clothes are so much worse now 😭

[@leab9032]

Not what I was expecting, but fascinating to watch as a European/Scandinvian knitter :) I have a couple of tips on how to prolong the life of your sweaters/knits: - "Invest" (I say invest, but they are generally quite cheap) in a depiller/fabric shaver. It is a little battery operated machine that shaves of the pilling on your sweaters/knits, even wool coats, so they look like new again. - As a rule of thumb in the knitting community: the softer the yarn the more likely it is to pill (fabric density as you mentioned and ply, as well as other factors also play a role). - Store your knits flat (not hanging) to preserve their shape. - After washing your knits (based on the care instruction), lay them flat on a towel roll up the towel with the sweater and step a couple of times on your towel-sweater-burrito, then unroll and dry sweater flat. (towel-sweater-burrito is optional, but speeds up the drying, laying flat preserves the shape). - Pure wool limits the build-up of odor and doesn't need to be washed after every wear. Regarding quality: well-crafted handknit garments are often considered heirloom pieces, not just for the rest of the lifetime and a handknit sweater (of course depending on size, needlesize, complexity, skill-level etc.) is generally considered to take 30-40 hours to complete for a well-versed knitter. As far as I know, wool prices for many Northern-European sheep breeds have crashed, this is due to consumer preferences for softer yarns in garments (a lot of merino) - so that is also something to consider. Given the often thinner fabric and proneness to pilling from softer yarn, this shift towards softer yarn could have something to do with the perceived quality decrease. It was really funny to hear you say that the Aran sweater Ben is wearing is giving wearing heat-tech underneath (I'm paraphrasing). Most yarn from more hardy sheep, living in northern regions is generally coarser (however also warmer) , and I can imagine that the sweater Billy is wearing, given that the wool would be coarser, actually would inspire many people to wear something underneath, to avoid it being too itchy. On the other hand, most modern store bought sweaters are softer, and the chance that it could be worn next to skin is higher :) If I wear a sweater that is hand-knit in a coarser yarn, I generally tend to wear something long sleeved underneath. I could say so much more, but will end here, but also the sheep-Grease made me laugh so much, so thanks for that :D

[@annemmm]

Peer Gynt from Sandnes Garn is the GOAT of yarns for me. Smells so nice and wooly and lasts foreverrrrrr!

[@Loopsonloops]

@@annemmmone of my faves too. But I love all rustic wool like that. That one happens to come in many pretty colors 😊

[@chloepainter4064]

Also apparently lavender and cedar keep away moths!😊

[@kiiryth9835]

these are all really useful tips, one thing though: the depiller actually shaves off the ends of the fabric and while that may look nicer, it actually reduces the amount of fabric of the garment and since you just cut them off, more ends will end up being unwound and making the same fuzzy texture, and so the cycle is renewed. maybe if it has faced some particularly gruesome event that has left it a little defaced, use it, but not regularly as it'll reduce its size much faster. i would say the best way to deal with this is to just take care of your clothes and buy good yarn in the first place (one that has been produced with quality on mind more than time). personally: for wool, it's worth it even though i'm not a fan of this texture i would much rather wear it than some synthetic fabric with a third the lifespan and half the thermal insulation. plus i'm more than happy to only wash a piece of clothing as little as once a month or two even after wearing it every day.

[@mausemadchenmi7144]

Also: always wear something underneath. That reduced the times you have to wash the clothes you want to preserve

[@Whiskeredtoro]

It’s upsetting how expensive nice clothing is now and also how even “nicer brands” don’t use great materials now. I want things that will last and feel good, but everything feels like thin plastic now

[@sancochita7392]

Yes 😭😭. Plastic makes you sweat a lot, too! I try to avoid it as much as possible nowadays.

[@SewingandCaring]

My daughter works retail in the UK and we are now at the point where she can't find even OK work trousers at any price, so now I'm teaching her how to sew.

[@Adriana-yr4so]

@@sancochita7392i😅😅

[@annapierce2604]

And the plastic absorbs and holds on to odor, too. I’ve had polyester shirts that looked fine, but they stank no matter how I washed them :(. I had to throw them out and it was such a waste.

[@nixthrice]

it's so annoying!!! can't even consider saving for pieces worth investing

[@kantakouzini]

what i hate most is that most of the material is made of PLASTIC, which makes ppl sweaty, doesnt regulate body heat and becomes stinky bc the plastic fiber absorb sweat and therefore bacteria.

[@Iva744]

And after a while the smell doesn't even go away in the wash anymore. So unless you want to stink all the time, the clothes need to go in the trash even though it's not actually broken.

[@kantakouzini]

@@Iva744 exactlyyyy!!!

[@ash2xx1]

Exactly! I'm overweight and I have autism. That means i cannot find anything that makes me feel truly comfortable even if its cute 🥺

[@gildanonofyabiznez6430]

​@@ash2xx1I'm sorry but what does autism have to do with this?

[@ulawan5]

​@gildanonofyabiznez6430 Autism often comes with many sensory sensitivities that make you hyperaware of materials against your skin, and it can become distracting or overwhelming if something you're wearing feels bad or makes you sweaty, for example. Polyester magically does both! It sucks.

[@laurenevers8644]

It's not just clothing, it's pretty much everything. Ever notice how amazingly good quality old furniture is with strong, solid wood? They don't make anything like they used to anymore because if the standard of things is low quality, they don't last as long and companies make more money the more often we have to buy replacements.

[@nataliepachecano7655]

This is known as planned obsolescence. Everything is designed to break down quickly for increased consumption which translates into more profit

[@RachelCunningham-ut9ks]

right? the solution is to stop buying the cheaply made products and thrift used ones of better quality.

[@TerryPagel]

I agree, mostly. You can buy quality furniture now. Nobody wants to pay for it. Marketing tells us we need to remodel every handful of years, so we don't buy couches that last forever and gets reupholstered every decade or two.

[@Yabbaxoraz]

@@TerryPagel This is a good point that I haven't heard before. How many people would be fine with just having the same bureau for the rest of their lives? To be frank, probably a lot of men. But if you feel the need to change the look of your home every so often, what does it matter if the furniture only lasts 5 years?

[@tired690]

A huge part of also why modern furniture made with wood now is noticeably lower quality is bc the wood they use is from young trees. The centuries old trees ppl were cutting down to make homes and items with years ago are scarce resource and now heavily protected and younger juvenile trees don't have that same quality. (Also doesn't not help that press board is becoming increasingly popular among fast furniture makers like ikea, Walmart, target etc)

[@rachaelnaula]

I'm so glad we're talking about this! Remember when pants and skirts had an additional inner lining? Everything is see-through these days!

[@baronmeduse]

I still make trousers lined to the knee (fronts only or front and back). I think a lot of makers seem to have forgotten how to make a lined skirt. I've seen them now and again, but they don't properly anchor the lining or it's too small, so the wearer is uncomfortable.

[@Gretabpooh]

And it has gotten harder to find slips to wear under the see- through fabric. Some people aren't bothered by this, but being in my early 60's, I appreciate that added layer. Especially after I did Civil War reenactments and learned how much cooler multiple layers of.cotton fabric can be than our mixed fabric type clothing.

[@mandyharewood886]

Just experienced having to wear short black tights under a beautiful white dress for a relative's funeral. It's too hot in the Caribbean for black right now. Linings can be too hot also due to the fabric.

[@mandyharewood886]

​@@GretabpoohI don't see slips anymore here in the increasingly hot Caribbean. I am told to wear short black tights. Linings are also out of style due to the heat. I try to buy cotton and linen.

[@sadjaxx]

Lining helps with the hang and the longevity of the item.

[@RegularRaven]

I have consumer guilt because I want good quality cloths that aren’t harmful to the environment, but they purposely price quality cloths like that so high that it’s impossible for me to afford them. and with the cost of living right now, all I can really do is take care of the cloths that I currently have until they quite literally fall apart-and realistically, cheaper quality cloths will do just that.

[@spOOkytimes]

Out of control late stage capitalism makes it impossible for non-wealthy people to just exist. It's good you are taking care of your clothes. I have shirts that I bought for about $20 that have lasted decades just from doing delicate cycles with like colors and only detergent and maybe some stain remover or tiny bit of whitener if needed (no sofetener, scent beads, etc), then hang drying or drying on low heat. If something desperately needs to be softened oflr fluffed, wool dryer balls are the way to go. Edit: also garment bags are a must for super delicate fabrics and bras.

[@jekentmenietje]

The solution: thrift! It's often as cheap as or even cheaper than fast fashion, but often for better quality items that already proved their resilience. And it's way better for the environment. In exchange, make sure you resell or responsibly donate your old clothes if they're still good but you don't wear them anymore.

[@17thcentury_girl]

@@jekentmenietje Thrifting isnt great where I live, the clothes are sent there for a reason or nothing is in my size

[@unichan5]

Seconding on the thrift not being sustainable if you fall out of common size ranges. I would love to go thrifting more often but it‘s just not happening for me as there are no plus size clothes available in all the thrift stores I‘ve been to. Once you go beyond a 44/46“ bust, it‘s hard to find anything. I learnt to sew a few years ago because I couldn‘t afford the clothes out of natural fibres I so desperately wanted and like to put on my body (due to sweating in the summer for example). And I‘ll wear those clothes to death as well, and then try to repair them, because I cannot afford the time and money I put into these to go to waste so easily. No shame on wearing your clothes until they fall apart!

[@Thisiskoko104]

​@jekentmenietje thrifting comes with its own set of problems, the pricing has gotten really insane because of resellers becoming more and more common and snatching up anything that might sell for more and the trend of size 2s and 4s going into thrift stores and buying up bigger clothing to literally cut up and make smaller and then resell on Depop for way more. People who need thrift stores are getting screwed sideways because thrifting has become trendy.

[@CorporalHicks8]

The difference between a garment my grandparents have had for sixty years versus stuff I have breaking down in two or three years is truly startling. I'm sure capitalism would have done it anyway but you'd think people would have put up more of a resistance.

[@elsa7594]

frrr like my friend was litteraly wearing a long sleeve leotard that belonged to he rgreat grand mother and it looked pretty recent like the quality back then was super good

[@Ago2904]

I’m wearing clothes my grandmother wore 80 years ago or clothes resewn from fabric that she wore that long ago and the quality of the fabric and clothes color is incredible. I have not seen anything even remotely equal nowadays.

[@Ines-pi3xt]

You do not even need to go as far in time than that, I have a wool jacket that my mum bought in Zara in the 80s and it is in perfect state!! It hasn't pilled!! And I repeat, it is from Zara, 100% wool!! Now, even if you are able to find a sweater that contains wool it is always mixed with some other material so that it will pill

[@CureSmileful]

@@Ines-pi3xt I remember seeing hats few days ago proudly labeled as "contains wool". I am obnoxious tag checker so I looked into material composition already knowing that it will be less than 50% wool and it turned out to be 4% 😐

[@LethalLemonLime]

​@@CureSmilefulI see so many items like that and it's so disrespectful.

