Why Clothing Is So Much Worse Now.

Thanks Vaer for sponsoring this video, use 'IRONSNAIL10' for 10% off!
vaer-watches.s...
NEW VLOG HERE: • why my girlfriend quit...
Clothing quality has seemingly gone down the drain. People are always searching for the best affordable t-shirt, the best jeans for under a certain price, and cashmere sweaters that are more than .1 grams in weight. So the question today is...why?! What happened?! What the heck is plastic?! Today we will dive into the question of "Why is everything worse now?" and we'll look into the depths of pricing data. Then I'll lose my absolute mind at the last second before posting this video because I wanted to confirm I was using the correct data and don't have any friends that work in the economic field. I'm friends with a lot of creative-based people, little light on the math nerds.
Anyways, happy Saturday!
--------------------------------------------------
Can I interest you in a hot bowl of following ME and The Snail in other places??
- The Iron Snail Clothing Website: theironsnail.us
- The Iron Snail Clothing Instagram:
/ theironsnail
- My Instagram:
/ michaelkristy_
- My Other Channel:
/ @michaelkristy1868
- Need to reach out to me outside of KZbin?
[e-mail]
#theironsnail
The Iron Snail is a men’s fashion vlog starring a young man named Michael and featuring a snail no bigger than a quarter. The two are set on taking over the world of fashion by creating a clothing line to end all clothing lines. Until then, we’re here to tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about the best clothing out there, from the highest quality raw denim jeans to the warmest jackets to the sturdiest boots…the Iron Snail has got you covered. (written by Taylor, though Michael is sometimes known to talk about himself in the third person… xoxo)

[@TheIronSnail]

Greetings, nerds. I'm compiling a list of the best affordable pieces of clothing on the market for a follow-up video. Please let me know your favs so I can test them! *HAPPY SAT*

[@theopower6843]

I’ve been really impressed with some Uniqlo tees. I’ll explain cos I know that Uniqlo is basically a cliche response. I think the majority of Uniqlo t-shirts are overrated. That being said, some of the collaborations they’ve done (particularly their collab with the Tate Modern gallery in London) are really great quality for the price of like £25. Really thick heavy fabric, double stitched collar short and boxy fit. It’s all great. Basically all this goes to say go to your local Uniqlo and feel everything, you might be surprised.

[@gsockol93]

Teamster t shirts

[@IdeaStudioBKK]

I'd like to recommend two Thai brands. One is a shoe called Nanyang. they cost about $10 and are made from canvas and natural rubber. They look like a basic pair of Chucks and last for years. I wear them daily and get a few years out of a pair. The second is a shirt brand called Double Goose. I rock their black tees daily. They feel great and last a long time as well. I have actually patched a few that I got rips in. I know Thai brands might be outside your wheelhouse, but if you are looking for value for money then you can't beat these two.

[@jackmabie5]

I would say Forty Five from Huckberry. They’re around $42 but are always on sale for around $10 less, made in the USA from supima cotton, really good quality for the price and surprisingly soft, plus a reinforced neckband

[@Ladyslay3r]

I don’t know if you’ve covered them but buck mason and bronson mfg would be cool to talk about.

[@fannyfatale404]

I am a seamstress and own an atelier and fabric shop in germany, and I can say that there are people who still get their stuff repaired. And it's getting more people who are willing to sustain their clothes. However, there are also people who buy a Jeans from Shein and want them shortened, when I tell them the price they scoff and say, that's what the price of the damn Jeans. The work I have to do is the same, no matter how much it costs. But when I tailor something, and there goes a lot of work and mind in it, people are willing to pay high prices for the high quality fabric, the perfect cut and a unique pattern that I go through with my customer about every detail. People who sew themselves know how much time a piece of clothing costs, and what it should cost. Everybody should try to replace a zipper on a Down jacket and then think about how real the price for that jacket is.

[@andrerenaud8785]

I think that being in Europe you might have people who have seen good quality clothes (Regardless of what they buy?) You are talking to an American , and when I lived there it was Very difficult to find people who do the type of Work you do.

[@fannyfatale404]

@andrerenaud8785 think you're partly right. But we also have the cheap quality clothes, that don't even do as a rag. Usually, I hear older people complain and craftsmen, who need sturdy working gear like carpenters, bricklayers, or roofers. And when looking at their clothes you really can see how quality has gone down, even with the expensive brands. But they tend to get them fixed rather than replace them, because in most cases, that's still cheaper. Do you know if the US schools still teach handicrafts? At our schools, they still learn the basics of that, and you can even choose to have sewing and cooking as a class later.

[@annaheart7731]

Whilst I undesrand your position, I tell you, we cannot pay you the price of a jeans for some repair stuff. You with your prices push people to rather buy a new cloth than repair. I don't know what is the solution. A better price adaptation would be the first step. For a chip jean and a simple intervention you should ask less than for a more complicated work. Like, your time shouldn't always cost 50 euros/hour (for example), but to be a range from 10 to 100 euros.

