Mar 23, 2021

Why is custom clothing so expensive?

What's the deal with custom fitted clothing, why should I pay more for it when I can buy similar items off the rack cheaper?

I've broken it down into four main reasons custom made (bespoke) clothing costs more than off-the-rack:

• Better Fit

• Craftsmanship

• Ethics

• Environment

First off, it's necessary to acknowledge that not everyone can afford to hire a tailor to create bespoke clothing for them. This being said, if you have sewing skills of your own, it is more than possible to make or alter your own clothes, to have well-fitting, ethical garments. It's always possible to find high quality garments at a thrift store (charity shop), which still have a lot of life and character in them. Most towns and cities have small alterations businesses which are very affordable.

This is a topic I am very passionate about. Please feel free to check out the links at the end of this article if you're interested in further research about these topics, especially in regard to how we can lower environmental and social impact of our clothing.

Better Fit

closeup of a Zoe Collins Designs button up shirt. It is a black collared shirt with dark wooden buttons, and the fabric has a pattern of dark grey cat silhouettes on it.

A tailor or designer who creates bespoke clothing likely has years of experience behind them, and knowledge of how to dress the human body in its many beautifully varied shapes and sizes.

The average fashion company creating ready-to-wear clothing will fit their sample garments to the measurements of one fit model (who is usually quite small). From this sample they will "grade" the pattern up and down for larger and smaller sizes.

This can be fine if your body proportions are very similar to the fit model the company uses, but for everyone else we get clothing that almost fits. We get that gaping at the back of our pants' waistbands, or a shirt with the buttons straining at the bust, or the t-shirt that can fit well at either the shoulders or the waist, but never both. The super-cute bodysuit that is just a bit too short on the torso. Too-long or too-short pant legs and sleeves. It's not your body, it's the clothes!

When clothing is made to your measurements, with the unique proportions of your body in mind, it is a lot more comfortable and flattering. Why do actors and celebrities look so great in their clothes? A huge part of it is custom made clothing, or altered clothing.

Well-fitting clothing can make a world of difference. Each of us is unique, not only in measurements and proportions, but in lifestyle, needs and personal expression. As a designer, I hope to honour each aspect of this in the clothing I create for you.

Craftsmanship

technical drawings of two styles of dress, overlaid onto photographs of fungi and trees. There is also a freehand sketch of a shirt with a sleeve inspired by fungus.

When you purchase a custom made piece from a small company or individual, you are paying for the years of training and expertise that the artisan has developed in their craft.

This person has likely gone to school for design and garment construction, spent years gaining experience in the industry, purchased specialized equipment and tools (and keeps their equipment professionally serviced), rented studio space and carefully selected the materials that go into your clothing.

This person also has the overhead costs that any business would have- bookkeeping, website development, photography, branding, packaging, and so on. They may even do all these things themselves. They probably do it with a ton of passion, and gratitude to their customers!

When you order a custom or made-to-order garment, it takes a bit longer to make than a factory-sewn piece. This is because in the factory, they are making hundreds or thousands of each piece, in 'production line' style. In a day, a factory garment worker might be working only on one small step of the process at a time, while others do other small steps of the process.

When you order a made-to-order garment from Zoë Collins Designs, for example, Zoë will craft your piece from start to finish. This craftsmanship takes a bit more time, but we believe it's worth the extra attention.

Ethics

You know who made your clothing, and where it was made!

As you likely know, the fast fashion industry is notorious for using underpaid workers in awful working conditions. Even many large companies claiming to have researched and approved the factories producing their goods can be unaware of the actual conditions. This is because many overseas factories subcontract their orders to other factories (often in other countries), which may not have the same standards in terms of working conditions and worker salaries. In most countries where clothing is manufactured, the average wage of garment workers is far lower than the country's average wage.

When you purchase your clothing directly from the person making it (or who's hired skilled local artisans at fair wages), you can be assured that your money is going to the person who's actually creating it. As an independent artisan, I can say that this is so very much appreciated, and makes a world of difference. I am so grateful to each person who decides to be a customer, because it helps me pay my rent, support my family, grow creatively and give back to my community.

Environment

There are a number of environmental considerations which make custom clothing a good option.

Firstly, the obvious: when clothing is made well, it will last longer.

Fast fashion companies turn out hundreds of styles each year, at extremely low prices.

"In Canada, the average person throws out 81 pounds of textiles annually, while North Americans send 10 million tonnes of clothing to the landfill every year — most of which could be reused or recycled, according to statistics compiled by Waste Reduction Week in Canada." - Recycling Council of Ontario

Although much of this waste can be mitigated by instead donating it to thrift shops, the problem with low quality clothing is that after only a few wears, it can no longer be worth reselling. If a garment completely loses its shape, or the fabric starts disintegrating, it becomes essentially garbage, and not even the thrift stores will sell them. If the item only cost $10 to begin with, we may not see this as a huge loss, however we see the effects of this throwaway consumer culture on a larger environmental scale.

When we have items that are well made, we may be encouraged to buy less. We may feel it's worthwhile to repair them instead of throwing them away. When we're finished with good quality pieces and donate them, they will still have enough life in them to bring joy to another person.

Another environmental consideration is the type of fibres and dyes used in clothing and fabric production, and their impact. This is a very in-depth subject in itself, perhaps best left for another time. Our company uses natural fibres rather than synthetics whenever possible, and we look for the OEKO-TEX™ organic certification for as many of our fabrics as possible.

Additionally, when your clothing is made locally, it doesn't need to be shipped overseas, driven in trucks, and packed in plastic before it gets to you. If you've ever worked in a conventional retail store, you know how much waste there can be behind-the-scenes!

Conclusion

If it's something you can afford, bespoke clothing can be well worth it, for a better quality, comfort and fit. It can also be a more ethical way to support those in your community, and reduce waste and environmental impact.

I will likely be expanding on each of these topics in future blog posts, because there is a lot more nuance to each point than can easily fit into one overview.

Share this article if you like, and let me know if you have anything to add!