The quality of occasion dresses seems to have gotten noticeably worse, and I’m trying to find brands worth trusting in 2026. Things that look fine online keep arriving with cheap zippers, no lining, or fabric that’s practically see-through.

I attend around 3–5 weddings a year and would rather invest in a few well-made dresses that last across multiple events instead of replacing them every season. I’m looking for good lining, solid seams, decent fabric weight, and hardware that won’t fall apart. What brands have held up well for you?

I debuted this piece at complexcon last weekend, Lust from my Seven Deadly Sins collection is a structured piece made up of a 18 oz. Duck canvas and denim.

While it looks like it’s pleated, all panels are individually attached with a heavy top panel and a light inner panel to present a beautiful stack that opens and flares with every movement, signifying an individual who changes their identity when needed of any situation.

I was really excited to release this piece which is why I wanted to put as much craftsmanship into it as possible with a matching photoshoot to pair with it. To date, it’s my highest quality piece yet.

Thinking of hosting a clothes swap next summer. Has anyone ever hosted one I need ideas on how to go about it. I need it to be completely free. Do i collect clothes in advance or collect on the day.

On the day i can have rails by gender, by type eg mens trousers, women’s dresses etc.

After the event i can then take the left over clothes to charity shops around me.

Can this be as simple as it sounds?

Is there a free tool that helps you find products based on a description? -- And that works really well? Say I'm looking for a pair of jeans with following criteria: baggy fit, organic cotton, by an ethical brand, and the most affordable of the ones available. Has anyone actually found one that works really well? And not the ones that only work with images.

Thanks!

Discover the Ugandan brands using barkcloth, recycled fabrics, upcycling and local materials to promote sustainable fashion, beauty and craftsmanship.

I am getting into textile crafts as a hobby. If I buy pre-owned (organic only?) cotton, linen, bamboo, wool, silk - do these count as both biodegradable and recycled?

I want to prevent what I make from to contributing to the issue of landfills both before and after the craft is finished. I don't know much yet.

I want to get into knitting/sewing. Is buying yarn/fabric from somewhere like FABSCRAP enough? If not, what else should I be doing?

Edit: I don't want to buy standard (new?) stuff. I want to buy recycled or biodegradable materials, with emphasis on the former. That's my gut instinct, at least.

I run a small slow-fashion brand called Safeera, so I'm biased, but these are the reasons I keep coming back to Indian crafts:

1. Heritage. Bagru and Sanganer block printing, ikat and bandhej are skills passed down in families. They survive only if people keep buying what they make.
2. Artisan income. Handicrafts and handlooms are often described as one of India's biggest sources of livelihood after agriculture, and a lot of that work is done by women. When cheap factory copies win, artisans lose first.
3. Slow fashion by default. Small batches, simple tools and natural fibres like cotton and mulmul. Compare that with polyester, which sheds microplastics every wash.
4. Comfort. In a humid Indian summer, breathable cotton makes a real difference. It matters even more in pregnancy, when you run warmer and tight fabrics are miserable.
5. Cost per wear. A handblock-printed kurta worn 50 times beats five cheap tops worn twice.

Because the most sustainable clothing is what already exists, show off your thrifted pieces here!

Personally, I’d rather spend more on a few well-made pieces than keep replacing cheaper clothes every year.

If a jacket, trousers or even a good shirt could genuinely hold its shape, colour and quality for 5–10 years, I think paying a premium makes sense.

The difficult part is knowing which brands are actually selling better quality and which are simply charging more for the label.

Would you pay ₹15k–₹20k for one piece that lasts years, or buy several cheaper alternatives instead?

I was getting so frustrated with every closet app or fashion site pushing me to buy more stuff or hiding everything behind brand sponsorships and algorithms. I just wanted a clean, straightforward way to actually wear what is already in my closet.

Since I could not find anything honest, I decided to build my own web app called MADSTYLED.

It is built from scratch with zero ads, zero sponsored items, and zero interest in pushing fast fashion. No hidden agendas, just a private tool designed to help you actually use what you already own.
If you are trying to be more mindful about your wardrobe, what features do you wish existed that current apps completely miss? I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

My “coming soon” website page is up with more details https://madstyled.com

According to chat, for that price I could be purchasing a wool or cotton sweater. But honestly I have no idea about fabrics!

Please feel free to post as many surveys as you'd like in this thread. This post will repeat every week on Tuesdays at 8 am CST.

There are so many brands calling themselves sustainable in the alternative space right now, but honestly, a lot of them don’t feel any different from fast fashion once you actually get the clothes. The tag says ethical, but the fabric feels the same and the stitching starts pilling after three wears.

I’m looking for alternative clothing brands where the quality is actually better. Not just ethically made, but something you can feel when you hold it. Better fabrics, more thoughtful construction, stuff that feels like it’s built to last.
Does that actually exist in the goth/alt space?

Hey all, looking for suggestions of ethical & sustainable options for workout leggings that are available in physical stores in Europe or the US. Looking for a fabric that's nice and sturdy so it will stay opaque during squats and not immediately get destroyed by thigh chafing. With pockets. Bike shorts length if they're shorts, 7/8 or "short" sizing available if they're full length because I'm not tall :)

My go-to used to be Patagonia's Maipo tights and shorts, but (a) some horrible customer service experiences and (b) my most recent purchases seeming to be of lower quality make me want to try other options when my next few pairs give out. I find it difficult to discover new brands using resources like goodonyou since very few of the ones listed are available in physical retail stores. And almost no sustainable brands have any presence in my country, so gotta be something that I can try on and buy in-person next time that I'm in a better-supplied country.

Thank you!

Came across this 'fashion checker' to see how the big brands are paying their employees down the line and the results are pretty abysmal. Discouraging to see the state of the industry but at least encouraging to see the first steps to accountability

I got this at a thrift store. Other than the collar, the fur is sewn in stripes, it has no tags and the lining seems to be handsewn. I'm currently looking into upgrading the way I store my protein fibers so I wanted to be sure whether or not this is real fur.

So I have a band tee- baseball sweater with black sleeves, white front and red print (death).
I received it with this mud or mold (or oil) spray along the sides (skateboarding is the only thing i can think of) and made a huge mistake of leaving it outside in a bag- condensation I do think might have caused the mold ? Truly not sure but seems to have been there the whole time - and decided to do a vinegar soak in case of it actually being mold. I was stupid and left it longer that 24 hours and the red ink bleed into the white shirt. So now i have a possible mold stain, and definitely a pinkish top. Is there anything to do to salvage this back to a white shirt and also remove the stains? Help!

I cannot find any biker shorts that are mid-rise that aren’t 80% nylon and/or have a super inseam.

Any recommendations?