[@fannyfatale404]

@@annaheart7731 that would mean that I have to put money into my business, if I take less than I get per hour. It's a business, not a welfare organization. You have never worked in a trade, have you? The first step would be that clothes are made from people who are not exploited and earn a living wage, and the materials used are of better quality, so the prices would rise, and you wouldn't buy 20 pairs of trousers each year. Or bring back sewing class, so people learn how much work it is to produce clothes. (And repair them themselves) My service is not the problem, fashion industry is. And the standard the consumers have. I with my prices of course can not compete with a 12-year-old girl from Bangladesh. I live and work in Germany, my living wage is sadly not 5€ a week.

[@naota3k]

I feel bad for plastic. We invented it and it solved SO many problems, allowed so much to be made at scale, and improved hundreds of millions of lives. We abused it, dumped it into our environment, burned it releasing toxic fumes, and then got all mad and blamed the material as opposed to our own patterns of greed and incompetence/indifference.

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

High quality plastics are some of the best materials there are. My blood pressure monitor and medical mouse feel solid and just nice. Sadly it's swindled into so much. I wondered why a black dress shirt my mom bought me years ago felt so bad and I found out it was 65% polyester. I feel in such a bad situation. My mom used to buy me so much stuff and clothing I didn't want or need and was of mid quality at best and now I feel it would be wasteful to buy something I actually like and will keep for a long time. Any advice? You seem to know things.

[@degrotekoningwouter]

@@imnotusingmyrealname4566 But even the quality of plastics in clothing vary a lot depending on thickness of the fiber, weave, stitching, interweave with other materials, etc. I had wool blended t-shirts lasting only a few months, but my 100% nylon fleece goes on after 15 years without any sign of wear yet I wear it almost every day. Not all plastics are equal.

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

@@degrotekoningwouter Did you expect the fleece to be high quality? Were there any signs apart from price?

[@degrotekoningwouter]

​@@imnotusingmyrealname4566 I think I got it at sale for €50, but original price was somewhere about €150 I believe. However it doesn't feel like a €150 premium fleece jacket, and I agree it's a lot for a fleece, every part is either triple, quadruple or cross-stitched unlike anything I have. Even the arm sleeves have 2 rows of cross-stitching per sleeve, which seems like it's over-engineered for what it is (a fleece jacket) but I'm totally okay with it :) And however it doesn't feel premium, I do seem to choose it every time I need something warm.

[@drewmorrison]

It’s sad cause plastic was a miracle material. The problem was it was so cheap that it was abused. Carbon fibers and other plastics allowed so much technological innovations. But then we decided to make something that lasts forever be a disposable item

[@otterotterotter]

I’ve been telling people for ages about how cheap clothes have hurt people’s sense of what stuff should be worth. Great video as always :)

[@InsAnItYschild101]

Same. Then I tell them the Vimes Boots theory. And the ideas of buy once cry once and cost per wear

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

The question is how much should you spend on clothes? I can't wear the stuff my mom bought for me forever💀

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

​@@InsAnItYschild101Could you elaborate?

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

It's so odd. With groceries I just buy organic but with clothing the only amount I wanna spend is zero. I would never buy poor quality stuff though.

[@phillipsnichole2857]

I appreciate an honest evaluation of the value of a garment. I'm dabbling in re selling.

[@DeadGuyCardboard]

I hate how a lot of “cotton” t-shirts have polyester blends. Polyester just traps body heat, making them too hot to wear in the summer…a time when you want to wear a t-shirt.

[@MrSloika]

Not to mention how synthetic fabrics begin to break down after a while and begin to stink.

[@BeeRumblin13]

100 %poly and poly blends are used for breathable sport/training clothes. Buy 100 % cotton then. Blends won't shrink as much if any.

[@shortyipper]

I got into a talk with an old co-worker about that kind of thing. He loved the 'sports blend' work shirts that we had cause he thought they breathed better than the cotton ones. He had worked mostly inside before that job. I liked the thinner cotton ones cause they let a lot of air move through and I didn't sweat like a bugger while wearing them. Same with a good number of my co-workers. That guy was one of the few that liked the poly shirts.

[@DeadGuyCardboard]

@@BeeRumblin13training clothes use a different kind of polyester than the cotton/polyester blend shirts.

[@curlyhairdudeify]

​@@BeeRumblin13 The 100% synthetic fibers in sports wear... Better be Adidas. Anything other than Adidas it feels like wearing a sauna plastic suit. Adidas uses Colima Cool and Aero Ready technology.

[@daughterofsekhmet81]

