I just read that the average American woman owns 7 pairs of jeans but only wears 4 of them.

I saw that stat in a report from a clothing research group last week. It made me think about how much waste we design into fashion from the start. Everyone talks about making more clothes, but maybe we should focus on making fewer, better things people actually want to keep. I'm tired of seeing new collections every month that just add to the pile. Has anyone else tried designing a smaller, more focused line that fights this trend?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery6031mo ago

My small business partner had the exact same issue a few years back and what worked for her was narrowing down to three core fabrics that she knew held up well. She tested samples from different mills over months, not just a few washes. Then she cut her seasonal offerings by more than half, focusing on pants and skirts that could mix and match. That cut down on returns and complaints way more than expected. Customers actually started coming back because they knew the fit wouldn't change after a wash or two. It takes more upfront work but the loyalty you build is worth it compared to chasing the fast fashion cycle.

kelly_henderson833mo ago

That washing problem is exactly why I stopped buying from certain brands. Do you think the poor quality is a cost saving choice or a deliberate move to make people come back and buy more often? It feels like some companies have figured out that a shirt that falls apart in a year is better for their sales than one that lasts five.

skylerp203mo ago

Yeah, and it's not just about making less stuff. The whole system pushes people to buy those extra three pairs. Like, how many times have you bought jeans that fit great in the dressing room, but after one wash they're a different shape? Or the color fades weird. So you go buy another pair, but you keep the old ones just in case. The waste is built into the bad quality and planned obsolescence, not just the amount.