Women’s jeans that were found to have cost just £15 have proven to be more durable than their £150 equivalent, a new study has shown.
The research found that cheap cothes have outperformed more expensive items in durability, which showed that price was not necessarily an indicator of long-term quality.
The University of Leeds has worked with major clothing retailer Primark to test items to set “standards” on how long clothing should last, and assessed 65 products as part of their research.
Primark hopes to incorporate the information into its guidelines in order to improve the value of its products for customers.
“We had to consider how the garments are actually used. So, with jeans we focused on things such as the fabric rubbing together and seam strength.
“For hoodies we look at pilling, which are the small bobbles that form on fabric.”
She added that there was “no correlation” between price and durability.
The second-best performer in the men’s T-shirt category cost only £5 after seventeen styles were tested.
Vicki Swain, Product Longevity and Partnerships Lead at Primark Cares said: “When we find clothes that we love, we wear them again and again and again.
“The Durability Framework will support on delivering enhanced durability across our ranges, meaning that customers can continue to wear their favourite clothes for longer. It’s an important step towards our goal of strengthening the durability of our clothing by 2025.
“We’re proud to be publishing these guidelines and hope it will encourage wider conversation.”
