A Reddit user took to r/AusFemaleFashion to express their dismay over a $60 pair of shorts from sustainable fashion brand Afends that "disintegrate[d]" after one week of wear and a single wash.

The shopper expected better quality from the pricier brand compared to budget retailers.

"The material feels very thin and flimsy and the fabric where my legs rub together is all bobbly and covered in those lint balls," they wrote, describing how the shorts looked worn out despite minimal wear. "The fabric at the stitching down the sides is fraying and they look like I've been wearing them for years!"

This decline in quality reflects a broader pattern in the fashion industry, where clothing construction and materials have become flimsier across price points. The trend feeds a cycle of constant purchases and early disposals that strain wallets and natural resources.

Making a single cotton T-shirt uses over 700 gallons of water. The environmental toll multiplies when the shirt falls apart and shoppers buy replacements.

The fashion industry produces about 100 billion garments annually. Most end up in landfills within months of purchase.

The shopper's experience resonated with the Reddit community. 

"The [Shein] effect. Clothing is almost universally poorer quality than it was 10 years ago," one user commented. "Clothes [are] viewed as much more disposable now, so fewer people shop based on quality. This incentivises brands to spend less money on making them for bigger profits."

Others shared similar stories of disappointment. "I bought a pyjama set from Sussan and didn't find it till I was overseas and wore it for the first time that both top and pants had holes in the stitching," another user said. "The bottoms had been washed once and the top had not been washed at all. I was so devastated."

Should it be illegal to throw away old clothes? Heck yes 👍 No way 👎 I'm not sure 🤷 Only if it's free to recycle them 🤌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One Redditor simply wrote, "I'm so sick of it."

Smart shopping alternatives exist. Buying secondhand extends the life of existing clothes and saves you money. When buying new, research brands known for durability and check clothing construction. Look for tight, even stitching and quality materials that don't feel thin or flimsy.

Reading reviews from other shoppers can help you identify reliable options across price points. The original poster noted that their $30 Kmart corduroys have held up better than the pricier shorts, showing that cost doesn't always reflect quality.

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