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When you’re buying new clothes, one of the best tools in your arsenal is to have a good grasp of common clothing materials.
When I’m shopping for a new piece, one of the first things I do is check the fabric. I’ll run it underneath my fingers to see how it feels and immediately look at the tag or online description to see what the item is made of.

By checking what kind of fabric a piece is made of, I can get a decent idea of what kind of quality it is, how long it might last, and whether the price is worth it or not.

Obviously, fabric alone won’t give you an indication of quality (we have to factor in construction, whether the brand is known for quality, etc), but examining the fabric gives me a good idea as to whether the item is worth my money.

I also look at how sustainable the fabric is. While none of us are perfect and we have many considerations to think about (such as budget), I try to be more conscious of how environmentally and worker-friendly a fabric is when I’m shopping. 

The main things I personally look for in fabric are: 1) is it comfortable? Is it breathable/will it make me sweat a lot? 2) Is it a good price for the item or am I paying a lot for low-quality materials? 3) Is it appropriate for the season? 4) how sustainable is the fabric?

Cotton: One of the Most Common Clothing Materials

Cotton is a great choice for both summer and winter as it breathes really well, is durable, and tends to hold its shape.

Of course, if you take a look at some of the 100% cotton items in your closet, you’ll find that they feel different/fall differently on the body.

For example, those standard cotton t-shirts you get when you participate in an event are a lot boxier and thicker than a “fashion” t-shirt, so remember to just pick something that you’ll like and that feels good to wear.

While cotton is a natural fiber, it’s not the most environmentally friendly given the high water content that’s required (as well as the pesticides that are used), so if you’d like to go for a more environmentally friendly option, go for organic or recycled cotton where possible.

Linen

Linen is a great alternative to polyester, and it’s a completely natural fabric.

It’s also one of the naturally antimicrobial fabrics, which makes it great for any weather or activities where you know you’ll be sweating.

Linen is made from flax and is another great pick for summer as it’s super lightweight and breathable.

I often wear head-to-toe linen when I’m in a hot, humid climate, and since it’s so breathable, I can wear long pants and long sleeves to protect myself from the sun even when it’s really hot out.

You can find linen in all sorts of items, from t-shirts to pants to cardigans and even things like tablecloths.Linen is a great, environmentally friendly option given that it requires minimal water to grow and every part of the flax plant is used to produce the fabric.

Lyocell

Lyocell is one of my absolute favorite natural fiber fabrics, particularly as a summer fabric.

It’s unbelievably soft, lightweight, breathable and moisture-wicking (I often wear it when I’m dancing outdoors in the summer).

Made out of regenerated cellulose fiber, lyocell is a great environmentally friendly fabric choice because it uses much less water than, say, cotton production.

Another version of this fabric is sold under the trademark Tencel®, made of wood pulp, so look out for this name as well when you’re shopping.

Lyocell is also one of the best fabrics for dresses that you wear in the summer because it’s so breathable.

For some more resources on common clothing materials, how they’re made, and their sustainability, check out the website Good on You and their guide to the most sustainable fabrics.

Modal

Modal is a semi-synthetic fiber, meaning that it is made out of natural fiber (beech tree pulp), but also needs to be soaked in chemicals during production, which is what makes it semi-synthetic.

This makes it one of the more common natural and synthetic fabrics.

This fabric is also resistant to shrinkage and pilling, so it might be a good option for you if you often put your clothes in the dryer.

When mixed with fabrics like cotton, modal makes for very soft, luxurious-feeling t-shirts and can be a comfortable choice.

It’s also completely biodegradable and doesn’t require much water for the trees to grow, so it’s another more environmentally friendly choice, but given that it’s considered a luxury fabric, modal can be a bit more expensive.

Rayon/Viscose

These two are often touted as the same thing, but there are subtle differences between the two in terms of plant fiber composition and the fabrics they’re meant to imitate.