[@kateearlsfitzgerald7934]

As an Irish person, I generally watch people of other nationalities talking about our history and culture with my heart in my throat, ready for stereotypes, mispronounciations and general paddywhackery but this was SO GOOD. Thanks for this amazing level of research and nuance and for making an effort with pronouncing Irish names and phrases correctly. What a pleasure to learn so much I didn't know about my beloved Aran jumpers! You're the best!!

[@mynameisgremlin]

Oh god, I feel you. I'm Polish and the amount of mispronunciation in some of the videos about Poland gives me headache. I'm glad you are satisfied with this video. ❤️

[@commentbot9510]

I am REALLY bothered by the coats not keeping us warm thing. I despise being cold and I despise wearing so many layers that I can't wear anything cute and feel like a walking marshmallow.

[@ffslof8807]

I purchase mostly second hand clothing but I still succeed with 'old womens clothing' brands. I know eventually that will go to shit as well when the younger generation grows older, but for now those coats are at least of better quality. And they're not that bad either. I've even been considering to purchase one or two extra coats if they're actually premium quality that could last me all my life. It might be boring but I'll at least be warm in my 80's. Something tells me those coats won't be for sale anymore when I'm that old.

[@ryenne8919]

Honestly. Target has never let me down and there’s soooo many pockets!

[@seyi777]

Gotta buy from brands that actually cater to the outdoors or people who work outdoors. Buy an insulated jacket that actually shows the insulating materials and how much of it is used. Real insulating clothes will have that info on the tag or the product description online.

[@commentbot9510]

@@seyi777 What brands and materials make good coats? Also, hopefully its not expensive. Though, I would be willing to invest in a good coat though as it will last me many years.

[@edithtierce8209]

We also use heat more now than people did before and spend leas time outdoors… As a kid in northern California I was almost always in just a hoodie at the start of winter. Once rain and snow hit it was a jacket… Now I’m in a liner with a shirt under and a sweater then a coat… Being cold has a lot to do with us and not always the garments.

[@Misu.A]

So unless there is a big revolution in clothing industry the only way to have ethical clothes is to buy vintages or make them yourself... omg

[@MadameCorgi]

Yep, but new fabric has its issues e.g. with labour usage

[@bekas79]

Essentially, in that regard we are back to how it always was throughout all of Human History before the industrial revolution

[@spntageous5249]

honestly this is how it should be. No one needs 100 sweaters. And by reverting to old times and have either very expensive clothing that we cherish and look after because it's good quality and expensive or if we have clothes that we made ourselves and they took us time and effort, we will consume less

[@amayasasaki2848]

Yep, I've come to that conclusion a while back while watching several channels on historical clothing, so I'm working toward making my own 1780's style clothing.

[@BelgianBisous]

Yes, with the small exception that there are ecological ethical companies who try to source their fabrics well and sow them domestically. However bc of labour costs& their selling price they have limited amounts of each clothing piece so they can never break through on a big scale. I'd say look around in your own country and/or neighbouring countries depending where you're from and seeing if there are any you can find with stuff to your liking. It can be that in your area there's less or none though but it could help!

[@giwilreker]

My aunt knitted my dad a chuncky wool sweater to go skiing in, 55 years ago. I'm still wearing it today. It's still chunky, warm and has not lost its shape, or its colour.

[@pscar1]

Same time frame for the sweaters my grandmother knitted my dad. They still look like they were just knitted.

[@ghadakameche2248]

My mom knitted bunch of sweaters for my dad 25 years ago and he still wears them till today in the winter and ppl envy him and always asking him where did he get them

[@CocoaHerBeansness]

im only 28 and i remember my mum making a lot of my clothes when i was a child because it was cheaper but by the time i was a teenager the fabric became really expensive and poor quality. its almost like good fabric has been made unavailable to push us to buy fast fashion.

[@skeptigal4626]

Yes, that’s why I no longer sew. When I was young in the 70’s/80’s, I’d go to a fabric store and find so many gorgeous fabrics it was hard to choose. I could make a simple but beautiful dress in no time just because the fabric was so lovely. Sadly between the fact that people rarely get dressed up anymore, and it’s not worth working on cheap material, there’s no longer any point in sewing.

[@katam6471]

​@@skeptigal4626for me who is short, small at the shoulders but a bit chubby in the middle, sewing is the best way of getting cloths that fits well. But it _is_ sad that the quality of fabric isn't as good today as it was some dacades ago. However I've found some vintage fabric of good qulity very cheep. That's almost like finding a treasure.

[@annseabolt6645]

I agree. I sewed a lot in the late 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and into the 90’s but then patterns started to get ridiculously expensive and it became hard to find decent fabric. I occasionally make a garment now and I find I can still save by making home decor, but most of my sewing today is repairs and alterations.

[@imnotliketheothernerds]

I made my daughter clothing when she was a toddler with fabric left over from my childhood, the garments are now on the 5th kid. My 3 then my niece, now my nephew. Think the fabric was purchased in 1989 or so. Likewise, my Oshkosh overalls are on the 8th kid. Me, a friend, 2 brothers, and the other 5 mentioned prior. They look fine, and the reinforcement on the knees has been replaced once after my brothers, once after my kids. Eta: the overalls were apparently used when my mom bought them in 88

[@valkyriesardo278]

I'm 70 and my parents passed in their early 80s many years ago. My mother sewed all her own clothes, clothes for her 5 children, dress shirts, and winter coats. She knew every fabric store in the region and usually hit at least one a week. I was often with her on these expeditions so I've seen the change in fabric stores over the past 60 years. They are all but nonexistent now, most converted into craft stores that sell fabric only for quilting, costume, craft, and maybe some upholstery goods. I remember the dazzling array of bolted woolens, velvets, silks, plaids, and prints. Most of it was gorgeous and not all of it high priced. The cost is prohibitive these days and the available selection is trash. The online fabric selection is extensive but gives me sticker shock. Now that I'm retired and have no public role, I buy men's casual clothing. The workmanship and durability are usually better quality than women's clothing. I can buy larger sizes for comfort, a short sleeve button shirt and a pair of sweat pants and I am good to go.

[@KSMP]

Even thrifting isn't great now that the garbage clothing is all that people buy and donate or sell to second hand stores. And the thrift stores are all raising prices close to the price of brand new for the same garbage.

[@mushudraws3932]

exactly my experience. you pay same, or sometimes more for secondhand bad quality clothing now T-T

[@Faithfulll]

For real! We cant win :(

[@my_post_traumatic_growth]

i wonder if thrift shops send donations to Africa or whatever... yet plenty of Americans on a budget or dirt poor need clothing, good clothing and not to have to be humiliated foing to a church that will donate clothes for free. Many of us on a budget are happy to pay for our own necessities if it is a reasonable price.

[@mothbythesea]

THIS!!!!! I go op shopping and it's just kmart and shein TRASH people wore a couple times and were like oh this is shit, or fits weird or whatever. It's extremely upsetting.

[@jdamourep]

That's honestly how I feel like not gonna pretend I don't go to Walmart for their work wear for outfits. Or just buy super mass produced items quickly because I just want something fast. I have cheaper shirts that I don't wear as often or just wear into the ground over several years. But at the end of the day they are still cheap. I'm just a regular consumer I don't really have the money or care to perfectly curate my clothes. But I'd like to buy clothes from the thrift that feel thick. That have been well worn but still have plenty of life. I'll buy a cool shirt that's obviously over stock, but im tired if the h&m, zara, forever 21 clothes that feel cheap and just disintegrate. I buy a work jacket or pants from Walmart because they are stronger than the shirts. But its like everywhere you go the stitching and thickness of the shirt is always trash. If it weren't for the fact that I like some of few really cheap items I have I'd just do away with them. The thrift at the very keastvakways has good jackets.

[@waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa9739]

The most telling thing of the clothing industry's downfall for me is how hard it is to find just a good T-shirt these days. A plain white T-shirt. Everything is paper thin and see-through, weirdly sewn, with collars that stretch out after the first wash on delicate settings. It's honestly genuinely upsetting

[@2okaycola]

Anne Taylor

[@2okaycola]

Hanes or Gildan

[@SkeleMusic]

American apparel was the only one for me, i have a heavyweight tee thats outlasted many others. Los angeles apparel is now doing what american apparel used to

[@Dr_Agon3]

Muji

[@JRDNBRDSHW]

Uniqlo airism and oversized U line

[@sunnisideup444]

Even growing up in the 2010s i noticed how shirts in malls were getting more and more thinner and translucent in density for just basic graphic tees

[@liz_violet]

i thought it was just "in fashion" to wear crop tops and see through stuff!

[@windws7137]

@@liz_violet The production owners set these trends themselves. Convinient

[@ryanjacobson2508]

It's nice getting vintage all cotton button ups from the 90's.... The fit is looser and much more flattering and comfortable, + they tend to be thicker and better made.

[@selenasmith7943]

Thiss! I remember a store going out of business and finding a shirt for $2 originally priced for $14. Practically thick tights, like for dance and ice skating

[@tyyneviljakainen5108]

And compare Levi's jeans from 90 to Levi's of today's...

[@biaberg3448]

To keep your wool garments last: After use, let them lay unfolded overnight to “breathe”. If not dirty or smelly, you can keep on using them. Don’t wash until dirty or smelly the day after use. Wool is not like cotton, wool is sort of self cleaning. So only wash when necessary!

[@robinchesterfield42]

I actually lost a sweater that I LOVED a few years ago because I forgot that wool has to be washed and handled differently, so...yeah, listen to this person's advice. It was a floofy red cable-knit that actually fit me comfortably. ...then I washed it the standard way, and now it'd fit a pygmy woman or a large doll. Oof.

[@biaberg3448]

@@robinchesterfield42 Oh, no, so sad. You are not the only one to do this. I did it many years ago, but luckily it was a casual sweater, not homemade. But I never forget this experience.

[@TheSpecialJ11]

Huh, my lazy, slobby self has been doing this with my wool flannels for years. I wash them after like 20+ uses because they're always getting aired out draped over something after I'm done wearing them.

[@SirenaSpades]

Correct, wool is not cotton. But even cotton isn't available for most clothing. Clothing is now made of synthetics!

[@biaberg3448]

@@SirenaSpades I have a lot of clothes made more or less of cotton. Woven materials are often of cotton.

