Most people, i.e. those with a regular job and not an endless stream of income, have to consider a variety of criteria when purchasing clothing. How often will I wear it to get value from it? What is the price? What can I wear it with? Much of what will be discussed is not only relevant to clothing, but most things in life. Here are a few reasons why investing in clothing of a higher quality, is better than cheaper, lower quality options.
The ethical perspective
The fast-fashion industry relies on the speedy design, manufacturing and delivery of clothing soon after seeing it on the runway. Just considering the speed alone is enough to realize that the attention to detail and quality control are not the priority. Many factories manufacturing these clothes can be found in countries where labour is cheap and in abundance, but this poses many ethical problems as many are known to use child labour and have generally very poor working conditions. It is clear to see the gulf in quality between cheap rain jackets for men as opposed to more expensive ones, but it is also the intangible aspects such as labour, that must also be considered.
It can actually work out cheaper with cost per wear!
Have you ever wondered by certain brands charge a much higher price than generic brands? Yes, a lot of the time the brand name allows a premium to be added to the price, but the brands also have had to work to put themselves in that position, and this is usually by creating quality products. Bigger brands want to maintain their reputation and this motivates them to create products of better quality.
Spending $100, for example, on a Rains mens waterproof jacket, may initially make you question why you would spend so much on one item, versus a lesser known brand at $50. However, what you are likely to do is wear the Rains jacket more often than the other, maybe because of the build quality, or maybe because of the brand name.
If you have not heard of the cost per wear formula, it calculates the cost of the item by the number of times it is worn – Cost per wear = Price of item/Number of times worn. This formula will give you a better idea of how much a product will cost you in the long-term. Using the previous example, wearing the $100 jacket, 100 days per year for a total of 5 years gives it a cost per wear price of $0.2 per wear. However, using the $50 jacket for a 100 days but only for one year, and you are left with a cost per wear price of $0.5. This goes to show that the longer usage coming from higher quality products, can actually mean the initial higher price is negated in the long-term.
High quality items get a higher resale price
If your raincoat has managed to last 3 years in good condition but you feel like you need a change, don’t fret because it could still probably fetch a decent price if you were to resell it. Websites such as eBay are heaven for sellers and buyers alike, aiming to find a good deal, regardless of its age.
