How to recognise
a lasting fabric

Start by Touching It

The first thing I do is simply feel the fabric.

Good quality material usually has some substance to it.

That does not mean it has to be heavy.

A fine silk or lightweight cotton can still be beautifully made.

What I mean is that the fabric should feel stable, smooth and consistent.

If it feels very thin, loose or slightly rough in an uneven way, I would look at it more carefully.

Sometimes inexpensive fabric looks good from a distance but feels completely different once you touch it.

Your hands can often tell you more than the label.

Hold It Up to the Light

This is a very simple trick.

Hold the fabric up towards a light source.

If the weave looks very open, patchy or uneven, it may not wear as well over time.

For something like a shirt or dress, some transparency can of course be intentional.

But if a fabric is supposed to be substantial and you can clearly see weak or uneven areas through it, that can be a warning sign.

A tighter, more even weave usually gives the fabric more strength.

Give It a Gentle Stretch

Take a small section of the fabric and gently stretch it.

Then let it go.

Does it return to its original shape?

Or does it stay slightly distorted?

Good fabric should usually recover quite well.

This is especially important with knitwear, jersey, trousers and fitted garments.

A fabric that immediately loses its shape in the shop may become much worse after a few wears.

You can also gently squeeze the fabric in your hand.

If it wrinkles badly and stays crushed straight away, that tells you something about how it may behave when worn.

That is not always a sign of poor quality, of course.

Linen naturally creases.

But you should know what kind of behaviour you are buying.

Look Closely at the Surface

One thing I always check is whether the surface is already starting to look fuzzy.

If a brand-new jumper already has lots of loose fibres sitting on top, there is a good chance it may pill quite quickly.

Pilling is those little balls of fibre that form on areas where the garment rubs, such as under the arms, around the sides or where a handbag sits.

Some fabrics are naturally more prone to it than others.

But if it is already happening before the garment has even been worn, I would be cautious.

Don't Judge Fabric by Fibre Name Alone

People often assume that natural fibre automatically means better quality.

It is not quite that simple.

A 100% cotton shirt can be excellent or very poor.

The same goes for wool, linen and silk.

Quality depends on the fibre itself, how it has been spun, how tightly it has been woven or knitted and how the fabric has been finished.

Synthetic fibres are not automatically bad either.

A small amount of nylon in knitwear can sometimes add strength.

A little elastane can help trousers keep their shape.

So I would never reject something just because the label says polyester, nor would I buy something simply because it says cashmere.

The feel and construction matter just as much.

Check the Fabric Around Stress Points

Some areas of clothing tell you very quickly how well the fabric is going to cope.

Look around:

the elbows,

the knees,

the underarms,

the seat of trousers,

and anywhere close to seams.

If the fabric looks stretched, shiny or thin in those areas on a display piece, imagine what it may look like after regular use.

Even on new clothing, you can sometimes see where a fabric is likely to weaken.

Look at the Seams Too

The fabric itself might be good, but the way it has been constructed matters just as much.

Look closely at the seams.

Are they lying flat?

Is the fabric pulling around the stitching?

Are there loose threads?

Does the seam look wavy or puckered?

If a seam already looks strained when the garment is new, that can become a problem later.

A well-made garment should look comfortable in its own construction.

Nothing should appear as though it is being pulled too tightly.

Be Careful With Very Soft Fabric

Very soft fabric can feel luxurious in the shop.

But softness alone is not always a sign of quality.

Some fabrics are heavily treated during manufacturing so they feel beautiful when new.

After a few washes, that finish disappears and the material can feel very different.

I prefer fabric that feels naturally good rather than excessively silky or coated.

If something feels almost too soft or slippery, I normally look at it more closely.

Check the Care Label

The care label can also tell you a lot.

If a very ordinary everyday garment requires extremely delicate care, ask yourself whether you are actually going to look after it that way.

There is no point buying something beautiful if you avoid wearing it because cleaning it is too difficult.

A fabric that lasts is not only one that is technically strong.

It also needs to suit your lifestyle.

For everyday pieces, I generally prefer something that can cope with regular wear and reasonable cleaning.

Watch Out for Fabric That Loses Shape

One of the biggest signs of poor-quality fabric is when it starts losing shape quickly.

You see this quite often around necklines, cuffs and knees.

A good fabric should have enough structure to recover after use.

That does not mean it must stay completely rigid.

Actually, good clothing should soften and become more comfortable over time.

But there is a difference between softening nicely and simply becoming stretched out.

Older Clothing Can Be a Good Reference

One reason I like looking at second-hand clothing is that the fabric has already been tested.

If a jacket is 15 years old and the wool still looks smooth, the shape is good and the elbows are not worn through, that tells you a lot about the material.

New clothing can hide weaknesses.

Older clothing cannot.

Time normally reveals whether something was made well.

My Simple Rule

When I am deciding whether a fabric is likely to last, I normally look for a few things.

It should feel stable.

The weave or knit should look even.

It should recover reasonably well when stretched.

The surface should not already look fuzzy or worn.

And the fabric should feel suitable for the way the garment is meant to be used.

You don't need to become a textile expert.

The more clothing you handle, the easier it becomes to recognise the difference between something that simply looks good today and something that will still look good years from now.

And for me, that is always the better buy.