[@-umbra-1590]

I feel like everything is like that now.. the quality of things in general feels like how Bilbo described his age. "I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scrapped over too much bread"

[@jillianwolf3846]

yes, and we're paying a premium price on top of everything else... truly insult to injury 😵‍💫

[@HarriedPedestrian]

Love the LotR reference!

[@juliamaciaslopez6632]

We were talking about this the other day. My mom gave me clothes she had saved for over 20 years that didn’t fit her anymore. They were in PERFECT CONDITION. No discoloration, not a hole, no fabric thinning. And they were from Zara, Bershka, Springfield. While I bought 3 years ago a Zara shirt that started to breakdown in a couple of months.

[@myrna_m]

Yep, I still have a lot of clothes from the early to mid 2000s that I bought as a teen from fast fashion brands that are still around (Zara, Bershka, Mango, H&M...) and they're still in good condition despite lots of use and washes.

[@moongirl8807]

I even see it with H&M that I bought as a teen 10 years ago. Yes it had small holes here and there but overall at least the basics lasted. Not to mention the price was actually low. Now whenever I visit a store again my jaw drops bc they want like 40€ for say, a thin jacket that's worse in quality than the years before. It's funny that I have to go to TJ Maxx now to get actual cheap fast fashion... with better quality! (this sounds like I deliberately only buy fast fashion but due to growing up / changing sizes and saving money that's all I can afford. But I seriously consider sewing and buying ecological clothing now, it's just that they want much more money. And 50€ for a t-shirt is definitely a splurge...).

[@ashbee350]

Same! There was style of blouse that H&M used to carry that was super flattering on me. I must have bought 20 of those blouses in the early 2000's and I still have 3 that look great. @@myrna_m

[@demonic.lionfish]

​@@myrna_mI have a long sleeve black shirt from GADZOOKS of all places. I got it as a kid 5 years before they were bought out by Forever 21. It's still kickin'.

[@Z_pixel]

all my dads old ass clothes look so brand new😭While clothing i bought a couple months ago already look worn out

[@grapes4832]

The most frustrating thing is that fact that not only is nice clothing hard to come by now, nice materials to MAKE clothing are also getting tough to find. I hate it here

[@karigrandii]

Thats neoliberal ideology for u

[@rosezingleman5007]

Yes. I used to make custom clothing including wedding gowns and quit largely because even in the NYC garment district there’s not much to choose from anymore. There’s no demand for good stuff. 😔

[@Gleamiarts]

​@@karigrandiihow?

[@abcdeshole]

@@karigrandii yeah the nebulous boogeyman “neoliberal ideology” is why people idly shop for fast fashion “deals” and order Shein hauls.

[@TheNightshadePrince]

Yeah allowing other countries to monopolize the textile industry through unfair trade agreements has caused this. America got it’s wealth from making cotton and hemp fabric, now we are forced into poverty by our government’s stupidity.

[@heidig4426]

Love from Mongolia here. Really happy how you stated that wool is more durable than cashmere. Cashmere is expensive but wool is always sharper and warmer! some of the comments make me really said cus it shows how some people don’t understand how other countries who aren’t as privileged work. Cashmere and wool are really important in Mongolia due to the climate. Obviously I understand that people from other countries purchase cashmere and wool but in a country where it reaches -40c these materials are really important for survival.

[@thetillerwiller4696]

I believe cashmere wool was historically used for layers close to the skin (winter underwear, socks) due to its softness. Makes sense that durability would be pushed over in preference to comfort.

[@imKERBOBBLED]

Another tip I recently learned is that if you find a vintage sweater made of 100% wool but you don't like the style or it doesn't fit you, you can actually unravel the yarn from it and use it in a knitting project. That way you get a cheap and sustainable product that is perfectly tailored to your body and style!

[@findingmyownhearth]

Yes! I've seen people do this with fast fashion too

[@tonygroves5526]

I'm a seamstress. I was a teenager in the 80s and we used to have three levels of fashion. Basic, which was well made and of good material, but lacked high end details. "Designer" which one could buy off the peg, which had better materials and nicer details, and then haute couture, which only the wealthy could afford. There were nice, natural fibers at every level. T-shirts could last a decade. Now, as a seamstress, I struggle to find quality fabrics, full stop. It's so frustrating, because I know what quality looks and feels like!

[@saladlamp2092]

Not to mention the cost of fabrics. It used to be less expensive to make clothes, now in a lot of cases it's more expensive.

[@clarissathompson]

My mum is in her 80s and I'm so grateful for her massive stockpile of fabric, it's impossible to find that quality today.

[@JauntyCrepe]

It is *so* frustrating

[@felicityparks]

As a knitter, I don't try to sell my creations because the price would be $200+ for a pair of socks! I do it as a hobby and for gifts, and sometimes as an incentive for people to give to the food bank I volunteer for. People are used to paying $50 for a "nice" sweater and to make one that will last decades costs ~$150+ in quality yarn even if you make it yourself. Making what I can for myself definitely taught me to take care of my clothes and only wash things that haven't been worn directly on the skin when they're actively dirty (a stain) or once a season before storing them again, and then handwashed with the nice delicate detergent.

[@tomjones2157]

I bet there would be a market for $200+ socks!

[@_papad8434]

And here's why people switched over to buying crap. Because people like you think you deserve to be paid $200 for a frikkin pair of socks.

[@lisettegarcia]

Whoever said you could buy a sweater like Billy Crystal's for $20 in the 1980s is out of their mind. That looks like a Lands End or LL Bean and would have run at least a couple hundred each, even then, thanks to erstwhile lifetime guarantee (a policy since cancelled due to abuse of it). Remember that the 80s were all about conspicuous consumption. Levi's sold a sweater closer to the knockoff for around $80 in 1986. I know because I remember buying it. 😅

[@pheart2381]

Its true for the u.k. I used to have one. Clothing stores like British Home Stores,C&A and co were selling really thick chunky,pure new wool jumpers with beautiful cable knit patterns quite reasonably priced.

[@PomaleeDon]

If the sweater were made of acrylic yarn, as it appears to me, $20 wouldn't be such a huge stretch.

[@ladyflimflam]

@@PomaleeDondoesn’t look like wool to me either, I was thinking cotton. I had a yellow cotton sweater in the late 80s that looked a lot like that

[@lera_vasi]

I'm Mexican (not Mexican-American). I remember my family and I would go to the US to go shopping for clothes about once a year when I was younger because the quality was noticeably higher than the options we had here in Mexico. The years passed, and we stopped doing that since the quality of the clothes in the US became pretty much the same as it is here. You can't even trust "nicer" brands nowadays.

[@pointfrogg]

It’s scary to see the quality of clothes from the same brands overtime. A while back it used to be obvious fast fashion places like Forever21 and H&M etc but now it’s all wearable garbage. Something from 10 years ago will hold up for years longer and in much better shape than something you bought THIS very year. And yet we still got inflation.

[@JishinimaTidehoshi]

Wear traditional clothes instead of fast fashion. Besides, traditional never goes out of style

[@pinschrunner]

Everything is made in China

[@syn67501]

It's not just clothing. I have a set of sheets from when I was a little girl made in approximately mid 1970s. They are still almost pristine condition even with regular use. The sheets I've bought within the last 3-5 years have already started pilling or in some cases even ripped in the middle.

[@Ladida386]

It's so hard to find that kind of material.

[@kathleenbriggs8791]

Was looking for cotton sheets in September and was astonished by the sheer volume of micro fiber sheets on offer. My mom has sheets from the 60s that still look new and fresh.

[@deborahcurtis1385]

@@Ladida386 You can get excellent sheets at commercial suppliers of linen to the hotel industry. Just track them down and go for ones using Egyptian cotton.

[@Ladida386]

@@deborahcurtis1385 Oh, wow! Thank you for this advice! 🙏🫶

[@merandasomnolentgamer8323]

I've been looking into linen sheets, which is supposed to be a sturdy fabric, and I've noticed that all the big companies recommend handling them like lingerie.

[@mollynewkome]

As someone who got her masters degree in experimental archaeology, but who came to the video to hear your takes on the enshittification of clothing, I LOVED that this started with Otzie. I love your insights and how fully you cover the topic at hand, from a frozen ice man from thousands of years ago, to the IRA, to sustainable fashion, you cover all the bases.

[@Marley-Kabin]

I feel like mainstream/inexpensive clothes were still okay up to the mid-2000’s - I still have sweaters from Old Navy and hoodies from Aeropostale from like 2003!

[@jillianwolf3846]

I feel like everything changed with forever 21....

[@juliamoor6544]

A problem I've come across in my country is that stores that actually sell good quality clothing at higher prices, but not in the luxury price range, are going bankrupt, because the people who used to shop there are cutting back on their shopping. So luxury brands and fast fashion thrive while the segment in the middle dies. Drives me crazy.

[@LexiLadonna]

This right here. There’s nothing in between crap and designer

[@BlueCyann]

That's been happening for all kinds of things for decades. The solid good quality stuff without luxury cachet has disappeared, as have the stores and brands that used to be known for those things.

[@nataliaalfonso2662]

It’s super true

[@TheAwesomes2104]

Isn't it so ironic that so many people still believe this is the economical system of innovation and completion forced advancement and improvements.

[@SY-ok2dq]

​@@BlueCyann Should have tons more thumbs up for this comment. It is exactly the case for so many services and goods today. The middle will get squeezed out because they become unprofitable and unable to find a large enough customer base to continue. It's all about the economics of business and markets in a globalized marketplace.

[@NicoleOlympe]

Hello, I come from Italy and I am lucky to have a family working in the textile department of wool, cashmere, etc. The difference between a handmade sweater, compared to one made is machine, is that the first, thanks to its processing, the texture is thicker and three-dimensional, while those made by machine are much more "flat"

[@gremlita]

thanks for sharing!

[@NicoleOlympe]

And funny coincidence, I live near the place where today the Ötzi is exposed

[@anamegoeshere]

@@gremlita so you complain about the price of "clothing" and yet go to paris for 48hrs and buy a spendy handbag. BUT PLEASE TELL ME MORE.

[@kagitsune]

@@anamegoeshereuhh. Weird way to troll but okay

[@anamegoeshere]

@@kagitsune how was i trolling?

[@audreyst.palmer7402]

I live in Galway and yes!!!! Support the O'Maille shop (pronounced, O'Malley) here, the lady who runs the shop is so kind and has been helping me with my own knitting projects, and the sweaters she sells are all still made by ladies on the islands and each has a tag from the person who made it. A lot of the other shops are good too, but if you can afford it I'd so recommend!! The stitches do have a lot of meaning still, while each family doesn't have their own stitches, I can say that certain knits made from certain knitters on the islands are unique to them and they are the only ones who know how to make them. Love everything you do Mina! Go raibh mile!

