Our perception of price and value
is kinda broken.

Clothing costs less now than it did in the 1990s…despite everything else around us costing so much more!
What do you think is a fair price for a brand new t-shirt? $5? $20? $50?
If you answered “$5,” you wouldn’t be wrong. We expect clothes to be super inexpensive, because we are surrounded by low priced, highly profitable clothing options. Fast fashion has been offering us artificially low prices for decades, selling us the illusion that a new t-shirt really can cost $5. And it’s easy to trick us because most of us know very little about how clothing is made.
When you take a step back and start to consider the elements of an article of clothing, suddenly fast fashion looks like a bad deal…let’s take a look!

Fabric

In the world of fast fashion, this is the most expensive part of a garment…but only because workers are underpaid.

Whether it’s cotton, silk, or polyester, the fabric is created in a fabric mill. It may also be dyed and printed there.
Many fabrics are also washed to create a softer texture or a “worn” appearance. Fabrics will also be treated to mitigate flammability, wrinkles, and odor or add water resistance.
When retailers are cutting costs (to make more profit selling clothing at a discount), fabric is the first thing to be cheapened. We live in the golden era of polyester thanks to the fast fashion-ification of the apparel industry.
A garment’s price should reflect the weaving/knitting, dyeing/washing, and printing, as well as the transportation of the fabric and all of the workers involved in making the fabric. Don’t forget the water, energy, treatments, dyes, and inks.

Design & development

A hidden cost that is often forgotten by everyone but the finance dept.

Designing clothing requires a team of designers (technical, print, patternmakers, and design). More and more brands are skipping the expense of designers and using AI instead. There’s also an entire team that manages the production of these garments, handling all of the negotiations, timelines, and details with the factory.
Samples are sent back and forth between the design team and the factory until the sample is approved for production.
Fit technicians hold fittings with professional fit models wearing the samples, to get the fit just right. Often a garment will require several sessions
These expenses (all of these salaries, samples, and equipment) ARE a part of the price you pay as a customer. Fit sessions and sample revisions are often dropped to keep those prices lower. The result? Less desirable garments that don’t fit well.

Trims & details

Another opportunity to cut costs…

Ever had a dress zipper break on the first or second wear? That’s because nice zippers are expensive! A lower quality zipper can make the difference between a cost that hits the margin target and one that does not.
Retailers skimp on lower cost trims, including zippers, buttons, snaps, and hooks because the savings can add up.
This is a good time to mention that all of the people involved in making, packing, and transporting those trims also need to get paid.
Pockets and linings also cost money from a materials perspective (and of course paying to have them sewn in adds up, too). These details are often cut to hit a lower price point. See also: length in skirts and dresses. One inch cut from 10,000 units = profit!

Cutting & sewing

Ever notice how you never hear fast fashion brands talk about their garment workers?

Most retailers/brands do NOT own the factories making their garments. But while retailers might not be signing the paychecks of their garment workers, they are directly impacting their pay by squeezing factories on pricing.
Humans cut, sew, inspect, and pack every garment we purchase. They add size/brand labels, pack them in polybags, and prepare the boxes for shipping. None of this is done by robots.
Remember how I said that fabric is the most expensive part of a garment? It doesn’t make sense when you consider all the humans involved.
Other expenses of running a factory: facilities, energy, equipment, taxes…all of the expenses of running a business. When factories are squeezed for lower prices, they don’t do things like clean worker bathrooms or give out pay raises.

Shipping, duties, & tariffs

The boring part that actually impacts the price you pay in a big way!

Most clothes are made overseas and getting them to your country is a big, expensive undertaking.
Shipping via boat is the most affordable way, but it adds a month to the delivery time. Not an option in the competitive world of fast fashion!
More and more retailers opt to ship via airplane, which is much faster. However, it is (at least) 10X the cost of shipping via boat. How do retailers make up for that higher cost? By skimping on everything in the previous slides!
Depending on the fabrics and final product, duties and tariffs (import taxes) can be significant. Once again, these are covered–without raising prices–by cutting costs on the previous slides. And even if a garment is made in your country, the fabric and trims likely came from overseas. So tariffs/duties still apply. To be clear: tariffs are paid by brands/retailers and customers (aka US), not governments.

But wait…there’s more!

We’re paying for a lot of other stuff, too!