You may find one or the other on your fabric label, or both (one of my favorite shirts says it’s half rayon and half viscose).

Both of these fabrics are made out of wood pulp and are lightweight, breathable and soft.

Viscose and rayon aren’t as environmentally friendly as modal as they’re soaked in high concentrations of chemicals and waste a lot of water during the production process.

However, you can get viscose from companies like Lenzing , whose Ecovero  viscose produces fewer emissions and uses renewable wood resources

This type of fabric can stretch quite easily, especially when wet, so it’s recommended that you dry clean it or gently hand wash your garment and hang it or lay it flat to dry.

Polyester

While cheap, polyester is one of the least breathable fabrics.

Given that it’s made out of petrochemicals (e.g. coal, petroleum), it’s also not environmentally friendly and doesn’t biodegrade (it could take up to 200 years to decompose!).

Manufacturing polyester also uses a lot of water. Additionally, the fabric is difficult to dye, requiring dyes that are insoluble in water, making the wastewater difficult to treat, particularly when it enters ecosystems.

Given that polyester is durable, you can find many polyester items at the thrift store and at least give them a second life.

Nylon

The first thing that probably comes to mind when it comes to nylon is probably nylon stockings, but this synthetic fabric is often mixed with other fabrics and can be used for many things, from swimwear to activewear to umbrellas.

Unfortunately, nylon is not environmentally friendly as it’s made of crude oil and things like coal and petroleum.

While nylon is strong and durable, it’s not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to decompose.

On the upside, nylon, being a type of plastic, can be recycled, so keep an eye out for brands or items of clothing made from recycled nylon!

Denim

We all love denim, and no wonder it’s one of the most common clothing materials given its versatile and ever-fashionable look.

Unfortunately, denim can be one of the most polluting fabrics out there, given that the cotton needed to make it requires a lot of water and pesticides, not to mention the chemicals and polluted wastewater involved in the dyeing and bleaching processes.

Luckily, many companies these days are taking the steps to make their denim more sustainable, so look at what your favorite companies are doing when it comes to this. 

This being said, denim can be really durable, versatile, and looks great, so I try to buy higher-quality denim that’s going to last me longer.

A way to do this for less money is to look for high-quality denim brands at the thrift store, where you can get great jeans for a fraction of the cost that they would be retail.

To reduce the environmental impact of your favorite jeans, you can also look for denim made out of organic cotton or made by brands that have an honest commitment to environmental responsibility.

Acrylic

I often see acrylic used in sweaters as a cheaper, synthetic alternative to wool. Acrylic can be pretty warm and is sometimes mixed in with wool for more budget-friendly knitwear.

But being made from oil, acrylic is entirely synthetic. 

Be careful when putting acrylic sweaters in the dryer, as acrylic pills easily and should be air-dried flat to prevent it from stretching out or losing its shape.

Acrylic mixed with other materials may be a more durable choice, and you may be able to find some gently used acrylic sweaters at the thrift store as well.

Spandex/Lycra

These two are actually the same thing. Lycra is a very elastic, synthetic fiber that is often mixed with other fabrics to provide more stretch to clothes such as jeans and athletic wear.

Often, having a little bit of Lycra in your clothes can also make them more comfortable.

Since the fibers tend to be UV-resistant, Lycra can take a very long time to break down in the landfill.

Thankfully, most items aren’t made of 100% Lycra, as it’s only added for stretch and comfort most of the time.

Top 10 Common Clothing Materials – Conclusion

I hope this quick reference guide of common clothing materials helps you the next time you’re out shopping and are looking at the labels inside a piece of clothing.

Learning to understand fabric composition has been a huge help for me in being able to predict how comfortable and breathable an item might be, as well as how sustainable it is.

Plus, reading the fabric label can help you decide if the item you’re looking at is worth the price or if it’s way overpriced!

What’s your favorite everyday fabric?