[@nikiTricoteuse]

As someone who sews and knits, l thought l'd be most interested in the clothing part of this but, l'm completely blown away by Otzi's shoes. Anyway, l just wanted to say that thrift shops are a great way to find cheaper sources of wool. Buy an ugly hand-knitted pullover and unravel it. Wind it into hanks, wash it and hang a weight on it as it dries to get the kinks out and it will knit like new. If you want to know how much wool is in your yarn. Soak a piece of it in acetone overnight and, how much of the piece is left the next day, will indicate how much is wool ie, if nothing is left it's pure wool. 😊

[@chloegroff1010]

i think a big reason people feel that a £200 jacket is very expensive even though historically, adjusted for inflation, it isn’t, is because nowadays they definitely make the jacket much more cheaply and artificially inflate the price, rather than paying £200 for a genuinely good quality item

[@BereniceAllanPoe]

Also, prices have adjusted to inflation, while salaries have been stagnating if not reducing for quite some time. So a 200£ price (which was yes a big investment in the past but paid itself over time because you basically had to do it once each couple of decades) makes a much bigger dent into a monthly budget and doesn't give any indication on the quality itself which Is, as you said, almost always pretty low anyway

[@lunar686]

Profit margins on almost all consumer items have increased drastically (almost mirroring the decline in wages, especially considering the increase in skill) over the past century. ‘Built-in-obsolescence’ is now an industry standard.

[@madeline569]

A 200€ jacket used to last you a lifetime that's not an exaggeration

[@ailsamairi]

£200 is a good price for a high quality item. The problem is a lot of the £200 peices aren't even good quality

[@happytofu5]

The bad thing is that a high price item might not be good quality after all.

[@thegrynne]

As a handknitter who is currently knitting their partner a heavy weight cabled cardigan, I can attest that good quality heavy weight 100% wool is expensive! And the more oversized the garment is intended to be worn, the more wool goes into it. To my eye, Billy’s Aran looks more “expensive” because the cables looks more plush and three-dimensional in texture, drapes in a way that means it’s a heavy weight yarn, and has more positive ease in the body and sleeves which means it probably weights twice as much as the other more modern sweater.

[@lasagnasquare5604]

Yeah, I am currently knitting on a full merino cardigan for myself. I paid 200€ for the wool alone!!! Peoples ideas of fabric costs are so distorted. Sometimes I see wool jumpers at prices that don't make sense if I consider fabric price alone. We need to appreciate pieces again. These fashion cycles are getting absurd... Doing an entire new wardrobe every year. This just doesn't make any sense...

[@morriganfey6079]

@@lasagnasquare5604 Every year? lol Have you heard of the "mini-season" now? You now have to get a new wardrobe every four months! lol

[@zatarawood3588]

Can I ask out of interest as someone interested in business of fashion how much does good quality heavy weight wool cost for lets say one ladies or mens cardigan? This is price for retail customer I guess & not price paid by a large manufacturer.

[@marieuzes]

@@zatarawood3588 good question!

[@thegrynne]

@@zatarawood3588 I’m located in Australia, so my prices will be guided by what’s available to me locally or can be easily shipped to me here. The most economical 100% wool option available to me would be roughly $18AUD per 300m (150m/100g) from Bendigo Woollen Mills. To make a ladies basic cardigan (no cables or heavy texture) would require around 1200-2000m, depending on the desired size of the garment, so about $72-120 AUD, as a starting point. A men’s cardigan would start at around the same meterage, but extend to larger sizes. I recently bought a sweaters quantity of Daruma Falkland in a beautiful cream to make a cabled sweater for myself. It’s 80% wool, 20% alpaca, $14AUD for 85m or $210 for a small/medium sized jumper, before shipping.

[@jennifersvitko5997]

I have Smartwool socks; the heals blow out (I walk a lot). Instead of buying new merino wool socks, I bought wool darning thread and found a darning egg. I have mended at least 8 pairs of socks so far. Buying darning wool is way less expensive than new socks.

[@sarahmundy233]

I’m a big fan of Darn Tough socks! They tend to last a lot longer than my Smartwool socks

[@alysondavies]

And darn tough will replace their socks that are worn out, true, not as sustainable as darning them, but great in terms of investment. I've had I think 4 pairs replaced.

[@Bbybunn]

Before I even knew- this is why I’ve only shopped at thrift stores since I was young. I would always end up HATING the fast fashion clothes I tried to wear and have such bad sensory issues. However, a 1972 sweater I found at goodwill-I’m on top of the world 👌

[@MashaZarnitsa]

Patagonia does free repairs for their clothes as well, doesn't matter if you bought it directly from them or not! They'll even go so far as to completely replace a zipper on a coat. I met someone on their repair team recently and it was really impressive to hear how far they'll go to keep their clothes going.

[@emilycornwell9643]

this is true for many outdoor wear brands! It makes buying sweaters from them worthwhile as well :)

[@thecoldglassofwatershow]

Good to know, my Patagonia hat snap broke, are you saying they will fix it?! It’s one of my favorite hats lol

[@MashaZarnitsa]

@@thecoldglassofwatershow yep, you can either ship it to them (you’ll need to pay shipping) or bring it into a Patagonia store for free!

[@TheNightshadePrince]

To bad Patagonia mostly sells synthetics, cause I like the design of their clothes but hate polyester. :)

[@smeastwest]

As a knitter, those sweaters take FOREVER to knit. I would have to charge hundreds of dollars for a detailed cable knit sweater, just to make sure I made minimum wage. That's not even taking into account how expensive high quality yarn can be.

[@schoolingdiana9086]

They start at $350 for an adult hand knitted sweater and go upwards to $500-ish. There are lots of people who pay for them.

[@gadgetgirl02]

​@@schoolingdiana9086And to the OP's point: you can spend $350 on YARN for a sweater these days, without trying too hard. Having said that, you can do a pure wool sweater for a lot less than that, but once you subtract off the yarn cost, the prices you quoted aren't much for 30-40 hours of work.

[@angelbear_og]

Fast-fashion (made from dirt-cheap materials by basically slaves in foreign assembly-lines) has really ruined people's expectations of clothing costs.

[@Narangarath]

@@schoolingdiana9086 But $350-500 might _just barely_ cover the cost of good quality merino or cashmere (which are pretty much the only materials people are willing to pay premium for), never mind that 30-40 hours to complete a complicated cable sweater is extremely low even for a reasonably fast knitter and absolutely not happening if it's a larger (XL+ and/or for a tall person) size. I suspect the low (in comparison to a solo knitter) price is achieved by getting massive quantity discounts on yarn and likely doesn't leave much above minimum wage for the actual knitters.

[@Call-me-Al]

​@@schoolingdiana9086 they're not machines, they need to be paid a living wage too which that cost there doesn't cover.

[@toiletfrog]

I try to thrift most of my clothes now. But it sucks that even thrifting is fairly expensive, and places like goodwill and arc have mostly cheaply made donated stuff since that’s what people have been buying for the last 20ish years. Hate going to arc and finding SHEIN clothes, or clothes from Walmart that are priced the same as Walmart price. My best scores are usually from garage sales

[@tomjones2157]

@toiletfrog I forgot about garage sales! They used to be the best!

[@toiletfrog]

@@tomjones2157 they still are lol

[@toiletfrog]

@@tomjones2157 they still exist lol! During the summer at least…

[@andreesandahl300]

My 92 yr old mother was describing her favorite suits and dresses from her debut into the work force in the 50’s. They were so classy and well tailored but cost her almost a weeks wages.

[@mialemon6186]

The scary thing for me is that my weeks wages amounts to about $400 (lot of factors, can’t explain it all here). That will get some decent items of quality but not a full suit like our mothers and grandmothers got. Even making things myself isn’t a total cure because quality fabrics are hard to come by at any price point. My cotton dresses are all relatively cheap and have held up well, but outerwear? I’m still stuck in fast fashion hell.

[@andreesandahl300]

She could spend that because as a single working gal she lived with her parents until her marriage as was common in 1957.

[@CrowdedMinds]

I knit my own sweaters. When I finished Uni back in 1996 i made my first aran sweater (took me about 2 weeks) and I can & am still using it to this date. The quality of hand-made items (if you use high-quality materials) is undisputed. And lets not forget how good it is for your mental health and tranquility to learn a craft and make your own garments.

[@deborahcurtis1385]

Totally true!

[@TheAkashicTraveller]

I finally knit a beanie this week and actualy having a hat that fits my massive head is wonderful and if anything it's too warm most of time right now. One size fits definitly not me has been a pain for ages. I've also been knitting socks for a while and they actually just last ages where store socks never last more than a year when I'm wearing them for work. They've lasted longer than two pairs of walking boots.

[@tammyt3434]

I'm very slowly learning to knit. =D Do date, I have completed a very wiggly cat blanket. Cat blankets are awesome because cats don't care if you make mistakes.

[@teledoink]

I used to believe that handmade was always higher quality, but years ago I noticed even knitting yarn and fabric you can buy at fabric stores is also cheaply made and also more expensive. I believe this happened when people in general stopped making their own clothing out of necessity and it became a hobby. Now it’s an expensive hobby. And if you want actual quality materials you have to find stores that sell to designers instead of to regular individuals, and you’re going to pay crazy prices. Where I live we have some very high end fabric and yarn stores. I can’t afford to shop in them. So I go to Joann’s instead and get the cheap hobby stuff and make things that do not look or feel like the things my Mom was able to make.

[@annmariebusu9924]

You are a fast knitter. A sweater takes me a month 😮.

[@EmL-kg5gn]

Even the difference between fast fashion from the 2000s and today is outrageous. I got some shoes from back then second hand and they’re by far the best shoes I remember owning! Like 2000s cheap fast fashion is way better quality than even more expensive fast fashion today. It’s unbelievable and I feel like most people my age have never actually experienced quality garments. Like if I think fast fashion from the 2000s is incredible how much more am I missing out on?

[@paintedmoments_]

I agree, I was just thinking we have a couple things from Hot Topic from the early 2000s that have held up better than their new stuff now.

[@Marskilius]

I still have some tops (H&M) from mid to late 2000s and they are still in great condition. Hell, I have my mother's cardigan from the 1990s, I've meded it a couple of times, but otherwise it's still good.

[@hope-cat4894]

Yep, if you didn't have money, clothes from Walmart still would last long enough to pass down multiple generations. Mom wears a dress, the oldest daughter wears it, all the way down to the youngest if everyone takes good care of the dress.

