How many times have you taken the time to research and buy something only to find after washing or wearing it that it has utterly fallen apart?

In this video, we’re talking all about why fabric is important, what rules of thumb I personally follow when selecting garments, and why buying the right fabric saves you time, money, and hassle of having to replace things again and again.

How important is fabric?

Choosing the right fabric matters for a variety of reasons.  Practically, they matter for breathability, comfortability, and durability. You need your garments to feel and look good.

But one of the things we tend not to consider when buying garments is their impact on our health and the impact of their production on the environment and health of the people producing the garments.

Fabrics to shop for

Try to buy garments that are made 100% from one kind of material. Here’s a short list of the materials you want to be checking the label for.

• cotton
• linen
• silk or raw silk
• wool (unless you have sensitive skin or eczema)
• cashmere
• ramie
• alpaca
• mohair
• flax (linen)
• hemp
• leather (sorry if you’re a vegan)

Even if you have the option of buying a blend of natural fibers, stick to 100% when possible.

Why?

The fibers wear differently and over time will start to pill or ball even though they are natural. Plus they may require special care.

Another reason to go all natural is that when you and your garment part ways you will be certain that it will biodegrade. Synthetic materials and blended materials, for examples a blouse with cotton and polyester, will not compost well and cannot be recycled.

What fabrics to avoid

• polyester
• rayon
• viscose
• nylon
• acetate
• anything synthetic or man-made

In the end, do what works for you!

I didn’t mention this in the video, but you have to do what works for you.

If you need to wear garments that are stretchy and moveable, that travel well and are synthetic, then, by all means, do what you need to do in order to have a wardrobe that works for you.

Some of my clients need more stretchy and forgiving garments. While other clients don’t absolutely need their clothing to be stretchy.

You do you what you need to do in order to feel most confident and comfortable.

Next steps

What fabrics do you most love? When looking at your wardrobe, do you consider material? If not, why? Has learning about material and fabric changed the way you look at your clothing?