Posts related to common clothing materials:

• 4 Eco-Friendly Polyester Alternatives for a More Sustainable Wardrobe
• How to Spot Quality Clothes: 8 Tips for Smarter Purchases
• 7 Thrift Shopping Tips to Score You the Best Finds

This post was all about common clothing materials

This blog post is originally from Top 10 Common Clothing Materials: An Quick Reference Guide and written by Ella

Spotting quality clothes is one of the best ways to ensure a wardrobe that lasts. Here are 8 tips to help you make smarter buys, save money, and build a wardrobe that will last you for years!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Learning how to spot quality clothes is vital for figuring out whether you’re getting good value for your money. I also find it great because it helps my items last longer and stay out of the landfill for as long as possible!

Back in high school, I took sewing class for the 5 years that I was there, and through the construction of my own clothes, I learned a couple of things about quality construction.

I also volunteered for about 4 years at a charity retail store, where part of our duties was individually pricing each item of clothing for sale. I also learned a lot about garment quality through this process. 

While this isn’t an exhaustive list and isn’t foolproof, having an awareness of these points can definitely help you spot the quality of your clothes (especially if an item is overpriced for the quality that you’re getting!).

1. How to Check the Quality of a Garment: Brand and Price

The first step in finding good quality clothes is having a good idea of approximately how much certain brands cost at retail price. 

Of course, the quality of different pieces can vary even within the same brand and the same collection, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a few go-to brands on your list that you find fairly reliable.

That way, you can still check for quality, but you won’t have to worry as much when shopping at your favorite brands.

This consideration includes price as well. Keep an eye on the price, because as you look at the other tips below, you’ll be able to compare the other aspects of quality to the price and figure out if the item is really worth the price tag.

2. Check Where the Item Was Made

This tip isn’t the most fool-proof either given that even luxury bags can start out in one country and finish production in another, but it’s a decent indication of whether you’re dealing with a fast-fashion brand or not (in which case, the quality is almost always significantly lower due to the high turnaround).

I’ve now even heard of fast fashion brands stating “made in Italy” on their labels to give the illusion of better quality, so again, take this tip with a grain of salt and use it as just one of many to give you a better picture.

For example, I have several “made in the USA” garments and I do find that they’re much better quality, last longer, and pill/stretch out FAR less than some of the fast-fashion pieces I have.

3. Check the Fabric Composition

Having a piece made of better-quality fabrics can help your piece to last you longer, save you money in the long run, and lower the number of clothes in landfills.

Often, natural fabrics like modal and lyocell will be more environmentally friendly and can be more durable. Plus, they often have moisture-wicking qualities as well.

Of course, even with good construction, you do need to care for the fabric properly.

I once ripped a pair of Lyocell and linen pants because I washed them in a top-loading washing machine (not on delicates), and, even though there was nothing wrong with their construction, they ripped near the crotch and I barely saved them with an iron-on patch.

4. Check if the Seams and Patterns Line Up

This detail means that more care and time was taken in the construction, as it takes more effort and careful sewing to line up the seams and patterns rather than rush the garment through production.

First, you can take a look at the seams to see if they line up or not. Then, check the patterns too (this is easiest with something with lines, like plaid).

Not only does it look nicer when the patterns line up, but hopefully the construction of the garment will be more solid as well.

Check out the photo below as an example:

Notice how the top, folded parts of the seams on these two shirts don’t line up with the bottom seam. Notice also how messily/jaggedly the fabric was cut in the second shirt

Here is another example, this time on a plaid shirt:

The plaid shirt above is from a fast-fashion store. Although they did try to match up the lines of the plaid in some parts, like on the sleeves, it’s mismatched in other places.

Notice also how pilled the fabric has become (this shirt has been worn a decent amount, but nothing exorbitant).

Next up, a pair of pants:

The photos above are of a pair of fast-fashion pants.

Notice how the manufacturers put in the effort to match up the lines on the front of the pants and in the crotch area (bottom image), but didn’t do so on the side pant legs (top image).

