Clothing

How to Check Clothing Quality

You do not need to be a tailor to spot a bad garment. Five 90-second tests catch most failures before they reach your closet.

1. Check the seams
Stretch a seam gently. If you can see daylight through it, the stitch density is too low — the seam will fail within a year. Look for at least 8–10 stitches per inch.
2. Check the fabric weight
Hold the garment up by the shoulders. If it droops or feels paper-thin, the fabric will pill, fade, or tear. Quality cotton has body; quality wool has bounce.
3. Check the buttons
Buttons should be sewn through with cross-stitch, not parallel threads. Parallel threads are factory shortcuts and the first thing to break.
4. Check the lining and inner construction
Turn the garment inside out. Loose threads, exposed seam tape, or glued (rather than stitched) interfacing are signs of low cost-per-unit construction.
5. Check the label
Look for fiber composition. 100% natural fibers usually outlast blends, with one exception: a small percentage of synthetic in a knit can extend its life. More than 30% synthetic is a red flag.