Since the 1990’s, polyester has been the dominating fiber in textile products, used in more than half of the world’s textile products. This is explains why so much clothing feels the same. When touching clothes, the average customer isn’t comparing the handfeel of polyester to cotton, silk, wool, linen or other natural fibers. They’re comparing it to the other polyester products that they already own or are also in the stores. They may think about the fabric in terms of softness and… maybe that’s about it. The rest of the perception of the value of an article of clothing is the color, fit, style, etc. As it should be.
For a fabric director, this thought is cringe. Polyester has a commercial value to apparel manufacturers – it can be produced anywhere, is not dependent on environmental variables such as rainfall or drought, is not limited in supply, and is cheaper than most natural fibers. I understand why the world is full of polyester. But I wonder if there’s anything I can do to affect consumers’ perception of fabric quality and increase their appreciation for natural fibers.
Ensuring the fabrics that I personally source are luxurious and high in quality is one thing. But the brands for which I source fabric only reach a niche market. I can share knowledge of fabrics with a wider audience on social media, but reading or hearing about fabric is not nearly as interesting or effective as touching it and trying on clothes made from it. In fact, if you are reading this post, you might be the only one.
Maybe the best way is to start small. I taught my daughter the difference between silk and poly georgette when she was seven. She distinguished real python from embossed python by the time she was twelve. My previous and current colleagues have said they’ve learned a lot about fabric from working with me. Maybe they’ve shared their knowledge of fabrics with their friends, and those friends passed something along. I hope I have helped some people realize that when you wear clothes made from high quality fabric, you feel good. Great, actually. How could you not be your best self on days when you’re dressed in cashmere and silk?
It would be wonderful if having a high wardrobe full of only high quality fabrics became a fashion trend. For now, for those who do appreciate nice fabric, it’s a flex.