Finally, we have a dress that has perfectly matched stripes:

The dress pictured above is from Milly, a New York-based brand. Notice how the patterns and lines line up not just at the front of the dress, but at the sides as well.

The interior tag reads that it was made in the USA of imported Italian materials. As a side note, I bought this dress at the thrift store, so it was much more affordable than the brand’s retail price!

5. Check the Stitch Length

You want a shorter stitch length rather than a really long one, as a long one will be more likely to rip and won’t hold the clothes together as well.

Actually, I read somewhere that a reason that many 1900s-era garments are still in such good condition today is that they were sewn with tiny stitches!

Of course, such tiny stitches aren’t really used by today’s factory sewing machines, but as long as they’re not super long, they should hold your garment together better.

6. Check Whether There Are Loose or Untrimmed Threads

If the garment has loose threads that look like they’re about to rip at any second, that’s a huge indicator that you’re looking at bad quality, as the item is about to fall apart straight off the rack.

Another thing to check for is untrimmed threads. Usually, when a seam is finished, you’re supposed to snip the end of the thread off for a polished look.

If there are untrimmed threads left on your garment, they could be an indicator that the item was rushed through the production process.

Untrimmed threads themselves don’t mean that the seams in your garment are about to fall apart, but they’re definitely an indicator of garments being rushed through quality control.

7. Check the Hems

If you’re dealing with any type of formal wear (e.g., slightly more formal dresses and dress/business pants), check the hems. If the stitches are super obvious, then the garment was likely made more quickly/with less care.

However, if the hem is “invisible,” i.e., you can’t see the stitches on the outer side of the garment, it suggests that the item was made with more care.

While you can do an invisible hem by hand, as might be the case with a really high-end garment, most invisible hems that you buy in retail tend to be done using a machine.

A machine-made invisible hem will show very tiny stitches on the outer side of the garment. Even though they’re slightly visible, these types of hems can nevertheless look better on formal wear than a completely visible hem.

As you can see above, the hem of this blazer was done on a machine. You can see the small dots where the thread is connected on the other side, but it’s largely invisible.

8. Check Whether There’s Lining

Lining is the additional fabric that’s often found on the inside of blazers and dresses.It tends to be made of satin or some kind of soft fabric and gives additional comfort and shape to clothes.

Having a lining at all might indicate higher quality, although you might want to look at what the lining is made of and how it’s been sewn in (e.g., does it pucker, etc).

For example, I bought a $200 blazer that I loved the design of so much, but it wasn’t lined.

I think it was partially a design choice to keep the blazer light, but at the same time, I do think they were cutting costs, and it would have been nice to have lining to protect the inside of my blazer.

Watch out for brands skipping lining on other areas of the garment as well, such as the back of a blazer collar, which is invisible when the collar is folded over.

Here are some pictures of lining vs no lining on a blazer:

For even more clothing quality tips, check out this helpful video from fashion designer Justine Leconte:

How to Spot Quality Clothes – Final Thoughts

I hope that these tips gave you a basic framework for how to check the quality of a garment.

Remember that none of these tips alone are a surefire way to tell whether a garment is good quality or not, but taken together, they can definitely help give you a better estimate of quality clothes and whether you’re getting a good bang for your buck.

And if you’re shopping online, it also helps to read or check out any reviews of the item, as other shoppers may have noticed things that you haven’t.

Do you have any other ways you use to spot clothing quality? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Posts Related to How to Spot Clothing Quality:

• How to Make Clothes Last Longer: 7 Easy Tips to Help Your Wardrobe (And Your Wallet)
• Top 10 Common Clothing Materials: An Overview
• 4 Eco-Friendly Polyester Alternatives

This post was all about how to spot quality clothing

This blog post is originally from How to Spot Quality Clothes: 8 Tips for Smarter Purchases and written by Ella