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Leeds University has completed durability testing for a range of products in the discount fashion industry, with results showing that cheaper garments often perform better than more expensive items. Retailer Primark has collaborated with the university on the project, which will help set durability standards for clothing. 65 products were assessed in total, with a £15 pair of women’s jeans providing more durability than a pair costing £150. The project involved testing the types of wear and tear that clothes experience, with the results surprising the team, given that they revealed no correlation between price and long-term quality.
Primark will use the research to create guidelines, which it will feed into its durability framework, helping customers gain better value for money. The fast fashion retailer, which has come under increased scrutiny regarding sustainability, has been investing in more durable and sustainable materials. The garments used in the testing were provided by Primark, with no input from the company in the independent research.
Kate Morris, who led the Leeds research team, said more research would be conducted to determine wider factors affecting product durability. Morris pointed out that “it doesn’t mean that if you go out and buy something really cheap it will last forever, and vice versa”, but there was “no correlation between the two” in terms of price and long-term quality. The study included hoodies as well as trousers and jeans, and in the men’s T-shirt category, the second-best performer had been priced at just £5.
The University of Leeds, which has worked with several high profile brands on durability testing, has developed equipment that can simulate years of wear on clothing over the course of a few hours. The research feeds into a wider push among fashion retailers to improve sustainability, with fast fashion companies facing particular criticism for the amount of waste generated by shorter life products
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