Handmade Clothing: Not as Expensive As You Think

Handmade clothing can seem unattainable to those who don't know how to make their own. A garment that's made for my body, my lifestyle, and my taste? That's going to cost me an arm and a leg. But is fast fashion really costing consumers less money in the long run?

The Real Cost of Fast Fashion

When you buy a shirt from Shein, Walmart, or H&M, you're typically buying it because it's quick, easily accessible, and cheap. But is it really costing you less money in the long run? Let's do a simple cost breakdown to compare handmade clothing to something you might find in the mall.

Garments bought off the rack rarely fit well. So off the bat, you're paying for alterations, which can run $30-$150 depending on the work being done. That cost often matches or exceeds the price you originally paid. Assuming you bought a plain white T-shirt for $20 and had it altered, you're now looking at $50 spent.

So now your clothing fits well. You take it home and throw it in the wash. When you take it out, it's three sizes smaller. That's $50 down the drain. Literally. It is common knowledge amongst the sewing community that before you sew a fabric, you wash it and dry it to "pre-shrink" the material. Fast fashion? They claim they don't have time for that. Minor details. But this tiny oversight leaves you with an item you can't wear and can't return.

But let's back up. Let's say your shirt doesn't shrink in the wash (yay!). What now? A simple Google search will show that the lifespan of your new shirt is a few weeks to a few months if worn regularly. After that? It's dumpster chic.

The truth is, most of your clothes were bought with pre-existing defects. Loose threads, unfinished seams, and incorrect thread tensions all shorten the lifespan of your garment. Meaning you paid $50 for a white T-shirt that, after a season of use, is trash. Then you need to buy another shirt, which is easily another $20-$50. Fast fashion is costing you $60-$150 a year for the privilege of having a basic white T-shirt.

So how does handmade compare?

The Cost of Handmade Clothing

A white T-shirt uses about a yard of fabric. That's around $10. Assuming you hire a seamstress to make the shirt, you don't have to worry about the cost of thread, scissors, etc. She already has them. Based on my own experience, a T-shirt would take a maximum of an hour and a half to make (this includes cutting the pattern out, cutting out the pieces, and sitting down to sew the shirt). I charge a rate of $30 per hour for custom pieces. That's $45 for my work, plus the $10 it would cost for fabric. $55 for a T-shirt custom-made for your measurements, not to mention the cut of the shirt made to flatter your body type and the customized details you can request. You end up with a garment that is tailored 100% to you and your interests.

Most seamstresses will only use natural fibers when making custom garments, whereas fast fashion is known for using plastic that leaks into your skin over time. Additionally, your handmade T-shirt won't shrink as easily in the wash and will last longer. The average handmade garment lasts for years to decades due to the attention to detail provided in the construction process. The $55 you pay up-front is your total cost for the near future.

To summarize, assuming your handmade shirt lasts 3 years after regular use, and your fast fashion T-shirt lasts 6 months, you are saving $245 (assuming your T-shirt needs alterations), or $65 (assuming it needed none) by simply getting a shirt made by a small business just for you.

The T-shirt is a basic example. For pants, dresses, and blouses, you will be saving MUCH more by going handmade.

So why are we still supporting companies that have zero regard for our health and want what's in our wallets instead of having a genuine interest in making something for us that we will wear and love for years?

Extra Note:

I haven't discussed the health implications of the materials fast fashion uses in their products in this post because it is a deep and layered issue that deserves its own essay. Much of the synthetic materials companies like Shein, H&M, Forever 21, and other fast fashion brands use has been linked to numerous diseases, most commonly cancer. Buying fast fashion won't just cost you more financially, but may end up costing you your life.

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