Clothes just aren't built to last any more

Clothes just aren't built to last any more.

I have come to this conclusion after years of trying to 'build' a wardrobe.

I've done all the right things, I swear. I've looked after my clothes. 'Invested' in 'classic' pieces that were meant to become the 'backbone' of my wardrobe. Classic cut jeans and denim jackets. Good quality jackets and blazers that were supposed to last forever. Shirts that were well-cut. Good quality boots. Top quality underwear.

None of it seems to last more than five years. Buttons and fasteners break. Seams rip. Fabrics tear. And I am convinced that the factory made 'Made In China' label that you see on nearly everything these days should really come with a codicil: "Poor Quality Garment: Destined for the dump in 2 years flat.

I compare my modern clothing to the items I have found in Op Shops that were made here in Australia (and elsewhere) pre-1970s. A few funky shirts that would make Austin Powers swoon. Some really old miniskirts that may even be Mary Quant originals from the 1960s.

The difference in quality is astonishing. Even the cheapest of my old shirts (made from 100% polyester!) are double-stitched, and the seams have generous allowances. Darts are properly finished, and patterns match up beautifully.

In short, they're well-made, and made to last. And the proof is in the pudding, because here am I, in 2007, 30+ years on, still wearing these great clothes. One of my funky 70s shirts is now in its fourth season since I've had it, and is wearing as well as the first day I got it. Still great, still comfortable, still a favorite.

But the clothes I bought new in 2003 - they're long gone. Fallen apart. Made In China, in some sweatshop where a person almost certainly wasn't paid properly and had no interest or pride in their work. Who can blame them, making shirt number 500 for the day, all exactly the same?

So what is a frugal Greenie supposed to do?

Here are a few tips:

• I start by buying what I can from Charity Shops, second-hand. The older the better. Clothing that is pre-1980s at the very least, because it was in the 1980s that the big shift to sweatshops happened, and the quality of clothing took a big shift down.
  
  
• I also buy classic items that are less likely to date. Modern fashion, forget it. My wardrobe consists of classic cut jeans, classic jackets, classic shirts, skirts and dresses, and all the best quality I can afford.
  
  
• I avoid the 'Made In China' label like the plague. No, I'm not racist. I simply know that when people are poorly paid, they have less interest in ensuring that the garments they produce are well-made. In short, they have less pride in their work, and that is reflected in the quality of the item. That's without even getting into a whole stack of human rights issues!
  
  
• I buy men's clothing in preference to women's, when I can. Men's clothing is generally better made, better cut, and cheaper. The quality is better all round, and the fabrics are usually of a heavier weight. Even the most petite woman can save herself some serious money by buying men's socks, men's handkerchiefs, and boy's t-shirts.
  
  
• I avoid factory-made garments as a rule, whenever possible. Handmade clothing is so much better. Charity Shops have a surprising number of hand made clothes, especially dresses. They are easily spotted by the lack of tags, individual styling, and great fit.
  
  
• Lastly, as part of my 'No More Stuff' vow, whenever I buy something that is new to me (and usually it is secondhand), I remove an old item from my wardrobe. That way, I don't build up the number of clothes I have, and my 'stuff' doesn't get out of hand.