Online shopping removes the one test that used to matter most: feeling the fabric in your hands. The good news is that most of what your hands would tell you is already on the product page in numeric form, if you know where to look.
Fibre composition
the single biggest predictor of how a garment ages.
- Natural fibres — cotton, wool, linen and silk breathe better and resist pilling longer than synthetics.
- Blends — a small percentage of elastane or nylon for stretch is fine; above 40% polyester in a knit, expect pilling.
Fabric weight (GSM)
grams per square metre tells you how substantial a fabric will feel and how long it will hold its shape.
- T-shirts — under 150 GSM is thin and prone to see-through; 180–220 GSM is the sweet spot.
- Denim — anything under 11oz will fade and stretch out quickly.