I honestly shocks me how bad apparel has gotten. I wore my jeans from high school(mid-late 90s) well into my late 20s until I had kids. The jeans were still perfectly good, my waistline was the only problem. Nowadays I get 2-3 years tops out of a new pair of jeans before the "denim"(I use that term very lightly to describe the thin stretchy bullshit they make women's jeans out of now) goes threadbare. Everyone's heard the saying "Walmart fall-apart" but their clothes actually used to be decent. I have a 20 year old Walmart sweater I still wear, it only started getting a bit worn out a few years ago. Their t-shirts used to be good too, but now I can only get about 6 months of wear from them till they go in my pajama drawer(the hospice facility for shirts too ratty to wear in public anymore but that I feel bad about throwing out). I haven't been able to find a white t-shirt that isn't transparent from any brand since the early 2000s. I never had problems with older fabric pilling- now I own two fabric shavers. And even buying name brands still gets you crap, I had to toss a pair of Adidas sweats because they pilled up so badly after a couple months that they looked like a shag carpet. Even the shavers couldn't save them, I'd shave them and they'd pill up again after 2 wears. Shoes are a nightmare too. I just returned a pair of Reeboks cause the uppers literally felt like cardboard and did not flex. Wore them around the house with socks for an hour and got blisters. I admit I have unusually sized feet (US 5.5/6 EEE), but almost _nothing_ fits or feels good anymore, not even wide shoes. Brands like Toms & Clarks are so tight and narrow that I can't even get my foot into them. Whose foot are they modeling these after?! If I size up, the width is slightly better but then my heels pop out every step. Every brand seems to have their own sizing too. In Birkenstocks and Hey Dudes I'm a 5. In Skechers and Hoka I'm a 6. In Reebok I'm a 6.5. In Steve Madden I'm a 7-7.5. I didn't have this problem until brands started making everything in china. In the 90s every pair of shoes I owned was either a 5.5 or a 6 and even the average widths didn't squeeze my feet like a hungry boa. Never needed shoe stretchers before, but now I have to stretch almost every pair. I'm actually developing arthritis in my feet from all these shitty ass shoes. It's honestly infuriating. Sorry, that was a whole rant but this topic has really been pissing me off lately. We deserve better.

[@MaryC-ug4pf]

Try Land's End. I've had trouble with "thin" tee shirts, but the one I bought there last week is very good, very well made, all cotton. The sizing is correct too! I've gone back to sewing my own clothes, it's too depressing to shop for clothing now.

[@chrisw8627]

I never read long comments, but I read yours and all I could think was yup!!!! 👍 How about bed sheets?!! I have not found a good set of sheets in like 10 years, I have spent the money and bought the “good” brands, they all suck!!!

[@DrDavidThor]

__ I read what you wrote slowly and attentively. I'm not a clothing person but I learned something useful in your every sentence. I've wondered about pilling, shaving, thin-ness of t-shirts, all sorts of things. And what you said about shoes confirmed what I suspected, that it's going to be unpleasant to buy them. I wish people with things worth saying would write longer comments. Thank-you.

[@voidFutureVector]

Having wide feet is a curse in the US. Almost nothing fits right and you can be sure nothing lasts. I found one pair of red wings, which are no longer made, that fit. I used to only wear Merrell and even that's slowly just getting narrower, they sure dont last as long either.

[@daughterofsekhmet81]

@@voidFutureVector Facts. When I find shoes that actually fit I stock up and buy a pair in every color! I envy my daughter, she's an 8 narrow and literally any shoes she likes will fit 😣

[@tpop3723]

Up until a few years ago it was a given that jeans were 100% cotton. I miss those days…

[@blutey]

I've noticed that as well. Bought a bog standard no-name sweatshirt in the 1980s which lasted 30 years before it fell apart. Try that with your average sweatshirt today! Jeans were also much better quality in the 1970s/80s. T-shirts nowadays are so thin and lose their shape after a couple of washes.

[@FirstLast-vr7es]

The "undershirt" tee shirts are the WORST. The Hanes and Fruit of the Loom ones that come 3 or whatever to a pack. They fit great...until you wash them once or twice. Then they draw way up, stretch out and thin. Cant even tuck them in anymore. I hate that everything has gotten so cheap...

[@FullaEels]

important to note that back then many people would just make their own clothes, and if they had a nice bought piece they would try their hardest to maintain it for years

[@Mezelenja]

The drew reference almost made me break my neck

[@asielromo3399]

Fr

[@variklane7032]

Lol

[@taylor41]

same😭😭😭

[@twoleftsright]

Bro I got so confused

[@rsr1995]

Wait WHOA 😂😂😂😂 almost spit out my tooth paste

[@frederickjohnsen4246]

The American way - or the modern American way: buy crap so long as it’s cheap and convenient.

[@barbthegreat586]

It's now global, not just American way.

[@garyburke6156]

it comes down to the fact that what we expect from a piece of clothing has multiple conflicting goals. We all need clothes. We say we want quality, and the idea in the abstract of buying a shirt that lasts for decades, sounds good, but then people get bored. Fashion CHANGES, and what looked good twenty years ago looks laughable now, which is why people make fun of boomers or Gen-Xers being stuck in the past, or trying to jump on trends for the youth, which kills those trends more surely than anything. A t-shirt or jeans have been "in style" for 75 years - but what kind of t-shirt? big, loose? tight? with a print on it? blank? colored or white? boxy or athletic? and jeans go from skinny to wide and back every ten or fifteen years. So any piece of clothing, no matter how "basic", goes in and out of style over the decades of life. And people, in particular the younger generation of teens and 20 somethings, care much more about something being stylistically ''current' than quality. fashion is a game they're playing. I dont think its an accident that as people who care about clothes get into their 30s and 40s, they grow tired of trend chasing, and start to seek out timeless quality basics that will last longer than a year or two. and their style starts to settle down into what looked reasonably current in 1997 or 2008 or 2019.

[@kiernansfault48]

"Some brands are going up in price while quality goes down." *cough* FILSON *cough*

[@drzaius844]

Yes. Buy used for sure.

[@noyes.]

Why not talk normal?

[@michaelk7007]

Regret not buying their stuff in the past.

