It also bugs me that no one in the BIFL community seems to grapple with the fact that bodies change!! Especially women’s. And I do agree with you that the subreddit is a glorified shopping list. Making do with what we have is the best first step.
Yes, this is so true! But hopefully the well-made clothes that no longer fit us are living out their long lives with someone else after they stop serving us. I wore the same wonderful dress to almost every wedding for 12 years. I like to think it’s still out there tearing it up on the dance floor with someone else.
Yes, I love that! My approach when my body is likely to change (pregnancies, weight fluctuations, etc.) is to buy fairly good quality at the thrift store. That way it's cheaper for me, but I'm not adding more fast fashion into the world.
How about something like “Be buyer aware, and learn to take care”.
When my father would something new, he would read the manual like a novel and highlight maintenance tips. I always teased him about it, but he took care of his things and made them last.
Some things people have for a long time, but if you’re not regularly using the item, can you accurately assess its durability? Having a pair of shoes for 20 years and only wearing them once a year is very different than getting 10 years of 3x weekly wear out of it. Just something to consider when reading about “lifetime” items.
I love your dad! And yes, yes, yes, to the last part of your comment.
But also: Sometimes those never-worn things can quietly deteriorate in your closet. I had a pair of black high heels that got worn once or twice a year for more than a decade, but the last time I took them out whatever synthetic the leather was coated with on the inside of the shoe had begun to degrade and peel off.
And it’s REASONABLE to get rid of clothes that no longer fit, even if they might again some day. I can’t keep 3 different size wardrobes if only 1 fits me.
Such a great read! I would love to hear more on the topic!
My approach has generally been “buy the best you can afford,” because we all go through the ups and downs of life. One persons Miele is another persons Biselle.
I find all the "buy high-quality" posts out there very seductive...mostly because I feel like they're giving me permission to buy something really nice and really expensive! I also don't trust that many of the items on these lists will actually endure. Your advice here about how to find a product that will actually last is a good antidote. Thank you.
I think there's a whole other essay in this: The way eco- or socially-conscious shopping content gives us permission to shop--and makes us feel virtuous for doing so.
I’m still fond of the it traditional “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” I hope to see a shift from a BIFL obsession with items that never show signs of wear to instead a pride in ownership that extends to having an item that has been owned, loved, repaired and cared for and has a patina. I feel so tired of the “new/fresh” everything kind of aesthetic - in homes, clothing, design. And I agree that buying used/old in whatever style you choose is the best and first option.
I had a friend from Eastern Europe who grew up in communism. Her dad used to say, “you can’t afford to buy cheap.”
As for me, I splurged on a good couch when I bought my first home 20 years ago; it’s still going strong and I have no plans to replace it. Same with my dining table. The parson chairs are a little out of date, but as I was looking to replace them I realized I *like* the chairs with their comfy, high backs and cushiony seats. They’re sturdy and well built and everything available in my price range will fall apart within a few years. Instead, an investment in re-upholstering will bring them up-to-date, and good to go for another few decades.
My TV couch is 25 years old and looks like hell, but I've been advised to reupholster it rather than replace it because the frame is solid wood. Modern couches are made of pressboard that deteriorates quickly - and if you get it wet, it's done for.
I think that’s really good advice, Wendlyn. As I mentioned, same idea for my dining chairs - the current stuff available in my budget wouldn’t last past five years. Upholstery is pricey, but probably the smarter play.
My Crate & Barrel couch is probably 10 years old and needs to be replaced. I’ve never had good luck with couches. One, pets - my cats scratch up the upholstery even when I use those double-stick tape sheets. Two, I realize now I shouldn’t have let my toddler (now 16 yo) use the couch as a jungle gym, but I grew up in a house where I was barely allowed to touch the couch, much less jump on it, so I definitely chose the opposite path in my own house. Plus he was so cute when he would act out “Angry Birds” by leaping from the arm of the couch into pillows piled up on the couch!
I bought an Aran Island sweater on Inishmore in 2002 and it is still in perfect condition. I had to argue with the woman selling it because she wanted me to get one with a different thread color and my 21 year old self NEEDED the one with pockets. 24 years later, I wear it all winter long.
