This is REALLY important. I didn’t realize how many of my friends don’t do this before buying their clothes. It’s the same as buying food without reading the ingredient label (if you’re not doing this either, we need to talk).
It’s called the fiber content label. Every piece of clothing has a little tag different from the size tag that tells you what its made out of. Sometimes it’s nowhere near the size label and you have to go searching to find it, usually towards the bottom of the garment on the back side.
Okay you found it, but what does it mean? Thats a big question. In fact it’s a whole industry called textiles, so I’m just going to give you a brief summary of the most common fibers you’ll see while shopping:
“Polyester” - this is not so great, but it’s cheap, sturdy and easy to care for. The catch is that it’s a synthetic fiber made from plastics, and it’s not breathable. Its not good for those with sensitive skin or allergies, and it traps moisture and holds odor. I recommend polyester for your everyday garments you plan to get dirty and wash often.
“Cotton” - this is good. It’s a natural seed fiber and its soft and comfortable, durable while breathable. One of the main downsides is its unsustainable methods. Even though its natural, chemicals are still widely used to produce cotton clothing. Do your best to find labels that say “organic cotton”, but they’re hard to find. I recommend cotton for your more elevated garments, like shirts or sweaters.
“Wool” - this is great. This 100% natural fiber comes from sheep and is perfect for the winter wardrobe. It’s renewable, biodegradable, and highly resilient. If you care for wool properly it’ll last you a lifetime. This fiber will keep you WARM so look for it in coats and jackets.
Some more you may see are silk, linen, nylon, or rayon. Cashmere is one I love for the winter season. Think of clothing as an investment. Think about cost-per-wear. If you spend $100 on a good coat that’ll last you your lifetime, it’s pennies per wear (Don’t worry I will go in detail about this later).