[@jack66244]

Crazy that my little town in a random bit of England is in some B-roll in an iron snail video (4:12)

[@biosskw]

In 2009 I bought a black hoodie from h&m that have the divide tag lable and I wear it till this day it's still rich dark black and the material is heavy and doesn't need to be pressed after washing. It was like the best 35 buck I've spent.

[@dominiqueridoux2073]

I wonder why this could be happening??? 1. Sellers increasing their margin by buying cheap product (that will require replacement often hence more sales) AND not making inspections (saving cost)? 2. Customs not being funded well enough to make sure any goods reaching the market are up to legal quality standards? 3. Regulation not strong enough (basically not punishing the importers of bad products) and fines not up to the challenge (slap on the wrist when caught)? 4. All of the above. In short, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys...

[@NeighborhoodBasketCase]

I still have a lot of clothes from high school that I still wear and I’m 10 years out of it. I also thrift a lot of clothes and that has saved my wallet and conscience

[@asammahina]

the great thing about quality clothing is that it never goes out of style

[@ChannelWackadoo]

I'm still wearing clothes I was wearing in the 90s. I'm so happy JNCO jeans are back again!

[@ABC-rh7zc]

It doesn't make sense to use the apparel industry inflation figures. We need to know how the prices of clothing have changed relative to the value of money overall.

[@degrotekoningwouter]

And relative to the longlivety of the piece of clothing. If something is an equal expense yet lasts 5 times as long, it might be equally as expensive, but relatively a lot more cost effective. Although, with the amount of clothing we are used to throw away as a society, this might be highly subjective and unreliable measurement.

[@zacharyhenderson2902]

In that case, most clothing, particularly under garments now cost about a quarter as much as it used to

[@bonehand87]

3:25 this isn’t a vintage 1980s t shirt, it’s a modern day T1011 which is only sold to the Japanese market. They only sell made in USA champion in Japan these days.

[@TheIronSnail]

Oh that’s interesting - I bought it at a dead-stock vintage shop in the city and the owner said it was an 80’s piece! I’m actually going there today funny enough so I’ll bring it up to him

[@bonehand87]

@@TheIronSnail easy mistake given the great quality! They can be bought brand new from the Japanese Champion Hanes brand website.

[@HallieEva]

I regret all the older clothes I got rid of. I could still fit most of them. I do have some old things. My grandpa passed away in 2022 and he had some unisex clothes from the 80s and 90s he was 6ft and thin I'm 5'10" and medium build so his stuff fits me perfectly so I took some nice jackets and shirts. Those jackets have held up past some clothes I bought recently like the beginning of this year. I do however wear clothes to death and mend them if they mess up if I can.

[@andrerenaud8785]

As someone who Bought clothing in the 80' & forward , Good Quality has ALWAYS been expensive ! The Companies who are Large have since the industrial revolution All polute & exploit their workforce! You have some Niêve Concept that Made in the USA doesn't mean that, watch the film " Norma Rae" . As a person who since I left home has been Very Lucky to buy high quality clothes and Not ONLINE or from a catalog my Blue collar parents didn't even buy from a catalog , although it came from Sears .Younger people have Bought into the Bruce Webber Photos used by Polo (I haven't met someone wearing Ralph Lauren who has Ever been to a Polo match) are Nostalgic for a Time that NEVER Existed !!!

[@DanielSzilagyi]

I do see the trend for people going better and higher quality for sure, it’s still very niche but I think it’s part mind set and also part income and where you are in your life. I can’t see a full time working parent for example necessarily spending a $100 on a t shirt vs I younger professional who might because they have that extra income. Personally myself I’ve taken the last two years to really cut down on overall items but to have the few be very high quality.

[@EDHBlvd]

People who actually buy SHEIN should be charged with war crimes.

[@variklane7032]

Fr

[@jamesskyrm8488]

You’re being ridiculous.

[@GenjiShimada]

Guilty then

[@tylerp5199]

I get it’s a joke but maybe instead of people who are broke who buy cheap clothes being the punchline maybe you should direct that energy towards the people who produce that shit who are ultimately responsible for it existing in the first place.

[@AdamManley7]

@@tylerp5199they wouldn’t be able to make money off of them if they didn’t buy

[@patpatterson9719]

I only buy natural fiberrs and without logos. That includes bed sheets, pillows, jackets, socks, and anything else that's cloth. It's getting harder to do and sometimes I have to buy vintage. But I hate plastic clothing I hate it so much. I think it's toxic.

[@RuslanKD]

Great video. Thank you for this breakdown. We’ve been feeling the same way about what we’re releasing and desiring to go stateside for everything.

[@noobulon4334]

7 times is absolutely wild, I bought a pair of linen pants from a dropshipper and was dissapointed that they lasted about a year. Granted I probrably wore them ~250x in that year

[@wilfredmuller1710]

I've discovered that the blue collar work wear brands like Carhartt ,Wrangler and Dickies still have very long lasting products. Earlier this year I bought 12 very high quality Dickies plain solid color T shirts and they look like they should last at least 6 or 7 years if I keep rotating them .