I also think books can last a lifetime! I still have books from my childhood, which were hand me downs from my brother and cousins, and I love buying books secondhand.
My son's kindergarten health class is learning to reduce, reuse, and recycle. I am working on adding repair, rethink, and refuse but am really glad this is being talked about at his school. He is also an excellent thrift store shopper/browser, so it feels like I am doing right by the next generation.
We have lucked out with buying high quality clothes for our kids secondhand. If it’s made it through one kid with minimal wear and tear, that’s always a good sign!
We got pulled into the high quality furniture lifestyle creep and ended up with a couch that couldn’t be easily cleaned, and with two kids that wasn’t going to work for us, so we sold it and are now in a phase of getting free or nearly free furniture from marketplace. We don’t have to care if our kids beat it up and we’ve been surprised at the decent quality of couches people just give away when they upgrade!
When you're ready, can I also recommend seeking out a sofa with a removable, machine-washable slipcover? They are hard to find, but in my experience the secret to a long-lasting sofa.
I would love to read a deep dive on identifying long-lasting furniture and high-quality clothes. Im in western Canada and for the most part it seems like things, clothing especially, is priced on brand which does not always mean quality. I would love to learn how to better identify clothing quality based on stitching, materials etc. Same goes for furniture :)
Could not agree more! I've found myself shifting from seeking out hero products to seeking out brands that stand by what they sell — offering repairs or even lifetime replacements. I wish big companies like Apple would focus on product longevity instead of pushing the next best thing every season. I've been trying to keep my phone and laptop going as long as possible, only to realize they're literally designed to be replaced...
The EU just passed a law that consumer electronics will have to have user-replaceable batteries by next year. Fingers crossed that will translate to the US.
I sometimes struggle with the price for repairs. I know I should do it, but it’s hard to pay $60 for shoe maintenance when there are so many new shoes for $60. I think it requires a real mindset shift to embrace.
Gosh, I do too sometimes! I just got a quote to put new cork soles on my old Birkenstocks and it was way too much to invest for how much waste I was preventing. So, I bought a new pair on eBay for $50 instead. But I'll keep resoling my cowboy boots until I die because they were an investment and they're now perfectly fitted to my feet after all these years. You might like this older post: https://laurafenton.substack.com/p/repairs-and-well-loved-things
I love this! My 25-year-old does mending and teaches visible mending in Brooklyn -- it's something younger generations are interested in.
- Our old coffee maker (discarded for an Aeropress because we like different coffee strengths) was a Bunn, and they did repairs or sent out parts to repair it, with detailed instructions.
- I've disassembled and refreshed our Dyson vacuum that we've had for over 20 years.
- When I bought a new washer and dryer last year, I opted for Miele because every part is available.
- Timbuk2 also does repairs or has a recycle program that gives you 20% off a new bag if you send (any!) old bag in for recycling.
- Darn Tough has a lifetime warranty on socks - send them back and they give a credit for a new pair, and Bombas has done that, too.
- Bernina sewing machines last FOREVER. My mom quilts 4-8 hours a day and just upgraded hers after 30 years (with regular maintenance), mostly because she wanted some newer features.
The emphasis on repair and maintenance is key! It's something I often forget about, though I do tend to buy things that I keep for a long time. For me, it's more tempting with accelerating trend cycles and increasingly easy access to just about everything to replace my things with newer versions. I've definitely felt much more of an impulse to get new stuff (mostly clothes and some furnishings) to replace the stuff I've had for a decade or more. I think it might be tied to a cultural shift away from minimalist aesthetics (or just letting my gatekeeping mentality slip after adding a second kiddo to our family, or both!).
But I'd definitely read about furnishings or clothing, and have noted a real frustration with clothing fabrication (mostly plastic garments selling for hundreds of dollars) in my social media content.
The ubiquity of plastic clothing is a particular paint point for me!
