My old shorts were wearing out so i bought new ones online, but the fabric feels gross now :(
I assume this is usually due to them cutting costs (aka Enshittification)
Shout out to cory doctorow for coining that term
Have you read his latest on the reverse centaur? I haven’t but I’m interested
I have! It’s pretty good
I hate this!!! I literally just wrote a comment on another thread about this. This was the impetus for me learning to sew (sorry if this is tmi) underwear. I had avoided it before because working with elastics and stretchy fabric is more difficult than non-stretchy fabrics.
You should learn to sew and make your own shorts! No I’m definitely not saying this because I love sewing and think everyone should know how to do it /s.
It won’t be easy, even if you already sew: pants are shaped weirdly. They’re basically two cylinders joined at the top, right? Except you also have to accommodate your…uh…rear. And also you have to have them shaped in such a way that you can move your legs eithout them tearing. But you don’t want them to be too baggy and have bits of fabric jutting out weirdly when you’re standing. It’s the same problem that you have with sleeves.
I’m just starting to learn how to sew more complex stuff, do you happen to have any good resources?
Unfortunately, the most helpful resource in my experience is having someone to show you how to do stuff. Failing that, youtube videos, trial and error, and taking apart existing clothes are all good ways to learn. I don’t have a particular channel I go to; I usually just look up something like “how to sew a welt pocket” and then click on videos until I find something that helps.
As someone who’s self-taught, knowing the right terms for things has been a big hurdle. List-type articles like “twelve different ways to sew a seam” was useful for identifying, say, a flat-felled seam versus a standard seam. There’s a ton of jargon that’s hard to remember at first, but the more you’re exposed to and use it the more you’ll remember. (Example: in programming, there’s this concept called an “image.” I don’t know what it is, don’t ask me. It’s not a literal picture, apparently. In sewing, there’s this thing called “bias” and I can easily explain that it’s the diagonal of woven fabric.)
Sewing is made up of a ton of different “steps” (or maybe techniques?) but you don’t actually need to know everything, and there are multiple ways to do everything. For example, if you’re hand-sewing, you could knot the thread. Or…you could just leave a long tail and do a couple of backstitches, and apparently that’s usually just as effective. Another example: to finish a hem (meaning preventing it from fraying) you can use pinking shears to cut it. Or you can cut the fabric so that the hem is on the bias. Or you can use bias tape to bind the hem. Or you can create a rolled hem. And so on.
Might be a good resource to check out
This is actually really cool! Had no idea about this!
I just want to add to this comment about pants: I have found success in using existing pants as the pattern. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough especially if you are doing something baggy with elastic waist. Just remember to leave extra length on the top and bottom for the waistband and hem, and extra on the edges for seams.
Yep, done that too. Ymmv; drawstring or elastic waists are way easier than jean-style zippers and buttons. Those look intimidating af so haven’t attempted them yet.
“New, improved recipe!”
This is an aside but reading the replies I think about products that just disapear. Im a dude and never cared that much for hair care but paul mitchel made a leave in conditioner that was awesome. It was to expensive though but low and behold suave made a knock off so I was buying it regularly. One day I could not find it anymore. So many things like this or just how things become crappier.
Strongly agree. Happens with food stuff a lot too when they change recipe but it’s the same product
Are you sure it’s not because your old ones have been washed numerous times?
This was my first thought as well.
I thought about this too, but I don’t remember them ever feeling this way. I’m pretty sure I would have noticed.
Did you look on the tag to see if they changed the fabric “recipe” or just how it’s made? I had some shorts that were like 70/30 cotton/poly, and then I bought new ones with the same name and they were 70/30 poly/cotton, and I hated the new ones.
My pet peeve with clothing is finding really cool shirt designs, but they are only available in Gildan unicut blanks. They’re 100% cotton, but they are also hella thick which sucks for summer wear, and the unicut shape fits hella weird and pinches around the neck and armpits. I’ll always pay the $5 difference for the other commonly available blank, even though I don’t like V necks because at least those American Eagle ones are comfortable. Though it also sucks when those are only available in 4x or larger. I really only need a 2X most of the time. 2XT if they have it.
Those Gildan uncut shirts are so itchy!
Yes. One of the only “work function” shirts I find comfortable recently added ribbed bands the end of the sleeves and, months later, I’m still stewing about it.
I feel you ! I cannot wear synthetic fabrics because they make me unbearably uncomfortable… I buy all my clothes second hand, it’s a hassle sometimes, but at least no bad surprises since it’s in person !
Also I feel like a hypocrit, because I always want the clothes to have the fabric label so I can check, but I immediately cut it off because it causes me sensory issues 😅
This is why I’ve developed the habit of buying backups of anything I really like, or rely heavily upon. Multiple backups when I can & it’s something important, or makes sense to because it can easily be damaged, lost, etc.
Could it be you go used to how the fabric felt after being broken in?
Impossible to know for sure at this point.
I remember liking the OG shorts when i first got them though, so the fabric was probably OK.
Anyone got any clever way to avoid this? Like when I find the exact product ID on the clothing tag, does that one change usually when they change the materials?
Look at the tag on the item you already have. It should have a breakdown of the percentage of each material used. Compare to the product you’re buying, which should also list the materials in the product specs.
This doesn’t always work, though, because, say, for instance, it was made with 100% polyester. They could change the type of polyester or the quality of the supplier, and the tag would stay the same.
When I find a clothing item I like a lot, I buy a bunch of the same item so if something happens I’ll still have it. Having 5 of the same shirt means I can rotate through them so they take longer to become worn out.
Fuck, bro f