[@ieatiron]

I have been buying T-shirts from the US cause you guys have a lot better quality! I live in Sweden and I got clothes from my American relative. I would use these clothes about 10x as long. I think it was H&M who ruined the Swedish market. Maybe you guys are next :P

[@LuchaGangsta]

H&M used to have decent clothing but after awhile the sizing and fits were all over the place and pricing was not good. I switched to express for dress shirts

[@jamespohl-md2eq]

Merona wasn’t a Target house brand. It was a clothing company that Target purchased. It was part of Target trying to establish better/cooler product lines. Another example was their licensing of Mossimo.

[@liamh2001]

When I'm not working, I wear almost exclusively tattersall shirts, 100% cotton and made in the UK. They weren't cheap but I bought my oldest ones 4 years ago and they're still more than good enough for town. Harris Tweed still makes long living quality clothes as well and when I'm older I plan on replacing my cheaper tweed with their wares. I feel like t shirts and tracks deteriorate and lose their comfort so so much faster than these types of clothes. I honestly don't understand it

[@richardmurphy9006]

Back in the day they were union made and the quality was there

[@FT__Cool_Stuff______-of5pi]

Yeah the T shirt collars suck horrible now! mine are all messed up but the rest of the shirts are fine. Nearly all of the best T-shirts I have are ones I bought at stores like Goodwill.

[@greenoval404]

Mainstream brands have gone to shit but the market for obscure, quality oriented brands has exploded in the past decade. Adapting to this change in the market requires the consumer to completely change their attitude towards clothing by accepting that quality > quantity. A difficult task considering the cost of living crisis and the temptation of fast fashion, but one that is very much worth it in the long run imo.

[@TheTastefulThickness]

Theres no way people only wear clothes 7 times.

[@jerisjeris5965]

it could be skewed by people who wear clothes 1 or 2 times before realizing its "not for them" or is the wrong size, not unlikely because of the entry of online shopping.

[@seanmiller7187]

Miss you on Theo and Harris. Are you going to pop in for a visit soon?

[@rafareforma]

I would love, if possible, for you to make a comparison, like, if a Wonder Looper t-shirt is an example of high quality, where does the price x quality relationship end, when we talk about, for example, the Loro Piana Gift Of Kings Clothing , I am genuinely intrigued by this subject, and this was very related to the theme of your video, besides, a big hug from Brazil

[@Mbabbb399]

I noticed this I bought a early 2000s t-shirt that was still brand new with the tags because I like the style and it feels so much better quality than the new stuff I was barely a toddler then so what can you do I guess

[@globalfamily8172]

I bought Levis in the 70s when you still had to "unstiffen" them. Miss those days.

[@fredk6992]

Surely the main reason is that consumers just dont care, why on earth would you put time and effort into making good clothes when your customers dont even want it and would rather it be cheaper. Also why a lot of the good clothes today are made in Japan where (not all but more than the west) consumers seem to be a bit more demanding.

[@07scsu]

I think that people tend to have an irrational fear of buying used clothing. I’d say that 80% of my clothes are used and what I’d consider high quality. I wear merino wool shirts, hats, and socks year round. I wear vintage canvas pants. I haven’t bought anything in a retail clothing store in 19 years. Thanks for the educational, informative and always entertaining videos. Take care.

[@joeromano6549]

I like comfort colors for tee's. Loop wheeled (or used to be at least) 6oz and 100% cotton. I have been wearing the same shirt 2-3 times a week since 2016 and it's only just now started to get holes.

[@Optopolis]

I want to believe quality of items is getting better, but I just can't. LRG is one of the few that actually went for a slightly heavier cotton T Shirt not long ago, but sooooo many brands are still going for the thin crap that often includes polyester, and many brands are also still opting for the cheap crap. I'm dissapointed in Levi's; I thought I could reliably expect metal zippers, but my latest pair of levis cargo shorts reveals otherwise with a plastic zipper which will be a wonder if it doesn't break due to catching on the fabric. I had that experience on winter coats as a kid and it's why I usually avoid plastic zippers like the plague.

[@Pickle_Panther]

12:00 when I first got into clothing I bought fast fashion. I couldn’t believe that I could get 4 pairs of pants for the price of one pair. First time I wore those pants to a social event, I side stepped and the seam came undone, crotch to knee. Right in front of the girl I had a crush on…

[@teenagestacker6063]

This is why it's good to save up and buy high quality construction and fibers, or buy second hand, you'll end up wearing things you love for longer and cheaper in the long run!

[@NostalgiaforInfinity]

2:48 The material plastic might last forever, but not the stuff made out of it. Plastic deteriorates with age and especially with repeated swings in temperature. It becomes brittle and literally crumbles away in your hand when it's very old. Happened to a lot of old plastic jars and toys I used to have. And since a lot of newer plastic stuff is made so cheaply, often with recycled plastic, expect them to fall apart a lot faster than plastic products from 20 or even 10 years ago.

[@frostreaper1607]

I think my main issue with the current state of fashion is how the expensive clothing isn't guaranteed to be good, tho with expensive I mean what I can buy in a store (so ranging 5 to 200 euros). Your work is gorgeous btw.

[@catherinedhenry]

Where is the link to the guy whom you said inspired this video? Please add!

[@mourningcrows]

I love that right as I was wondering what watch you were wearing, your promo for the watch started. Too bad KZbin decided to interrupt your sponsored ad with… an actual ad. Great video BTW.

[@surfmorworkless]

This man is hilarious and informative. Love his videos.