Your comment reminds me of something else I don't love about BIFL: People's tastes change! It's okay to want to replace something because your style has shifted. How boring would like be if our tastes didn't change!
i worked in a mid tier boutique style lifestyle store off and on for a decade and watched the slow shift from natural fibers to plastic ones. when i first started you could still find several silk blouses per season and now... i just checked the website. 1900 available tops and only 16 are made from silk. not just less than 1% are silk, but also 1900 tops!!! i know the company now distributes other brands and that's part of its growth model, but oof, that's mind blowing.
Excellent. I appreciate a quality good, but the often touted axiom I hear of “Buy once cry once” is almost always coming from men rationalizing expensive purchases to social-signal within their hobbies. I *know* it’s far, far from just “once.” To your point, if the goal was truly BIFL there would be more effort put into maintenance than the fantasy of finding the exact right item.
I saved the curtains from my childhood bedroom after the house was sold. They were in the room when my parents bought the house so I'm figuring they're around ninety years old. The linen has yellowed but it works with the pattern. They have a heavy, now off-white, cotton lining, while inside is an insulating layer of thick flannel. Weights are at the bottom, and over time those did slip through. Pull them closed and no light gets through. Siblings and others made fun of me for doing so, but when I put them up, people ask where I got them. I imagine if I could find that linen fabric now, it would run at least $1000/yard; the complete curtains themselves? I cannot guess.
I do have kitchen appliances that are around forty years old. My Cuisinart I had to replace because the bowl began cracking (plastic) around forty years, and a new bowl was as much as a new one! I found another at a thrift store for $20. I worry about the Kitchenaid, because I heard the design is changing and they'll stop making replacement parts for the old (there is a write-in campaign protesting that).
Obviously, I believe in saving up and buying high-quality but it isn't easy! Thrift stores can be your friend.
I’ve also bought replacement parts for all kinds of things on eBay. And I have some simple linen curtains from my parents’ old house—yours sound nicer though!
The curtains are heavy; there's a triple layer. But the outside lining is a tight cotton and the inner one is thick flannel - thicker than the flannel sheets I can buy.
My KitchenAid stand mixer is 30 years old (used weekly for years—I love to bake) and needs the engine oil replaced. We bought parts and looked up how to do it, but the pin holding the housing cover on is frozen in place. (I've consulted a local machine shop and their industrial press got nowhere.) I was loathe to replace it because new ones lack the same longevity and lucked out that a friend was getting rid of hers!
that's amazing! i shop at the goodwill bins and there's a lot of quality bedding. sometimes it's stained or slightly yellowed but i just launder appropriately and sell on ebay. most of my towels are from there too.
I cannot express how much I loved this piece & how much it resonated! My father got a barbour in high school and wore it for decades. He recently sent it back to them for a total makeover and wellness check and it's good as new again - like it was in the 80s! Buying things to last and prioritizing nature materials and quality over quantity is something I'm really prioritizing now more than ever.
I'd love to read a post on how to buy high quality clothes. Quality cashmere sweaters, especially in the past decade or so, are particularly tricky to sort out.
I've been on that reddit page multiple times, with mixed results. I do agree, it's just about things to buy mostly, and caring for things is also so important. A couple useful ones... we had a Samsung washing machine that broke after about 4 years. The cost of the repair was about $500, which was what the repair cost to begin with. I couldn't do it, epsecially knowing how likely it was to just break again. I did a lot of research, and ended up purchasing a Speed Queen, which was more like $1500, but well made, simple, and repairable. I hope to have it for decades!
A different not quite "life" example was buying a new pillow. I was sick of buying and replacing cheap ones every few months, and did a lot of BIFL reading. I choose a Coop Pillow, which was more expensive, but has already lasted a couple years. Of course a pillow won't be for life, but buying one for a number of years is much better than buying so many disposable ones .
I'd love more insight on buying quality things for home, though your advice is already great. I think there's already a lot of info online about buying good quality clothing, though you could pull some of those resources into one post if people wanted that. I always love encouragement to repair, too, in this time when it's so easy to just buy something new.
It also bugs me that no one in the BIFL community seems to grapple with the fact that bodies change!! Especially women’s. And I do agree with you that the subreddit is a glorified shopping list. Making do with what we have is the best first step.
