Quality Clothing Brand Suggestions- High street or not-so high street...

Nonnadiluca

Gers, glad to hear you're a Rapanui fan too; I very rarely buy 'new' new clothes, but I like to vote with my money for sustainable companies that produce quality items. Another thing I would say is that their size guide is spot on, has been for me anyway. 

Grumpelstiltskin

Seeing as that shop is in Ukraine a long journey, spam

Pollycat

Grumpelstiltskin said:

Seeing as that shop is in Ukraine a long journey, spam

Just report it as spam.

VintageHistorian

I find White Stuff and Fat Face last a decent length of time, I've still got a few White Stuff tops I bought 7 years ago that still have life left in them. They can be quite pricey but if you sign up to their email newsletter they do frequent sales, and they do appear in charity shops (but not as often as you find them on eBay and Vinted).

[Deleted User]

I buy several quality brand names if i'm in the market for something, one thing i will do is search the brand on ebay to see if i can get it there first !

I rarely go into physical clothes shops to purchase, preferring to do it all online (returning items easy as always near a PO or Dropoff Point).
Some of the brands i'll buy are from John Lewis, M&S, and various small, specialist, shops that are just online.

ethicalcl

I totally relate to this – I’ve noticed the same thing with high street stuff not lasting anywhere near as long as it used to. You think you’re buying the same “basic tee” you bought 10 years ago, but the fabric’s thinner, it twists in the wash and looks tired after a month.

A few things that have helped me: I’ve started ignoring the brand name and looking more at fabric and weight – 100% cotton or organic cotton, a decent GSM (thicker feel, not see-through), and simpler cuts with fewer “fashion” details tend to last longer. On the high street, sometimes the slightly more “classic” ranges in places like M&S or even the men’s section (for plain tees and sweatshirts) can be better quality than the ultra-trend-led pieces.

If you’re open to online, it’s worth looking at some of the smaller ethical brands who focus on quality and longevity rather than trend. One I like is Ink Green – they’re a small UK brand that do made-to-order organic cotton basics and graphic tees. Because they’re not mass-producing, the fabric and finish feel a lot more solid than the usual fast-fashion stuff, and the styles are pretty clean without all the random sequins / cut-outs you mentioned.

Might be worth building up a few “go-to” pieces from places like that, then topping up with the odd high street find when you really need to try things on in person. It’s a bit more effort at first, but once you’ve found brands that work for you, it makes hating clothes shopping a lot less painful!

Pollycat

Just to point out that this thread dates back to October 2022.

The OP hasn't logged onto MSE since July 2023 so probably won't see any advice.

NECROPOST

PipneyJane

ethicalcl said:

I totally relate to this – I’ve noticed the same thing with high street stuff not lasting anywhere near as long as it used to. You think you’re buying the same “basic tee” you bought 10 years ago, but the fabric’s thinner, it twists in the wash and looks tired after a month.

A few things that have helped me: I’ve started ignoring the brand name and looking more at fabric and weight – 100% cotton or organic cotton, a decent GSM (thicker feel, not see-through), and simpler cuts with fewer “fashion” details tend to last longer. On the high street, sometimes the slightly more “classic” ranges in places like M&S or even the men’s section (for plain tees and sweatshirts) can be better quality than the ultra-trend-led pieces.

If you’re open to online, it’s worth looking at some of the smaller ethical brands who focus on quality and longevity rather than trend. One I like is Ink Green – they’re a small UK brand that do made-to-order organic cotton basics and graphic tees. Because they’re not mass-producing, the fabric and finish feel a lot more solid than the usual fast-fashion stuff, and the styles are pretty clean without all the random sequins / cut-outs you mentioned.

Might be worth building up a few “go-to” pieces from places like that, then topping up with the odd high street find when you really need to try things on in person. It’s a bit more effort at first, but once you’ve found brands that work for you, it makes hating clothes shopping a lot less painful!

Hello @ethicalcl

Sadly, you're replying to a very old thread.  However, if you like talking about clothes (and fabric and knitting), then please join us on the Fashion On The Ration thread.  You'd be most welcome.

- Pip