[@neuro.weaver]

The quality of the J.Crew shorts and jeans shirt today are way, way lower than the 1994 ones. So, comparing only (even inflation corrected ) prices does not tell the entire story. In 2008 the company importing genuine Timberland and Nautica products to Greece was going out of business so they held a fire-sale for all their old stock, some from the mid 1990s. I bought 9€ chinos pants and 7€ shirts that day by the armful. The price is besides the point. The point is that 16 years later, I still have some of those chinos. However, all Nautica chinos I bought after 2010, they open up between my upper legs within 8-12 months.

[@ericpmoss]

FWIW, I have some Patagonia Puckerwear shirts and Arc'teryx hiking pants. Two hundred wears and washes (minimum!) and they are still hard to tell from new. So, I can't say they are 100% eco-friendly, but far better than typical. They ended up being bargains in the long run. Also, Wickers underwear (sadly out of business) made "SoftSilk" synthetic underwear that is so durable, 12 pairs have lasted me since 2006. The elastic is good as new, and only the seam that gets abused by my bicycle saddle has started to fail. If I do a little re-seaming, they will be good for another 15 years at least. Again, a bargain in the long run.

[@aprils.8350]

I try not to buy bad quality clothes. Now my job is an auto parts store. I do buy cheap jeans for work because battery acid messes up all jeans. Why would i pay 70-100$ on one pair of jeans? Im trying to find comfortable non cotton pants that will last and are thick enough that a few drops of battery acid will not touch my skin. So far i have not. Now for my every day clothes i doy best to get classic long lasting basics. Now yes i do get some fast fashion things but there more for that pop to keep the classic base not looking old.

[@sroberts421]

Getting an ad for SHEIN while watching this video was priceless

[@ang5798]

Love that people all around starter talking about it 4 years after I noticed it

[@rubberlover666]

I also think that the return to buying better made stuff at higher prices is happening. The last big menswear boom where everyone was going nuts over heritage / made in US clothes was around 2010 as we were climbing out of a recession. With current inflation kinda lowering, and with global warming rapidly accelerating, I think people are seriously putting thought into where and how their clothes are made and that the slogan "buy once, buy better" will save you money in the long run. But it is hard to compete with larger companies that can make make whatever you want for as cheap as you want. However, it is happening in other markets. Look at coffee and beer. I don't know anyone who drinks corporate anymore when you can get much better, locally made stuff for about the same price. Maybe as more people like you get into the fashion game, similar things will start to happen?

[@notname3790]

all the reason you've talked about, plus being into fashion already is probably the reason why I started to learn to sew/repair my own/f&f garments

[@geoxm6384]

But there is an issue where even expensive clothes are made poorly. Calvin Klein for example sold a black jacket that I bought new, wasn't cheap at all more than £65, the colour faded quite quickly and it looks as bad as a primark jacket i bought nearly a decade ago. I bought that Calvin Klein jacket a year ago.

[@Official_MikeyT]

TONIGHT! Harris talks about the downfall of clothing quality, Drew Joiner is mentioned, and snails are forged from iron.

[@tiago_tojeira]

We have to consider that real salaries have been stagnant since the 80's-ish, so although prices may be equivalent when adjusted for inflation, the salary of most people hasn't rizen together with inflation - meaning things feel more expensive because prices rize but salaries don't

[@jdraven0890]

Wow I'm not the average American, I see. I don't buy for fashion or trends, however. I was in garment manufacturing decades ago, and yes the market for trendy clothing is crap and short-lived and relies on dodgy, dangerous processes using lots of chemicals.

[@andrerenaud8785]

I have lived in The USA & and think you probably are as Fashion Conscious as the average American! He resides in NYC has a Collge education and seems to make his living in the Rag Trade !

[@teekue]

I don't like plastic buttons either but I think this is a bad example. Plastic buttons are super durable compared to for example mother of pearl, not as nice but certainly not a use once application.

[@Ilsabb331]

Thanks for the recent video and your channel. I appreciate your creative content. One way to combat the trend of declining quality is to purchase preowned / used high end lux brands versus new. I recently purchased a flawless NWOT Turnbull &Asser RTW shirt from "The RealReal" for $24.00. A similar shirt retails new from T&A for roughly $550.00. In my opinion, with very few exceptions, there's no reason to purchase new clothing at full retail prices. If you're patient and persistent, deals abound. Thanks again and cheers!

[@tom23245]

Because the general consumer doesn't care at all about quality. They only care about price. The big price reduction from globalization hurt the average American the most. It allowed corporations to keep wages stagnant off the exploitation of cheap foreign manufacturing, and everyone just accepted it because the cost of living wasn't going up fast enough.

[@istoleyunomilesbigmac]

insane how i only find good quality stuff

[@L2snakegold]

Great video! Unfortunately it hasnt just been clothes that have suffered America's "race to the bottom". All industries have suffered a bit. Automotives, food, appliances, home build quality and the list goes on. I agree that the American consumer is starting to change and i believe products will get better, or at least have a bigger market share. Cant wait to see what you cook up for your next video! Also stoked to see you make more financially digestable pieces of clothing. The jackets on ur website looked great but unfortunately for me i live in FL! So id be happy to buy a t shirt from you! I trust it will be of excellent quality!