Warehouse + logistics, including buildings, energy, real estate, workers, machinery, and technology.
Retail stores and the workers running them. This includes rent, fixtures, energy, insurance, and technology.
Marketing expenses like ads, social media, influencer swag, graphic design, SEO, and all of the workers who get that done.
FREE SHIPPING. You already know it’s not free, but just a reminder here. Free shipping is covered by creating lower cost garments.
RETURNS! With about 3 out of every 10 garments being returned, retailers cover the cost of return shipping and processing by cutting the costs of the garments in the first place.
Office roles like accounting, HR, administrative tasks, buyers/planners/merchandisers, executives…and the offices, equipment, and technology they use!

When you add it all up…

Fast fashion (and it’s “low” prices) seem like a scam!

The clothes aren’t actually a good deal because the retailers are cutting every corner to make them cheap.
The clothes are not INTENDED to last because with prices so low, retailers have to sell as much clothing as possible, as often as possible in order to keep the billion dollar industry rolling. Clothes that last a long time disrupt the model of more and more, over and over.
You just can’t make clothes this cheap and pay your workers a living wage. There’s literally not enough money changing hands to make it make sense. That’s why greenwashing campaigns never touch on garment workers and a living wage. They don’t want you to know that they don’t intend to change the status quo

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Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy.

Thumbprint is Detroit’s only fair trade marketplace, located in the historic Eastern Market. Our small business specializes in products handmade by empowered women in South Africa making a living wage creating things they love like hand painted candles and ceramics! We also carry a curated assortment of sustainable/natural locally made goods. Thumbprint is a great gift destination for both the special people in your life and for yourself! Browse our online store at thumbprintdetroit.com and find us on instagram @thumbprintdetroit.

Picnicwear: a slow fashion brand, ethically made by hand from vintage and deadstock materials – most notably, vintage towels! Founder, Dani, has worked in the industry as a fashion designer for over 10 years, but started Picnicwear in response to her dissatisfaction with the industry’s shortcomings. Picnicwear recently moved to rural North Carolina where all their clothing and accessories are now designed and cut, but the majority of their sewing is done by skilled garment workers in NYC. Their customers take comfort in knowing that all their sewists are paid well above NYC minimum wage. Picnicwear offers minimal waste and maximum authenticity: Future Vintage over future garbage.

Shift Clothing, out of beautiful Astoria, Oregon, with a focus on natural fibers, simple hardworking designs, and putting fat people first. Discover more at shiftwheeler.com

High Energy Vintage is a fun and funky vintage shop located in Somerville, MA, just a few minutes away from downtown Boston. They offer a highly curated selection of bright and colorful clothing and accessories from the 1940s-1990s for people of all genders. Husband-and-wife duo Wiley & Jessamy handpick each piece for quality and style, with a focus on pieces that transcend trends and will find a home in your closet for many years to come! In addition to clothing, the shop also features a large selection of vintage vinyl and old school video games. Find them on instagram @ highenergyvintage, online at highenergyvintage.com, and at markets in and around Boston.

St. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.

Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality–made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.

The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.com

Blank Cass, or Blanket Coats by Cass, is focused on restoring, renewing, and reviving the history held within vintage and heirloom textiles. By embodying and transferring the love, craft, and energy that is original to each vintage textile into a new garment, I hope we can reteach ourselves to care for and mend what we have and make it last. Blank Cass lives on Instagram @blank_cass and a website will be launched soon at blankcass.com.

Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on instagram, @vagabondvintage.dtlv and keep an eye out for their website coming fall of 2022.

Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!

Located in Whistler, Canada, Velvet Underground is a “velvet jungle” full of vintage and second-hand clothes, plants, a vegan cafe and lots of rad products from other small sustainable businesses. Our mission is to create a brand and community dedicated to promoting self-expression, as well as educating and inspiring a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle both for the people and the planet. Find us on Instagram @shop_velvetunderground or online at www.shopvelvetunderground.com

Selina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts. Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one’s closet for generations to come. Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint.

Salt Hats: purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Michigan.

Republica Unicornia Yarns: Hand-Dyed Yarn and notions for the color-obsessed. Made with love and some swearing in fabulous Atlanta, Georgia by Head Yarn Wench Kathleen. Get ready for rainbows with a side of Giving A Damn! Republica Unicornia is all about making your own magic using small-batch, responsibly sourced, hand-dyed yarns and thoughtfully made notions. Slow fashion all the way down and discover the joy of creating your very own beautiful hand knit, crocheted, or woven pieces. Find us on Instagram @republica_unicornia_yarns and at www.republicaunicornia.com.

Cute Little Ruin is an online shop dedicated to providing quality vintage and secondhand clothing, vinyl, and home items in a wide range of styles and price points. If it’s ethical and legal, we try to find a new home for it! Vintage style with progressive values. Find us on Instagram at @CuteLittleRuin.

Our perception of price and value is kinda broken.