[@nataliaalfonso2662]

You’re missing out on EVERYTHING. Honestly. All my clothes are amazing bc they’re all from the past

[@Snuzzled]

​@@paintedmoments_ Yup! I still have jeans and band tees I bought from Hot Topic in the early 00s when I was in high school. They look proper vintage now, but no holes or anything. Just cracking on the design and some fraying along the hems of the jeans and ribbing on the shirt neckbands. Nowadays I've got some band tees I got from Target like five years ago and they've got holes in them at the seams and the hems are falling apart. I thought maybe it was just me but I'm glad to see I'm not alone. Target and Hot Topic should be selling clothing of similar quality, since they're similar price points.

[@francisfishing4913]

I'm a professional furrier and though I understand why people don't like fur I can say the fur coats I make will last many many generations. I sell my coats for $800 and although that is expensive, it will outlast 8 $100 coats from the store. I take pride in my work

[@deborahcurtis1385]

Good for you Francis! A lot of people think vegan friendly is the way to go, but the thing is to be conscious of what you're buying and if an animal died, then be grateful for its life and respect the item you have. Vegan friendly is just plastic and it takes centuries to break down, and it doens' last long as a usable item. It's another gimmick that's not thought through.

[@heidi07559]

This is such a good example about also thinking about a clothings lifespan when buying it! My mom actually gifted me a really beautiful fur coat which she inherited from her grandmother. I could go and say I don’t like wearing fur and buy another coat, but what about the animal that died for this coat? For me, it’s about respect for the animal but also about the lifespan of this coat. Like you said, a good fur coat will outlast 8 $100 coats from the store. Considering the fact that my coat is probably about 70 years old, i can totally approve!

[@horseconfused]

I thought you said you were a professional furry for a sec

[@trisaratopsx]

As a vegan, yes! I don't support fur or leather, but the vegan versions are literally plastic and so bad for the environment.

[@ML-cc7gj]

Exactly! I have gotten my fur coats second hand and they were basically around 20 dollars. I’ve never had a problem with fur and thankfully, in Japan, where I live, people don’t really frown on wearing fur (though basically no one does) I live halfway up a mountain, so in the morning warm clothing is a must in the winter and I’d rather have a warm fur coat that will probably outlive me, than polyester fake fur stuff. I’ve worn different stuff and fur is the warmest, then down, then angora wool and wool 100% coats.

[@Painterly_Collage]

I was surprised that you didn't say much about sweater construction, other than rolled vs ribbed cuffs. Seams are the first thing I look at in a knit garment. Overlocked seams mean that the sweater was assembled from individual pieces cut from yards of knitted material, as opposed to assembled from pieces knit to that specific shape needed. For instance: A sleeve knit to shape has only two yarn ends total -- one at the start of the sleeve and one at the end. A sleeve cut from knit fabric has two ends per row -- hundreds of potential fraying points per sleeve. A quick look at the inside of a garment will tell you. When I find overlocked edges on a sweater, I drop it and run.

[@genier7829]

As an old person, I concur. I still have one of those Aran hand knits my father brought back as a souvenir in1977. I wore it non-stop for about 12 years (2-3 times a week) and still pull it out on colder days. Still in great shape.

[@sanachanto]

Truly, what an incredible garment.

[@anastasiya8314]

My family are immigrants from Eastern Europe and I got a bunch of real knitted sweaters from my parents. They are in very good quality still.

[@pcand4527]

As an Irish woman, the amount of historical and cultural research you went into for this video was amazing to see! Irish history is rarely talked about and almost never fully understood properly, the pronunciations were also very good! the amount of effort that went into this video was really incredible

[@skylarsa]

Would you recommend Aran sweaters?? I've been browsing through the website this whole video lol

[@jcg03002]

Agree, I'm just Irish- American but have been wearing Aran sweaters my whole life. My kids wear them, too. I didn't know a lot of the political history but mainly wore them because they're warm. The lanolin makes it so you stay warm even if you get wet.

[@beelzebebe]

I was just about to say this, proper research

[@danajac138]

I found a graphic tee from the 70s when helping a friend clean out her aunts house. It was like something you would have found at hot topic (if it had existed back then lol) and even after being worn and washed so many times, it was in amazing shape! The cotton fabric was about 3 times thicker than what we find in stores today. The graphic was still legible and looked great. And it was almost 40 years old. All our shit is probably going in the trash when our relatives find it in a basement somewhere 😂

[@deborahhebblethwaite1865]

I was a vintage clothier for years and yes the older cashmere sweaters especially ones that came out of Scotland are great. However I live in 🇨🇦 and I am in love with alpaca. We have two farms near me and I only wear alpaca socks. There are summer and winter weights and as a senior now my feet feel great no matter how far I walk. You can also wear these socks for at least 3 days without washing….yes with no smell on socks or feet. Also alpaca have no lanolin in them and that is great as I am allergic to lanolin. But they are hand wash only. Peru makes a lot of alpaca wool products but I suggest the baby alpaca for softness. Best of all I have visited my local alpaca farms and the lovely animals are well cared for🇨🇦

[@alexandrasmith7682]

As someone in their 50's, clothes buying has seriously changed. We saved up money to buy one quality item and we were so excited that you would tell all your friends that you finally bought it. There were many small independent boutiques and many would allow you to put a deposit down and pay for your item over a few months. We cherished those items! I kept some items. My niece couldn't believe the difference in size or quality. She considers herself a US size 4 but, the 1980's size 4 turned out to be a modern size OO.

[@msd7544]

I’m in my mid 20s. I grew up with fast fashion. And yet, I feel like the situation has gotten worse enough that we might need a new name for it, like hyper-fast fashion. I had what used to be the typical suburban high schooler experience, where the mall was THE hang out spot. And that was during the glory days of Forever21, American Eagle, Zara, H&M etc to boot. Despite that, our consumption habits were different. We didn’t buy as many items as frequently as the average teenager today. Cost was part of it, as 8$ tops were a rarity, not the norm, but I think shorter trend cycles and online shopping also changed things a lot, and for the worst. Back when trends were dictated by the fashion industry instead of social media, there were, at most, 1 or 2 new “must haves” per season. If you wanted to be fashionable, you’d buy your Lita boots, your galaxy leggings, or whatever it was, and that’s it, you’d be set for the year! Whereas now, instead of that, there are dozens of aesthetics and subcultures, each with their own micro-trends that only seem to last weeks. The other reason is that before online shopping, what time we did spend at the mall was actually wildly inefficient if judged purely by how much shopping got done! We’d go to the mall, debate getting a drink, hang out by the food court, walk to a shop, show each other stuff, wait around while our friends were in the dressing room, go to the food court again, you get the idea. It was a social experience, whereas shopping online is typically done alone, on a website optimised to get you to buy as much as possible with as little effort and time as possible. Shopping being the main social experience available (due to the lack of third places in suburbia) was in itself problematic, but shopping as a way to get dopamine, alone in your room, in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, is even worse. And that goes both for young people’s mental health and the environment, because of course having all your feel good chemicals come from buying stuff is going to lead to more overconsumption than if you were getting some socialisation at the same time. And to be clear, I’m not blaming teenagers at all! I think they have it worse than we did, because through no fault of their own, too much of their lives now happen online.

[@wannabe41]

@@msd7544excellent and insightful observations.

[@zenlin2620]

I buy my clothes with that mindset now-- searching for quality and intention to take care for a long time. Nothing fits right and I always have to bring my clothing for alterations, but they look so much better afterwards.

[@sleepysartorialist]

Ah yes, the layaway method. My mom used that a lot.

[@angelbear_og]

And don't forget getting to go through the print catalogs picking all the cute outfits, and maybe you get one or two for birthday or Christmas. Good times, good times. 😄

[@sofiawannemark6858]

I LOVE YOU! Finally someone is saying what I’ve been thinking for years. Clothing has gone to shit, especially in the last decade. Polyester and acrylic EVERYWHERE. I’ve started sewing my own in pure self-defense. But you know what? My Mom has a couple of fisherman sweaters left that she knitted herself in the sixties. What a treasure! I’m def stealing those. 😂

[@deborahcurtis1385]

Quality has dropped so much that if you are well-dressed you really stand out. It can be distancing. I have clothes that are decades old and people always ask me where did you get that? I've got most recently a jacket that's leather, it's completely on trend picked it up for $40 it would be a 1980s or maybe early 1990s model. Just fantastic quality. I was going to shift the closure studs but it's fine as is, with a roomy fit so I can wear it over a thick hand knit sweater.

[@sofiawannemark6858]

@@deborahcurtis1385Wow, that’s a great buy. Good for you! 👍 I once bought a long coat made from Italian wool for like 20 bucks. It was a bit big and the buttons are terrible, but damn, I couldn’t resist that. I know, it’s weird. These days, if you wear leather boots and a nice wool coat, you stick out like a sore thumb. 🤷‍♀️

[@2okaycola]

That’s what people buy…..it’s cheap!!

[@tomjones2157]

@deborahcurtis1385 if it's a roomy bomber cut it's probably 80s. Early 90s the leather jackets in shops became very tightly fitted in the body and slightly cropped. I have few and they look like petite Barbie doll jackets compared to today.

[@deborahcurtis1385]

@@2okaycola But it's much more expensive in the long run to buy cheap stuff that's fast fashion. I was shocked to go to a preloved shop the other day and it was full of rubbish! The staff looked defeated. The rubbish isn't moving because low quality it's lost shape and that's the end.