[@kbar11]

I'm not really into clothes or fashion. I know clothes are less quality then the past however I have nearly always worn clothes I own for over two years or more. Unless I outgrow or a hole is made I keep em. Wild to think someone can wear something for 2 or 3 months and toss it

[@gavinellson]

00:02 Clothing quality has significantly declined 02:04 Plastic in clothing is making things cheaper and faster to make 03:48 Clothing construction has become faster but cheaper, resulting in poor quality. 05:41 Importance of analyzing historical pricing data 07:34 Clothing prices have generally decreased over time. 09:49 Shift from expensive to cheap clothing due to logistical and consumer demands. 11:38 Quality of clothing is decreasing as prices go down 13:22 Lack of understanding fair pricing and quality in modern clothing industry 15:11 Clothing quality fluctuated over time.

[@SirMopy]

you guys are so fking funny.. made in USA doesn’t mean it’s high quality.. some items maybe, but still some are shit as fk

[@joshwells4280]

I still have polos from high school and shoes that have been re soled. Buy quality the first time around..... though even trusted brands sell crap now....thanks China, thanks on demand manufacturing..

[@Westlake72]

That is interesting you chose Patagonia prices in comparison to Sears because I would say that Patagonia has the best price/quality ratio of any brand I own.

[@mynameisben123]

In your opinion it’s 100% the fault of the consumer. They demand low prices and they demand new styles every month. This same phenomenon doesn’t happen in every industry. It’s unique to clothing because of how quickly people change which trend is in.

[@wagz54]

I do think we are shifting in a good direction. Brands like Buck Mason are in malls with made in USA stuff. Fingers crossed!

[@lookthroughmycamera]

I haven’t noticed a difference. I have cheap pants and expensive pants, cheap shirts and expensive shirts, they have lasted me a long time. The nicer stuff ages better I guess. It all comes down to the fit. If it fits nice, you will look and feel good. Also, the clothes will last you because you’re not stressing it out every time you wear it

[@tylerp5199]

Microplastics in your water supply is probably not something you personally would notice, no?

[@2WheelsGood.01]

There's a lot more to it that what you perceive as an end consumer. Higher priced items (not just higher price, you have to do a little research on the brand) also use ethical material sourcing, ethical labor sourcing, nicer materials with better quality control, Bluesign certification, etc etc etc. All of this raises the manufacturing cost significantly.

[@weird-guy]

Everyone talks sht about fast fashion but most things i had always lasted 10 years nowadays is a little less around 7 years. Nowadays you can’t trust blindly on brands they are also cheapned their products, for example Levi’s suck everyone said they were good quality but I discovered is not true 😂 People that wear clothes only 7 times are probably middle class woman with nothing better to do than shopping sprees

[@euclidtan]

"I could also be getting older and the kids are getting into fast fashion even more now" 🤣 - that's a good self-awareness moment.

[@F1083]

People get what they want. If Brand A is on the shelf for $40 and lower quality brand B is $30; Brand A will gather dust. To stay in business Brand A cuts cost to meet the $25 price point. And it continues until the people go after a $4 item direct from China that is of such low quality no store will stock it. You will then get a mass of people wondering where quality went.

[@ACINGHAM]

Shout out to Marple in the video! Random. (My home village).

[@aigolam]

Chinese clothing manufacturing factories are looking for quality clients. Both small and large orders are accepted.

[@littlepotato2741]

When looking at goods and inflation over time, I think it is also relevant to look at the median income changes over that time. Prices changes of the goods might be similar or cheaper after adjustment (ignoring quality for a moment), the median income is not even close to increasing that amount. So the relative cost compared to income is more. It small, but important point to the story. For some people, that $2 teashirt means they have food on the table. Obviously, I'm not saying that everyone is in that position, but it is a factor for an increasing amount of people. Fun and interesting watch. Thanks.

[@MeowTow]

Drew Joiner and The Iron Snail are my fashion spirit animals.

[@yuta3699]

Both sellers and buyers are guilty in these situation,the sellers are greedy and want more money for doing less,the buyers are mostly cheap and want to pay less for everything.

[@btudor_06]

Why is it so hard to understand that some people cannot afford to spen 250$ on a pair of trousers ? We are not cheap, we just CAN'T afford it ! P.S : I am sure when you were a student and didn't have a ton of money bought these clothes too, so stop blaming others when you yourself was a part of the problem 😊

[@likemarksee]

I’d like it if clothing was better quality. Made in China can be good quality or it can be bad quality. Sometimes expensive stuff made in the USA is crap quality because of poor workmanship. Made in the USA is more expensive, but not not necessarily better.

[@sikhanzut]

Yo update for the iron heart denim pls

[@batty-bites3185]

i think the message of part of this video isn't quite spot on. people don't 'like' cheap clothing, it's what people can afford in a society where wages remain stagnant. we don't WANT to buy cheap (quality, therefore cheap in price) clothes we would PREFER to buy quality clothes at whatever cost it is to make them available to the public but that's not an option when people still need to put food on the table. INFLUENCERS like cheap clothing cos then they can toss their morals out the window, buy their garbage fast fashion haul from horrible companies like temu, shein, aliexpress whomever, make their content and get their revenue and sponsorships from it and then throw their clothing away to poison the planet further, rinse repeat. bc they don't actually wear this cheap garbage that they've had a hand in normalizing as making it the only available trash that low income people can afford to get to keep themselves clothed. i myself am tired of clothes being made out of plastic. i desperately try to find ANYTHING made out of 100% cotton and it's hard to come buy and when the only thing quickly available on the market is plastic made clothes, i have to buy SOMETHING when my garbage cheaply made clothes end up full of holes and i need a new shirt.

