Clothing Manufacturing Past and Current

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Mods please move if this is too much history, but I felt it was pertinent because of the trade discussions and did not want to muck up the main tariff thread with more of this.

I found this useful youtube about clothing quality now versus about 20 years ago:



As I mentioned in the other thread, I was a quality inspector in a US textile manufacturing plant from 1995-1999. I did a few assorted sewing and other jobs at that plant and another sewing plant as well. This was on a production line. I worked there until we shut down due to changes in production after the passage of NAFTA.

She is not correct about NAFTA being Clinton's fault. It was in the works in Reagan's time. Clinton was merely the one who signed it. The rest of what she says I agree with. I like the way she presents things. It took her awhile to address the point at the end, which I think is a significant factor in why the quality of clothes are so poor now.

Forever 21 not only declared bankruptcy but is closing all stores by the end of this month.

All of this kind of reminds me of the collapse of the malls when shopping went online. I wonder if we will see a return to some of the old systems, if new systems will spring up, or if it's all just a game of chicken and nothing will change at all.

I think they are ready to go to fully automated clothing manufacturing with only a few workers to maintain the machines.

Luxury malls are thriving as malls for average people are ghost towns or shut down.

I have a fair amount of that high quality twenty five year old clothing that I bought on eBay around 2010.
I wanted men's jeans with a 28 inch waistline. By 2010 they weren't available in stores!
I remember getting some 28 inch dress pants via special order from Gap. Not available in Gap Stores.

Now that my waistline is down to 24 inches I buy size 2 women's clothes.

I also remember buying men's jeans from back in the day. They fit very well. I had not considered buying them vintage.

The highest quality clothes I ever had were bought from The Gap in the mid-1990s. They lasted for so many years.

Once I had a conversation with an elderly lady after a yoga class. I asked her how was it that women used to wear those leotards when exercising. They looked so uncomfortable. She said they were actually very comfortable. She said they were not made of fabric blends. They were 100% synthetic and went on more like a scuba suit. There was no riding up or stretching out. I thought that was fascinating.

Stuff used to fit different for sure and a couple companies have really gone downhill in terms of quality. I refuse to pay the same price for junk that I used to get a quality product, just because it has a name brand on it.

My mom said that when my brother and I were kids the clothes she bought for us were always made in Canada. But I don't know if that's as common now as used to be. I don't usually even look at the labels on my clothes to see where they're made. And I used to not really care. I just plain hate shopping for clothes and want to get it over with.