Yes, this is so true! But hopefully the well-made clothes that no longer fit us are living out their long lives with someone else after they stop serving us. I wore the same wonderful dress to almost every wedding for 12 years. I like to think it’s still out there tearing it up on the dance floor with someone else.
Yes, I love that! My approach when my body is likely to change (pregnancies, weight fluctuations, etc.) is to buy fairly good quality at the thrift store. That way it's cheaper for me, but I'm not adding more fast fashion into the world.
Yes, that is mine too. My maternity wardrobe was mostly thrifted and tiny--was a real lesson in what having a more minimal wardrobe would be like!
How about something like “Be buyer aware, and learn to take care”.
When my father would something new, he would read the manual like a novel and highlight maintenance tips. I always teased him about it, but he took care of his things and made them last.
Some things people have for a long time, but if you’re not regularly using the item, can you accurately assess its durability? Having a pair of shoes for 20 years and only wearing them once a year is very different than getting 10 years of 3x weekly wear out of it. Just something to consider when reading about “lifetime” items.
I love your dad! And yes, yes, yes, to the last part of your comment.
But also: Sometimes those never-worn things can quietly deteriorate in your closet. I had a pair of black high heels that got worn once or twice a year for more than a decade, but the last time I took them out whatever synthetic the leather was coated with on the inside of the shoe had begun to degrade and peel off.
This has happened to me too in the past, not just with shoes. I’m much more careful now.
This! Especially for clothing these days it seems that if you wear it, it will wear out.
Yes! This drives me crazy. I would love for a dress to fit me for a decade, but in the tail end of my 30s this hasn’t been true.
Yep and right when you think you've reached a steady size and buy an expensive piece of clothing, your body changes. Ha!
And it’s REASONABLE to get rid of clothes that no longer fit, even if they might again some day. I can’t keep 3 different size wardrobes if only 1 fits me.
Such a great read! I would love to hear more on the topic!
My approach has generally been “buy the best you can afford,” because we all go through the ups and downs of life. One persons Miele is another persons Biselle.
I find all the "buy high-quality" posts out there very seductive...mostly because I feel like they're giving me permission to buy something really nice and really expensive! I also don't trust that many of the items on these lists will actually endure. Your advice here about how to find a product that will actually last is a good antidote. Thank you.
I think there's a whole other essay in this: The way eco- or socially-conscious shopping content gives us permission to shop--and makes us feel virtuous for doing so.
I’m still fond of the it traditional “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” I hope to see a shift from a BIFL obsession with items that never show signs of wear to instead a pride in ownership that extends to having an item that has been owned, loved, repaired and cared for and has a patina. I feel so tired of the “new/fresh” everything kind of aesthetic - in homes, clothing, design. And I agree that buying used/old in whatever style you choose is the best and first option.
Yes!! Signs of wear can be so beautiful, but you need to start with a beautiful, well-made thing!
That is a really good sweater.
I had a friend from Eastern Europe who grew up in communism. Her dad used to say, “you can’t afford to buy cheap.”
As for me, I splurged on a good couch when I bought my first home 20 years ago; it’s still going strong and I have no plans to replace it. Same with my dining table. The parson chairs are a little out of date, but as I was looking to replace them I realized I *like* the chairs with their comfy, high backs and cushiony seats. They’re sturdy and well built and everything available in my price range will fall apart within a few years. Instead, an investment in re-upholstering will bring them up-to-date, and good to go for another few decades.
My couch is 16 this year! I’m glad you decided to keep your comfy chair going.
Cheers to furniture with history! 🥂
My TV couch is 25 years old and looks like hell, but I've been advised to reupholster it rather than replace it because the frame is solid wood. Modern couches are made of pressboard that deteriorates quickly - and if you get it wet, it's done for.
The way to keep the costs down is to find an affordable fabric in the quantity you need, which can be hard!
I think that’s really good advice, Wendlyn. As I mentioned, same idea for my dining chairs - the current stuff available in my budget wouldn’t last past five years. Upholstery is pricey, but probably the smarter play.