[@andrerenaud8785]

That is a Political issue , and why the President of the USA , has put an effort into making things outside of China and trying to get Healthier energy policies. But you will soon have a Return of Facishist sociopath and he will line his pocket like other Countries who do the same !

[@hathaway5724]

Was wondering when hangover chic became professional?

[@ckm-mkc]

You must be new here.

[@hathaway5724]

@@ckm-mkc Not exactly, but am here as this guy is meticulous and so appreciate all the dimensions he’s so devoted to mastering at once. Cheering on from afar! Will def purchase soon. But I was having a kind of cognitive dissonance watching the early presentation when he interjected his own correction. We all have our glitches ;) His earthy meticulousness is his charm. And professional standards and continuity matter. Onward, wishing every success to the Snail. Truly, you are needed.

[@Victor-kh5rh]

Clothes don’t suck, people just choose to buy clothes that suck. You can get better quality today than ever before, just not from the mall brands people are buying from. We have better materials, better manufacturing, better distribution system, and way more companies doing interesting things than in the 70s, 80s, or 90s. Yeah show me 20oz denim from 70s, that simply wasn’t possible. Vintage clothing that survived the long run is the exception, not the norm. Focus on buying the best fabric for the job you want, and become a more informed customer.

[@generator6946]

I can get away with el cheepo stuff because I’m old. I favor Dickies Short Sleeve Work Shirts and Land’s End Slim Jeans. They wash in cold water and drape dry. TredSafe Shoes from Walmart. Fruit of the Loom unders. Year round … Anyway, cheap, easy care and durable. None of it is American made …

[@stephenbalk4978]

7 times!!!!! I still have stuff from higschool at 27

[@knifenutsdave]

I would love to believe the pendulum is swinging back towards higher quality, natural materials, but sadly just look at J.Crew as a case study. Probably the most widely available/cheapest source of "quality" clothing (not all products obvs because their catalog is huge, but the core products), and they've been in sketchy financial territory for a while. One of two J.Crew's in RI was just turned into a J.Crew Factory store, which is their shit tier line, and undoubtedly will bring in more revenue.

[@Gankzillorated]

0:27 BRUH

[@_d0ser]

My guy really talking about how clothing quality isn't as good then took an ad from a white label piece of junk watch...

[@TheChrisfleury1]

Levis is dogshit now. bought a pair of 501s in april, and the knee wore out for the end of june. its absolutly insane. I work maint. for a living and cant even rely on work clothes. Dont get my started on Tecovas line of "work" boots.

[@TheLoneLander]

Lmao 501s aren't work jeans and I didn't even know tecovas made work boots

[@redmond9653]

@@TheLoneLanderHis point is that they USED to be work jeans. Even in the '90s, most Levi's were still made in USA and they were much higher quality than today. The fact that you are scoffing at wearing Levi's for work only proves his point.

[@TheChrisfleury1]

@@TheLoneLander the fact that you say 501s arent work pants says all i need to know about why they are shit now. the jean and cut has been around for over 100 years and THE work jean. And yeah Tecovas pitches one or tweo lines as work boots. You sound like you are 10.

[@TheLoneLander]

@@TheChrisfleury1 damn who pissed in your cereal my guy. No need to get pissy because you destroy your clothes 😂

[@TheLoneLander]

@@redmond9653 I mean I'm wear them to work but I don't destroy my clothes. But I could agree quality has gone down. That being said 501s aren't shit like he's saying they are they just aren't on par with Levi or better quality raw selvedge.

[@akshayde]

Good clothing used to be affordable. But costs of materials have risen and wages haven't kept up with inflation. So the people can't afford Good clothing. Manufacturers have filled the need gap by making very affordable clothing that looks good but is made out of trash bags.

[@Shadow-gq7om]

Is that an Oris watch?

[@Gulgonful]

Michael Have you tried the Danner 1932 collection?

[@MrDanielEarle]

I got an ad in the middle of the Target ad

[@Fabian-jw5ih]

The market has so much competition, it is dictated by the consumer so nobody should complain. There are fair trade, high quality, ecological brands but people rather prefer big brand logos on a low quality Vietnamese plastic shirt.

[@Fabian-jw5ih]

For the same price!

[@turdferguson7686]

wait, who the hell is throwing away clothes after wearing only 7 times? im guessing its because so many are buying pure shit tier things from temu, shein, etc? this is what happens when you outsource everything to 3rd world countries focused on low cost at all cost. we screwed ourselves by trying to save a few cents per item. and now most people dont even care if theyre buying American or not so theyre not willing to pay any sort of premium or spend a little time searching out local made things. its sad on every level.

[@cap4life1]

People love buying cheap clothing more than they hate the experience of wearing cheap clothing. Plus we’re not taught what quality clothing looks or feels like. That’s why clothing sucks now.