[@The_caffeinated_knitter]

I've been knitting for 17 years now and there are a few things as a knitter I'd like to contribute to the conversation: -yarn can very in price by a lot. There's big box stores that are a few dollars a ball to indie dyers who tend to price around $30 USD a skein (usually I use around 8-10 balls/skeins to make a sweater, so it adds up) to even more expensive, like vicuna, which is one of the rarest materials in the world. If you use indie dyed yarn, its not uncommon to see a sweater's quantity costing upwards of $150+ dollars just for the yarn; that doesn't even include the time it takes to knit. -sweaters usually aren't made in days. I've knit a ton of sweaters now, and it takes me around 80 hours for simple stockinette in DK weight yarn. Add in cables or other details and we are looking at well over 100 hours if its all over the sweater. Just the labor alone would cost OVER $1000 if you are using $15/hr and doing the simplest sweater. -lighter weight yarns take more yardage and more time to knit on smaller needles. Smaller needles can cause hand cramping which can cause you to have to go at a slower pace/take breaks. -different materials can also impact how the sweater wears. Plant fibers don't have as much memory as animal fibers, so they are better for looser fitting garments. Animal fibers have memory, so they can retain their original shape for longer. Learn your fibers, even if you don't knit or crochet. It's super useful for learning how to care for your clothes and decide what clothes to buy and what fibers to use -hand wash if you can! Less chance of felting if using animal fibers, and easier on most fibers. Wool is antimicrobial so you don't have to wash every wear. -I have a sweater comb and it's amazing. There are several tools for depilling, but I personally find not having an electric shaver near my sweaters reduces frizz, but some people don't have a problem with it. -learn to mend. It's not super difficult in my opinion and you can look up tutorials on youtube. I don't think this is quite considered mending, but you can sew a little elastic thread in a stretched out cuff, collar, or hem to get it to return to its normal shape -NOT ALL SYNTHETIC FIBERS ARE BAD. You need at least 10-15% of nylon/polyamide in socks to prevent them wearing out in the soles and heels. Synthetics also make yarn slightly cheaper, meaning it lowers the already high price point. It can also prevent shrinking. Superwash wool is and example of this, however it can be somewhat controversial. Creating the garment yourself means you already have to be more mindful of your consumption. And worst case scenario, you can always reuse the fiber for another project if you don't end up using it. For children, if I'm making them a sweater for winter, I would use synthetic fiber because its easier to wash when they get it dirty. -there are other plant fibers than just cotton. There's hemp, linen/flax, sugarcane, bamboo, corn, silk (considered a plant fiber even though it's from silkworms), soy, rayon, and even paper. Don't get me wrong, there's still over consumption in the fiber arts world but I'm seeing more people being mindful of yarn intake (stash free is popular as is being mindful of how much yarn you have right now). When I got really into knitting last year (more than I was before that) I noticed my clothing consumption decreased a lot because not only was I saying "I could make that" more (every knitter has done that to my knowledge), I was also looking at quality and ethics more (crochet HAS to be done be hand. Every crochet garment that you see was handmade by someone)

[@Ezephiel]

Thank you for adding this! When she said it takes DAYS to hand knit a jumper I wanted to cry in carpal tunnel

[@hollyk7052]

I sell my art and knitted goodies at markets and pricing can be so tricky bc I want people to enjoy things for a fair price but I can hardly get a fair price. Such good points!

[@Jesusdonttakeitpersonally]

It is fact that clothes quality has gone down but people tend to forget that the average person nowdays does not care for their clothes in the right way. Clothes uses to be handwashed with minimal stretching. Now clothes are thrown into washing machine and tumble dried, sometimes even put to dryer. That is not how to keep garment in good condition!

[@facilityhues]

Poor Ben Schwartz, dude just wanted to recreate a photo but made twitter have a clothing epiphany lol

[@awkwardbean1504]

I was just about to mention Ben Schwartz! Poor guy 😂

[@leviatyn]

I saw him at radio city! He’s so funny

[@ccy0066]

Loll so true

[@abbywatson9249]

😊

[@amnoirgg8563]

I know! I think Billy and Ben look so cute honestly 😹

[@andreathompson-bg4hl]

Everything i learn about modern fashion compeles me to break out the sewing machine.

[@TheFabriciaDiniz]

YES

[@evan12697]

i have, i get more grateful every year my great grandma taught me

[@gusgrimm7533]

IKR?! 💪

[@debra-qq1np]

I'm just starting to learn how.

[@sofiawannemark6858]

DO IT.

[@genericfirstname]

Everything is a linen blend this year and it's so interesting to see how different quality of the linen varies.

[@mariarooney6262]

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain what has happened in the last 30 years of decline in the quality of clothing. Growing up I was exposed to some of the best clothes possible. Through the years seeing the decline in quality clothing has been frustrating. Its not only clothing , but across the board in every industry. There was so much self satisfaction in making quality items and satisfying wearing it. It’s very sad everything, yes, everything is about money now. When I do find quality clothing, even though the standard is still lowered, it’s like finding gold. I’m so glad you brought this subject up. You are so knowledgeable in this area and I appreciate you sharing it with us. I love learning about this subject. ❤️

[@hannahcalistri4185]

As a grad student in archaeology I'm DELIGHTED you took us all the way back to the copper age! did not expect that!! (recreating artifacts is actually a whole field in itself, experimental archaeology)!

[@nightfall3605]

I highly recommend the German produced documentary on reproducing the oldest known pants. They’re from a Chinese burial site and were what we call jodhpurs for horseback riding. Saw it on KZbin.

[@lm1367]

As a European, I don't mind at all if your tone is not 150% enthusiastic, it's the substance that counts! I think Americans have this cultural pressure to be *excited* all the time and it's just unrealistic; not every day can be your best day :) Thanks for the great work!

[@nala3055]

Also European here, I 1000% second this!

[@crazysavvyloverlee]

I find the need to be happy go lucky at work absolutely exhausting. I really hate our obsession with service with a smile’.

[@starrymagics]

⁠@@crazysavvyloverleeIt definitely comes from our work culture. Jobs in America want you to stand, smile, and be super personal in a robotic way all the time so you always make a sale, but it’s impossible to do that all the time. Humans aren’t made that way. Maybe one day that’ll change.

[@lorblauh]

We really don't. KZbinrs are not reflective of real life. They're trying to imitate tv presenters whether they realize it or not. Nobody has to act anything but polite at work, these other commenters are being rediculous.

[@wawaicedcoffee]

I think it’s more a KZbinr thing than an American thing.

[@Elysian777]

Not just clothing- furniture and houses, too. I only buy 1920 and under furniture and homes. Currently in an 1880 Vic. So well crafted. 100 year old hardwoods, 3 inch thick horsehair plaster, 2 inch thick mahogany oak floors. Crafters cared and had actual pride in work. New homes and furniture feels and looks like trash. I wish someone still made real clothing, besides the rare shops. Love how you craft your videos, so well done. Subbed.

[@cornflake6877]

Mina, as an irish person I am so pleasantly surprised and blown away by your depth of research! Especially the research you did into irish history❤

[@timeabg]

OH my goodness I am thinking about this constantly 😭 Clothes look further and further away from real, at some point they’ll be holograms. Fabrics get thinner, more unpleasant to the touch, and try to mimic being the same good ol’ luxury garments when in fact, they’re just the ghost of the ones made in the 80s and 90s when the quality of fashion was at its peak imo

[@SewingandCaring]

kiiiiind of, I'm old and mid-1990s teenage fashion is when the rot set in. No one has their spice girl outfits from new look as they fell apart, as did the stretch velour knee-high boots. You could get good quality clothes from Levi and where your mum shopped, but there is a generation of 40-45 year olds who don't even remember how it used to be.

[@timeabg]

@@SewingandCaring Hmmm maybe it was better around here cause my country used to be under socialist regime and the clothes were SOLIDD. Great cuts, too. Well, I was actually born in 1993 and I’m basing my opinion on the clothes I borrowed from my grandparents and parents and still wear to this day, as well as the fact that I tend to gravitate towards garments made in the 80s and 90s in thrift shops, because they feel better on the skin. Still, I’m sure not all were perfect, just like you say.

[@smolcutie1773]

Yup that's why I mainly thrift my clothes

[@vladavslife]

Exactly! I swear even the polyester somehow managed to get worse over the last 10 years. From what I know, it initially appeared as a cheaper alternative to silk and at some point I remember polyester garments feeling somewhat nice to the touch. Right now, whenever I check a polyester garment in a store it feels truly terrible. So I, just like Mina, try to stay away from synthetics altogether.

[@lyspaere]

@@SewingandCaringAgreed, I'm a vintage clothes person, and every era I'm familiar with had good and bad quality, good and bad materials, good materials produced poorly, and even "bad" materials produced well. In the 90's specifically I remember the black fake leather of shoes specifically didn't last more than 2 wears, haha.

[@brookep6086]

When I'm a fashion girly and a woman in stem and my worlds collide because Mina is putting definitions of tensile strength and thermal conductivity in her video

[@lore5080]

LITERALLY FUCKING SAME

[@lore5080]

Sat there after just doing it in materials for engineering module all 👁👄👁

[@clauestudia]

Same here!! And I love your profile pic by the way!! @brookep6086

[@TheAwesomes2104]

Yes, I went to school for chemical engineering and love materials and textiles.

[@thewingedsiren9366]

This is why love her; she includes science, history, sociality, financials AND consumerism, environmentalism, (I could go on), lessons in her videos. It helps create a really in depth perspective on her topics. I don't always 100% agree with her assertions on certain matters; but I do always value her input.

[@peachymanaangel]

Mina you did a really great job of Aran knitting history and explaining fiber quality. As a fiber artist, when it comes to humane fibers, healthy and well cared for animals produce high quality fibers. In America we have a lot of small local mills and farms that produce amazing yarn. As a plus size person I would love to shop quality but very few sustainable companies make plus sized options, luckily I know how to produce my own fabrics and garments.

[@Kasztan_101]

50/50 blends of wool and acrylic are actually a good things when you're making socks. The synthetic part makes it more durable, while the natural part makes it breathable and warm. I just wanted to point that blending acrylic yarn with wool is not done to make it cheaper and of less quality, but it's just practical. Socks have to endure much more friction than sweaters.

[@kkuudandere]

Seeing this after my sister got yet another shein package, but this time for something she doesn't even remember buying. I took it out of the package (that came with no packing slip?) and when I tell you it literally felt like PAPER, nastiest piece of new clothing I've ever felt. Then she tells me that's normal quality....I tried not to judge but internally I was going MAD

[@athena2824]

Use it as a teaching moment! Show her something amazing to compare to!

[@nataliaalfonso2662]

Please judge. This is horrific.

[@tinag7506]

I dislike plastic clothing. Where I live cotton/linen is still affordable. And tailoring is an option. Shein is banned in our country.

[@Anneliese210]

​@@athena2824as someone who worked a few years for a fashion store with good quality clothes I can confess. Coming in contact with this quality makes you not like cheap stuff anymore.

[@LItachi-ch5sx]

​@@tinag7506oh wow, really? That's interesting! Do you have other websites like Shein?

[@CHLOEDEATHGOD]

As an Irish person, your pronunciations were quite good!! I remember you pronouncing Samhain properly in your Halloween costume video and knew you were a person of great research.

[@rebeccakilcoyne]

I second this!

[@avlsoc]

I 3rd this as another Irish person! I was happily impressed and not expecting such a history lesson on the Aran sweater/jumper. I think the documentary Man of Aran helped popularise the Aran sweater internationally too.

[@cherdidi88]

Yea I'm impressed by your research and effort in the pronunciation!

[@smidlem1117]

adding to this, i've heard some absolute butcherings of the language so it's really nice to see an american respect the language enough to pronounce it right, never mind give an accurate picture of the history! maith thú, mina! and in case ur wondering, gaeltarra éireann is pronounced 'gayl-ta-ra eh-rinn' also didn't know where to cram this in the above comment but thought it would be funny to mention that i met gerry adams and sinn féin as a whole have a huge presence in my hometown lol

[@AquaticStarchild]

I really want Americans to be able to pronounce Ö though, it irks me to no end to hear it pronounced like an Oh when it is an Uh.

