Clothing Quality is So Bad Right Now: Good Quality Clothing Brands

During the pandemic, I stopped being as much of a purist about shopping sustainably. The reasons were multi-fold…

For one, it was becoming clear that the places I had relied on for quality basics were greenwashing. And with the global supply chain wrecked, dozens of small, ethical businesses weren’t able to produce new lines. Many of them went out of business.

And to be honest, I’d been dissatisfied with a lot of the ethical brands anyway. Fit, style, and quality control issues made me feel like I was overconsuming just to find something that worked for me. And that was in direct odds to my desire to shop more mindfully.

I decided then that my very first priority would be to find items that would last, not just in general, but for my specific body type and lifestyle. Durable, comfortable fabric; reasonable attention to detail; suited to my needs. I created an Ethical Rule of 3 to help me think through it all.

I wasn’t selling out – I was trying to take the long view. And I’m glad I did. With several years of this kind of shopping under my belt, it hasn’t been perfect. But it has helped me rely even more on secondhand shopping and I have even more of an eagle-eye for the kinds of things that will last.

With the shipping industry still in post-pandemic disarray, tariffs, widespread layoffs, and economic uncertainty, brands have felt the crunch to reduce their costs by whatever means necessary. The result is a concerning trend in the consumer market: basically everything is terrible quality.

I’ve noticed this especially with fabric. Cotton clothing has gotten thinner. Everything has a looser weave, more polyester is in everything, and it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack to find real leather shoes and accessories.

I stopped shopping at Target altogether, and not even for political reasons. Their clothing is worse than the worst fast fashion retailer now. I have returned just as much as I have purchased from big box and department stores this year. Things aren’t cut well, threads are sticking out, and the material feels paper-thin.

We have unprecedented access to millions of products and it seems like every single one of them is made to be thrown away tomorrow. When you consider that very little has changed for garment workers since I started this blog, the reality is even more harrowing. Unprecedented production volume and so much human suffering.

What a waste! What an affront to dignity! What an infuriating reality, on top of the many other terrors and frustrations.

But in my shopping around, there are a few products and good quality clothing brands I still consider worth buying, and at a price point I can afford as a priest in a single-income household.

Here is what I can still recommend:

This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated should you make a purchase through one of my links.

Levi’s Jeans

I recently discovered Shift Fashion Group on YouTube and really enjoy the details breakdowns (literally) on clothing quality. They give Levi’s high marks for maintaining quality and point out that the brand is refocusing out of their faster fashion lines to maintain their brand reputation.

Levi’s are classics for a reason. I recommend choosing styles without tons of stretch and whiskering to ensure they last a long time. I like the cinch baggy and ribcage full length. Shop 30% off for a limited time.

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Portland Leather

I know leather is a hot button issue for some in the sustainability community. I will say that I tried vegan options for shoes and bags years ago and all of them are peeling or ruined now. Good leather is irreplaceable.

I recently bought a bag from Portland Leather and am super impressed with the quality. I got the medium Koala Sling bag. It eases up with wear and feels really comfortable on the body. The leather they use reminds me of vintage Coach bags. Shop 30% off for a limited time.

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Sam Edelman

I bought a pair of Loraine Bit Loafers on ebay years ago and they are by far my favorite shoes for work. The leather is soft and supple, the soles are high quality, and they are comfortable to wear barefoot.

I am fully on the Sam Edelman train, and it’s really easy to find secondhand options. Shop them on Nordstrom.

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Gap

Gap has really made a comeback under the artistic direction of Zac Posen (and, I’m sure, others). The quality has noticeably improved, especially on their basics.

I am a fan of their Modern Tee line, and practically live in their crewneck, though I really wish they would make them in more colors (mine are from a couple seasons ago). Shop 50% off for a limited time.

A warning that the Gap Factory line, while stylistically super similar to Gap, is generally not as good quality. They cut costs by making items shorter and adding more polyester. I have had mixed success.

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Where are all the “fun” clothes?

For quirkier or more trend-focused items, I mostly shop consignment and thrift. I have gotten some nice things from Free People and Everlane at my local Uptown Cheapskate, which I highly recommend.

Where do you shop for high quality items in this weird consumer era?