I avoid like a plague. Some brands boosted their prices but the quality ofctheir products decrrased so rapidly that I quit buying them.

[@susannahallanic1167]

Absolutely agree. I've been around 74 years. I can tell you why I think it is. Because there are less home clothing makers or if you prefer 'seamstress or tailors'. When a person learns to sew, whether by hand or with a machine, they make well fitted clothing that last, any some cases a decade or longer. But where would vogue be if people went to a few garage sales and picked up a basic sewing machine for usually less than they are paid per hour? People who are learning to sew? It is simply unheard of! Why learn something that is going to be fitted and well made out of natural fibers rather than run out and buy more plastic trash?