[@msFiBi]

As a russian knitter I can say that in last 10 years both young and eldery women got into knitting. There were numerous of shops that opened for yarn sellers and buyers. Also hundreds of the communities. To add - I follow and know personally around 10 craftswomen (and a few men!) who are extrordinary in that field now. And I can say that the price for handmade sweaters, mittens and hats is enought to cover half-month salary of a regular graphic designer here (as I am). Sweater is around 250$ while the general salary is around 600 for regular people (not Moscow citizens). To sum it up: I keep around 20 kg of yarn in my boxes just in case I loose my job as a graphic designer. Knitting will save me =)) Although the market is pretty competitive I am often asked to knit smth for money. I reject for now because its my hobby and when a hobby becomes a job I get tired and irritated.

[@michalinaokrent6672]

Do those knitters sell their products domestically or abroad? Can an average person there afford such hand-knitted sweaters or are there enough wealthy people there who buy them?

[@msFiBi]

@@michalinaokrent6672 I cant say for sure as I am not one of those who sell or buy knitted products. So any info from me on that matter has no real value) I see a huge gap between those wgo live in Moscow and everybody else. Moscow lives a luxary life. Others - try to survive.

[@nigelseaton8367]

I was a teenager in the 80's, and learned to sew(not necessarily the best), but I made my outfits almost every week to go out to the clubs. And fabrics were plentiful, and at reasonable prices. I was able to start a small line of womens stretch separates, and was actually doing well. Fast forward to the 90s, and crash!!! The prices jumped at least 67%, and the quality available was ... questionable.

[@TheLuminaric]

Even fast fashion quality used to be better. I grew up in a country without H&M, so whenever I would visit my aunt in Germany we would bring back things that lasted years. Now it's melting away within a season.

[@paraboo8994]

Oh my God, exactly! H&M used to have such nice clothing that lasted years! I still have a linen pant suit that is by now at least 14 years old and it still looks as good as new. Nowadays even seemingly good quality items are done within a year or so.

[@fionnualaz]

was NOT expecting a rundown on the past 100 years of irish history in a video about clothing quality. i love you miss mina queen of background research and in-depth analysis ♡

[@jc_illustrates_]

Im from ireland (dublin specifically) and learning irish pronounciations are hard so props for trying :) esp cuz its not a love language or germanic so its very differently spelt compared to english

[@dabinsplaylist]

THE QUEEN IS BACK !! glad you’re feeling better and ready to give us more great mina content 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽

[@hdubbs9174]

I loved this video started with Ötzi! Ancient people absolutely knew how to dress themselves to survive--they just didn't always have the means. I learned a deep appreciation for this when working on medieval clothing reconstructions (as a hobby). On another note: a friend of mine has a small farm with sheep, which he holds to organic standards. These sheep have to be sheared twice per year, but the wool is often thrown out. Processing it is too expensive in our country, and people prefer the squishy merino wool. This time I took a bag of the wool, which I will try to use for pillow filling (after processing of course). We'll see how that works out.

[@DAMfoxygrampa]

Let us know how it goes!

[@hdubbs9174]

@@DAMfoxygrampa I will try my best to remember to update this comment!

[@avgeek-and-fashion]

@@hdubbs9174 What breed are the sheep? For pillow fillings you need fleece with ton of crimp, like Texel. If the fleece is smooth and/or shiny it will flatten with time and your pillow might even become uneven and uncomfortable. Something awesome you can do with any wool is felting it into wool clogs, or even boots! You can felt any shape you want with a bit of practice!

[@hdubbs9174]

@@avgeek-and-fashionThe sheep are a type of mountain sheep, with coarse, wavy hair. I'm familiar with horsehair mattresses, where coil is added to the hair to increase the "springy" attributes of the mattress. Wool also has the tendency to "beard" or leak out of fabric. To combat these two challenges I was planning on creating a loose batting. The pillows would be mostly for the sofa, not necessarily for sleeping. The pillows on our beds are 80x80cm and that seemed a little ambitious for a first try. I had considered felting, but there are several points against that: the wool is dark, not "cleanly" sorted by color, and I lack the blocks required to shape the felt.

[@avgeek-and-fashion]

@@hdubbs9174 Oh this sounds so interesting!! Are you on Ravelry? I'd love to chat more about the sheep and your pillows there! I'd totally buy one of your sofa cushions! Felting with dark colours looks fantastic! If you colour the dark grey, you get a dark tweed with grey mottles and it looks absolutely STUNNING! Don't worry about the felt blocks, you can always felt flat and then form over pillows, balloons or even a regular shoe, whatever you have laying around! 🙂Just form it while it is still wet and it will block in place. 🙂

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

You know how hard it it to just find a cotton shirt? (Non-T-shirt’s) Everything is frigging polyester. You feel like you’re in a plastic bag!!

[@Pandaluver67899]

Trying to find 100% cotton underwear is even hard these days, many times the only options you have are granny panties

[@hollyk7052]

(Zara, or Anthro?)I paid $60 for a plain white t shirt 5 years ago. I wear it a lot and when it got dingy I dyed the material, but wow is that criminal.

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

@@hollyk7052right!

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

@@Pandaluver67899yes!!! I’ve seen someone on KZbin who makes linen underwear.

[@saladlamp2092]

Even cotton t-shirts are hard to find. I've purchased several from a well-known department store that were labelled "cotton" and as you say I felt like I was wearing a plastic bag. I know what wearing cotton feels like, and those are not cotton.

[@eliadavis3881]

So informative and educational! I like that it’s eye opening also. Enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing ❤

[@baharnero3229]

I found this video when I was trying to learn more about how to style myself better, and I totally didn't expect the high quality both content and presentation it had. I learn more about clothes, environment, and economic system that it hooked me to watch until the end. The amount of research and knowledge this video has really amazes me!

[@samh2340]

I'm severely depressed and living barely above or at the poverty line, so sadly I don't have the energy or money to invest in anything more than new cheap underwear from walmart and used clothes from goodwill that I don't spend much time vetting aside from if they fit. It's part of how companies across the board have been getting away with this all- they're taking advantage of the fact that most of us don't have the time, money, or energy to actually go out and find or make quality sustainable alternatives. My dad has a leather trenchcoat he's worn regularly since he was a teenager. My mom still has a lot of the clothes she wore when I was a baby. Meanwhile my favorite shirt from when I was a teen just a few years ago is literally in tatters. Same for my favorite shorts. Same for like 5 random pairs of jeans. I'm not doing a lot of rough stuff in my clothes, I'm usually just chilling, but almost everything I owned before 2018 has torn itself to threads. And so I go and buy more of the same, because I can't afford to pay more than $14 on any single piece of clothing and still be able to eat well that day. And thus the cycle continues.

[@CCnVZ]

Wishing for good things coing yr way! Thank you for sharing n big hugs!

[@apples_and_orchards3205]

I’m so sorry 😢I’m in the same boat! Disabled and living far below the poverty level and it’s so depressing. Can’t afford good skin care, nice clothes or even healthy food for the entire month. I feel so shabby anytime I have to leave the house. My clothes are cheap and it’s shows .I’m 53 and alone and and it’s very frustrating. Things just continue to grow worse. And I keep getting Denied disability even tho I live in severe chronic pain and am unable to support myslef 10:34 here the good o’l US of A where I was born and raised and yet I’ve seen time n time again ppl who are not even sick at all getting disability. Sorry I guess I just needed to vent! I’ll be praying for you and for things to get better for all of us 🙏

[@Serena-or7sl]

A small advice for making new clothes last longer, regardless of the amount spent on them: is to use them only when outside the house. Inside, use the "old" clothes. This reduces washings but more importantly reduces wear. Also, if possible, air dry them as it helps too. I'm not disabled, but I highly dislike shopping for clothing. I adopted this strategy to avoid having to shop as much. I also shop taking into consideration hardwearing materials, but it comes from trial and error unfortunately.

[@shinnam]

Thanks for being so candid. Wish I could give you a hug and help you feel even a bit better.

[@latinaalma1947]

​@@apples_and_orchards3205I am so.sorry life is so hard for you. I could see I would be in the same situation by this point if I stayed in the US...I retired disabled at 50 from chronic pain from botched disc repair amd have lived with pain ever since. I am 25yrs older now living on regular Social Security abroad in Latin America. I was able to cobble tpgether a good lofe here far better tham it would be in the USA now. I bought a small house , the property tax is $97 a YEAR. Fresh fuits and vegetables are grown for the US market right next to me...Imbuy thrm in the mercado inexpensively .. were I vegetarian I could live on very little...my protein is eggs and chicken mostly. Sometimes fish, farm raised tilapia also produced here for the US market, coffee grown for the US market so I have a good diet. Many people from the US living on just social security come but cannot adapt. I learned Spanish slowly. I have friends here American retirees and locals. I didnt even know my neighbors in the US. It has been a good life for me bit would not suit everyone I know...I wish there was a solution for you as there was for me....

[@retsa]

honestly switching to making my own clothes has taught me the value of patience when building personal style. like i now have to wait until i’ve saved up for materials, found patterns that suit the vision, and finished knitting/sewing the garment before i can wear it and it really makes me consider what i actually want to wear not just what i liked the look of on someone else and wanted in that moment

[@JW20236]

I suppose it means you also cherish every piece of clothing you make, meaning you are less likely to throw it away. So good for you, the environment and your wallet/purse. Plus, is nice when things have character and a story to them.

[@alpacafish1269]

Whole heartedly agree!! I crochet and doing it really helped with my patience and appreciation of clothing and how it's made. It made me understand more about clothing I ACTUALLY want.

[@Lavandulaaa]

Just wanted to say as someone form northern ireland THANK YOU for the effort of pronunciation around irish words, it really made me happy the care taken in your research ❤

[@bogdiworksV2]

Very well researched, congrats. I'm from Eastern Europe and my mom knitted any of my clothes back in the '80s. I recently went back and the old wool sweaters still looked and felt the same. On the contemporary fabric end, I've also noticed how the quality has drastically gone down even from 10-15 years ago. There are all these synthetics now that feel awful to the touch, let alone the other considerations. And I agree with the others that it's really hard to find decent fabric if you want to make your own clothes, especially trousers.

[@Cantseemuch]

I am a dressmaker and a very fascinating thing I noticed is that different generations have ver different reactions to it. Most of my age (in their 20s) either don’t understand anything about it or find it fascinating (why are you doing it?) my parents Generation often tell me how they can’t even Thread a needle or ask for free stuff. But people maybe 70 plus are just like “that’s a normal paying job” and I think that’s a good indicator on how our perception of clothing and how it is made has changed since the fifties.

