Durability Tests Reveal Cheaper Garments Outperform More Expensive Ones

Garments with lower price points demonstrated superior performance compared to their costlier counterparts in durability assessments carried out for the budget fashion sector. The University of Leeds collaborated with the retail company Primark to evaluate products like jeans and T-shirts, aiming to establish “standards” for the expected lifespan of apparel. The school of design at the university evaluated a total of 65 items, determining that a £15 pair of women’s jeans exhibited greater durability than a comparable pair priced at £150. Primark intends to integrate the study’s conclusions into its operational guidelines, with the retail chain expressing optimism that these outcomes will enhance customer value. Kate Morris, who headed the university’s research team, stated: “We have equipment that can mimic years and years of wear and tear of garments in a matter of hours.“We had to consider how the garments are actually used. So, with jeans we focussed on things such as the fabric rubbing together and seam strength.“For hoodies we look at pilling, which are the small bobbles that form on fabric.” The research team expressed being “surprised” by the findings, which indicated that cost did not invariably signify enduring quality. In the men’s T-shirt category, the item ranked as the second-best performer was priced at just £5. A total of seventeen styles underwent testing. Ms Morris further commented: “Historically people think that if you pay more, you’ll get a longer life out of the garment.“We found no correlation between price and durability. It doesn’t mean that if you go out and buy something really cheap it will last forever, and vice versa. We are simply saying that there is no correlation between the two”. Primark, a company that has frequently been criticized for its “fast fashion” model, stated its expectation that its recently introduced Durability Framework would enable consumers to extend the use of their purchased items. In an exclusive interview with BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme, Vicki Swain, Primark’s product longevity lead, remarked: “We developed the framework to ensure that customers know items are going to last, no matter how much they can afford to spend.“We’ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials.” While Primark provided the clothing items for the study, the company had no additional involvement in the independent research process. Ms Morris commented: “We did all of the testing, analysed all of the data, created a testing framework and fed that data back to Primark.“They were not involved in any of the testing work.” She further indicated that the University of Leeds intends to undertake additional independent research to identify the elements contributing to garment longevity. “We’re doing a lot more research to find out what dictates durability within a garment, but that’s not something we’ve found out yet.” For highlights from West Yorkshire, listeners can tune into BBC Sounds, access the most recent episode of Look North, or submit a story they believe warrants coverage here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.