Clothes pilling, fading, and losing shape? How to identify substandard clothing when shopping?

Discarded clothing shares similar issues: British researchers analyzed nearly 1,500 pieces of clothing donated to British charities that could no longer be resold due to quality issues. These included knitwear, jackets, and uniforms suitable for adults and children. Over half of these garments had pilling and fading issues, followed by fabric tears (such as wear and tear), stain residue, deformation, and poor stitching.

Pilling and fading are the most common clothing issues encountered by consumers on a daily basis. Researchers point out that the essence of clothing fading lies in its colorfastness. Inappropriate dye selection, excessive washing, and other factors can all cause fabric fading. Pilling is most likely to occur in knitted garments, and fabrics made from short-fiber, low-cost yarns or those with loose weave structures are more prone to pilling.

Clothing quality issues directly impact consumers' wearing experience and the lifespan of garments. Poor-quality, short-lived clothing not only hinders long-term wear but also tends to be discarded as disposable items, exacerbating the negative environmental impact of the clothing industry.

So, what factors determine the quality of clothing, and how can consumers identify high-quality products with excellent performance?

Whether a piece of clothing meets consumers' quality requirements depends on all its different components and how they work together: fabric, seams, lining, cutting, and even accessories such as buttons.

Fabric: Quality can be assessed by observation, touch, and comparison. Additionally, consider whether the fabric is suitable for the garment's specific purpose;

Seams: As one of the most visible indicators of garment quality, loose stitches or crooked seams are signs of subpar quality.

Accessory details: Smooth zippers, reinforced buttonholes, and functional pockets are details that also reveal the overall quality of the garment.

Harmful chemical components: Before purchasing, smell the garment to check for any pungent odors. If there is an unusual smell, it may indicate the presence of harmful chemicals exceeding safe levels. Be sure to check the product's testing standards via the label information.

The key to distinguishing between high-quality and low-quality clothing lies in the additional production steps taken by manufacturers, such as the selection of paints and adhesives for prints that do not fade or peel over time, and the use of manual sewing for sturdy accessories... However, most shoppers make purchasing decisions based on the appearance of the clothing, which necessitates the use of professional Textile Testing Equipment for evaluation.

As a laboratory testing equipment supplier with over 20 years of experience in the international market, specializing in the export and manufacturing of textile testing equipment, footwear testing equipment, and children's product testing equipment, UTS International Co., Ltd. provides textile companies with a wide range of testing equipment for quality, functionality, safety, and harmful substances.

Product testing

Testing of fabrics and clothing, fibers, yarns, dyeing, finishing, printing and coating, general testing, etc.