[@chris_troiano]

This makes a lot of sense. I’m 43, on the “can’t thread a needle” side. I’m finally starting to learn now, so that I can alter and repair my own garments. I’m looking back at this and wondering how this happened! I’m wondering if my grandmother never taught my mom or if my mom just didn’t care to learn.

[@availanila]

Where are you? And how can I order something?

[@duchessedeberne3909]

Yeah, seems like many of the the 1968-1980 generation did not care about „traditional women“ crafts!

[@ruth649]

I can't sew very well, but I do think threading a needle and doing very basic repairs (sewing a button back on, fixing rips in less visible places) should be a life skill everyone should aim to learn. It's so useful, and means you're slower to throw things out. On a related note, it's interesting to see that yarn crafts seem to be having something of a resurgence, particularly among women in their 20s and 30s. I know quite a few people who knit or crochet (or both), whereas 10 years ago I only knew a couple. (I only picked it up in the last 5-6 years.) Maybe dressmaking will be next? Though having said that, I do also have some friends who make some of their own clothes, so maybe it already is on the rise.

[@Cantseemuch]

@@ruth649i too think that making clothes yourself is „coming back in style“ especially as quality garments are getting more expensive and people want to be more sustainable. And I think thats great

[@ponypony2905]

Each time I watch mina I feel like Anne Hathaway listening to Meryl Streep explaining that her sweater is not JUST blue. Today I learned my sweater is a symbol of the Irish conflict(I did not know it came from Ireland), thanks mina❤

[@That_Stupid_Circle]

😂❤

[@annewrites...8385]

Thank you for this deep dive, Mina. It's a topic I have been despairing about in my local area for a while. It hurts me that young people don't know what good quality is. It's crazy to see young women shivering at the bus stop in their fashionable, expensive coats (that look pretty average after 3 months of wear). Many older creatives like me (who can trace what we make back to the source) have stopped offering to make people warm, handmade clothes because we are abused over the price. We make for ourselves, and our families, and sit warmly at the said same bus stop (without sweating inside our garments). It's good to see the evidence you have found. I'd like to see more videos like this. PS I am an Aussie and not surprisingly, due to my creative interests and family, I know a lot of sheep farmers. I don't know any who abuse their animals in pursuit of profit. The truth is that, at the current time, sheep farming is not as profitable as grain, so farmers who keep sheep do it because they care about their animals. Blowfly strike is (legally) considered animal neglect and people who do not look after their animals are prosecuted and put in jail. It's a very cruel death. So saying, mulesing is not practiced by farmers I know. There are alternatives, and a lot of farmers have adopted guidelines for organic farming, including as it relates to animal care.

[@MonicaKong-qk6mu]

the way you do research is truly inspiring

[@nikkil764]

I read something during the AIDS crisis that over 80% of the top pattern cutters in New York died due to AIDS complications. After that period, I noticed that clothes construction became much less complex. Fewer interesting seaming techniques and a lot of very simplistic items. That would make sense since pattern cutting is such an important skill in determining the most cost effective use of the material and sizing.

[@noranizaazmi6523]

Not to stereotype and be misinformed but wouldn’t that mean that a vast majority might have been a part of the lgbt? Which would mean that the lgbt community would have contributed quite a lot to fashion in general. (Sorry if this is ignorant, i don’t know how to phrase this)

[@aoifeodoherty601]

@@noranizaazmi6523I believe its spread through bodily fluids, like blood, so if someone with AIDS pricked themselves with a needle and someone else pricked themselves with the same needle they could get it that way

[@evilevilhorriblebad]

​@@noranizaazmi6523LGBT people contribute a lot to the arts in general, you can see the effects of AIDS when you look at art output of cities during that time period as well

[@ahsokatano9070]

I’m sorry, but I don’t think pattern cutters in NY dying affected the industry to such an extent. Clothes getting worse is a phenomenon happening in ALL the world, even in non american brands

[@bunnyhana7482]

@@noranizaazmi6523 Lgbtq+ people have existed since people have existed. Queer people have influenced every aspect of living, weither or not we know specifically how. Queer people have always had influence in fashion, especially because fashion is one of the closest outlets we have in terms of self expression. Everything around you is indirectly the product of queer people or has or had a major influence from queer people

[@taylorslade961]

This is a really long winded way to say "human greed has made life worse for all of us."

[@auroraborealis13579]

😂 yes

[@ladylongsleeves3175]

Capitalism actually

[@taylorslade961]

@@ladylongsleeves3175 A gross manifestation of human greed.

[@spacebar9733]

​@@ladylongsleeves3175 .....what is the difference.

[@Kuzey457]

pros and cons. your phone, this website, and every modern system were created with a profit motive. shit costs money. this is a necessary consequence of leaving the stone age. pick one. you can't have both.

[@KiriB]

This is such a thorough video, thank you for all your work put into this!

[@darkpinesunderwater5021]

I'm Irish wearing the Aran jumper my granny knitted for my mum when she was my age watching this!! You handled everything about the Troubles so respectfully, thank you for taking the time to take care! Lovely to watch while I'm doing my crochet xx maybe one day I'll make an Aran jumper too (and can confirm the sheep oils make it 10000x warmer haha)

[@lydia1634]

Fun fact for consumers: Crocheting cannot be done by a machine. If a sweatet is crocheted, it has to be handmade. That doesn't mean it's made of sustainable wool or anything, but of you're looking for handmade, that's a key thing to know.

[@kaitlynsvintagecloset]

To add to this point, if you are buying Crochet anywhere than directly from the person who crafted it you are likely paying for what amounts to modern day slave labor. Fast fashion crochet is the most unethical thing

[@zellfaze]

Yeah, it takes dozens of hours to make a sweater.

[@carlywynn2898]

Most fast fashion crochet I've encountered is actually machine knit made to look like crochet. falsely advertised as crochet

[@animeaftermidnight2765]

There is literally a machine that does crochet. Look it up if you don't believe me.

[@mayashtag]

@@animeaftermidnight2765 machine can only do simple chains, they cant do double crochet etc... perhaps you're maybe talking about knitting machines ?

[@morsmitt3126]

HAND KNITTING IS NOT A DYING CRAFT! Our community stands proud and is growing every year. We welcome every newcomer, but be warned knitting is highly addicting :) Btw there is company Darn Tough that makes wool scocks and they have lifetime warranty, when sth is wrong with socks you just send it back to them and they send you a new pair.

[@nahson944]

Hey there my fellow knitter! You are right, knitting is addicting 😂❤ I'm actually knitting while watching this 😅

[@sancochita7392]

Crochet too ❤!

[@morsmitt3126]

@@nahson944 I'm also knitting rn ❤ I have very wooly sweater on the needles

[@littlefaerie2657]

Wearing Darn Tough socks right now lol! I also just started knitting socks so I can have the fun of making them for about the same price! 😂

[@casual_cupcake]

I came to this comment section to find a fellow knitter(s)! Hello :) I reckon no time like the present to pick up a new craft. With the added benefit of being your own quality control and being able to make garments exactly the way you want. I love all my hand knit sweaters.

[@ClowDelionBG]

Your creative passion is magnetic! the whole video was like sitting with a friend! It's all so seamlessly well made and a true delight to experience, tahnk you!

[@emericcson123]

I found one of my dad's old Banana Republic sweaters in a duffle from the early 1990s that was basically a green version of the Harry Met Sally sweater and wore it constantly in high school. It's still pretty much the same. It was the only one with that weight that I could find in the 2010s so now that makes sense lol.

[@abrielle13]

Super cheap clothing has made people think that's normal and that all clothes should be super cheap. The amount of times I've seen a review like "Super cheap feeling" on a cheap item I'm just like....yeah no shit 😅 of course it feels cheap, it is.

[@normamarotta7765]

I saw a review of a $15 clear plastic tote bag on Amazon that complained it was "cheaply made." How much do you want the tote bag to be? $2?

[@kagitsune]

Also, people use to own far fewer items of clothing, so it wasn’t too wild to spend the equivalent of $200 on a coat! And our wages adjusted for inflation have stagnated or fallen over the decades, so we literally can’t afford as good stuff. 🙃

[@littelcreatchure506]

It doesn't help that the actual quality to price ratio has gone down, clothes are much more expensive for much worse quality than they were like 30 years ago

[@sierranicholes6712]

after being a poor teen at forever21 it took me a few years to re-learn that those were not normal or ethical prices for clothing 😅

[@johnindigo5477]

​@@kagitsunefast fashion emphasizes consumption.

[@Pinkbluebiro]

Irish woman here, when I was a teenager my first job was knitting Aran jumpers, scarves, hats and mittens. I would be given the wool and would receive £5 (this was way before the euro), for a scarf or hat and mittens, it would be £10 for a jumper. These were then sold for a lot more to Americans. It was a nice way to get some pocket money back then.

[@jacklandismusic]

I have an Aran wool sweater very much like the Billy Crystal sweater (but in a dark blue-green), and it’s from around the time that movie was made. It was gifted to me, and it’s gotten a lot of use since then. It’s ridiculous how well it insulates (like, I literally don’t need a coat most of the time with that sweater), and I love that it looks nice as well as being practical and functional. I also have a thin wool sweater like Ben’s. It doesn’t insulate at all, it’s made of very light yarn, and I bought it at a thrift store. It’s probably only a few years old. I *always* have to wear a coat over it, and it’s very clear that it’s made only for style, and doesn’t actually function in the way a sweater is made to function.

[@haneul4164]

You really do a great job doing your videos. Kudos to you, your content is actually great

[@zax1998LU]

I think it mostly comes down to planned obsolescence. Unlearning economics did a great recent video on this.

[@DeborahDerp]

I'm from the North of Ireland and this is the first time I've ever heard an American on KZbin talk about our past in such a well researched and eloquent way lol. Even the pronunciation of the Gaelige was pretty good!! Thank you for putting so much effort into that part of the video, we appreciate it so much when other countries understand what we went through (and are still very much dealing with today) ♥️

[@erinnadia0409]

Derry girl here! I live in Australia now but still very in touch with my north of Ireland heritage 💚

[@cosmosisrose]

I’m from NI too and really didn’t expect to hear about our history when I clicked on the video lol especially done in such a thoughtful way! usually if Americans bring it up it’s obvious they haven’t actually done much (if any) research

[@lesleyoneill6064]

I completely agree...well researched......from Co Meath

[@specifikitty]

I have a 54 year old aran cardigan and..the quality is just so mind-blowing compared to the knit cardigans today. So sturdy, so well made..cardigans from today do not compare. This oldie holds up so so well!

[@meredithmorgan6923]

I love your video essays. I always know I’m going to learn something, and get a little kick in the pants. Thanks for taking the time to explore as much as you can in your videos, and also citing sources and noting when you have incomplete information or perspective. Your work is so valuable, thank you!