My Crate & Barrel couch is probably 10 years old and needs to be replaced. I’ve never had good luck with couches. One, pets - my cats scratch up the upholstery even when I use those double-stick tape sheets. Two, I realize now I shouldn’t have let my toddler (now 16 yo) use the couch as a jungle gym, but I grew up in a house where I was barely allowed to touch the couch, much less jump on it, so I definitely chose the opposite path in my own house. Plus he was so cute when he would act out “Angry Birds” by leaping from the arm of the couch into pillows piled up on the couch!
I would never exchange a house well loved and loved in just to keep things pristine. But, my couch has definitely done me well.
Same! My couch is 24 years old and hardly shows much wear. Even with two kids jumping on it constantly.
Wow. Now that’s sturdy!
I bought an Aran Island sweater on Inishmore in 2002 and it is still in perfect condition. I had to argue with the woman selling it because she wanted me to get one with a different thread color and my 21 year old self NEEDED the one with pockets. 24 years later, I wear it all winter long.
I also think books can last a lifetime! I still have books from my childhood, which were hand me downs from my brother and cousins, and I love buying books secondhand.
My son's kindergarten health class is learning to reduce, reuse, and recycle. I am working on adding repair, rethink, and refuse but am really glad this is being talked about at his school. He is also an excellent thrift store shopper/browser, so it feels like I am doing right by the next generation.
Lastly, I will read anything you write!
Yay for lifer sweaters and eco-minded educators! I also like to add another R: rot!
And rot makes the 7 Rs! So many of these city kids already know about composting, so they know about rot. I love it!
I love "repair, rethink, and refuse"! So smart!
Refuse is the hardest one for me but I am working on it!
We have lucked out with buying high quality clothes for our kids secondhand. If it’s made it through one kid with minimal wear and tear, that’s always a good sign!
We got pulled into the high quality furniture lifestyle creep and ended up with a couch that couldn’t be easily cleaned, and with two kids that wasn’t going to work for us, so we sold it and are now in a phase of getting free or nearly free furniture from marketplace. We don’t have to care if our kids beat it up and we’ve been surprised at the decent quality of couches people just give away when they upgrade!
When you're ready, can I also recommend seeking out a sofa with a removable, machine-washable slipcover? They are hard to find, but in my experience the secret to a long-lasting sofa.
I would love to read a deep dive on identifying long-lasting furniture and high-quality clothes. Im in western Canada and for the most part it seems like things, clothing especially, is priced on brand which does not always mean quality. I would love to learn how to better identify clothing quality based on stitching, materials etc. Same goes for furniture :)
Could not agree more! I've found myself shifting from seeking out hero products to seeking out brands that stand by what they sell — offering repairs or even lifetime replacements. I wish big companies like Apple would focus on product longevity instead of pushing the next best thing every season. I've been trying to keep my phone and laptop going as long as possible, only to realize they're literally designed to be replaced...
The EU just passed a law that consumer electronics will have to have user-replaceable batteries by next year. Fingers crossed that will translate to the US.
That's great news!
I sometimes struggle with the price for repairs. I know I should do it, but it’s hard to pay $60 for shoe maintenance when there are so many new shoes for $60. I think it requires a real mindset shift to embrace.
Gosh, I do too sometimes! I just got a quote to put new cork soles on my old Birkenstocks and it was way too much to invest for how much waste I was preventing. So, I bought a new pair on eBay for $50 instead. But I'll keep resoling my cowboy boots until I die because they were an investment and they're now perfectly fitted to my feet after all these years. You might like this older post: https://laurafenton.substack.com/p/repairs-and-well-loved-things
I love this! My 25-year-old does mending and teaches visible mending in Brooklyn -- it's something younger generations are interested in.
- Our old coffee maker (discarded for an Aeropress because we like different coffee strengths) was a Bunn, and they did repairs or sent out parts to repair it, with detailed instructions.
- I've disassembled and refreshed our Dyson vacuum that we've had for over 20 years.
- When I bought a new washer and dryer last year, I opted for Miele because every part is available.
- Timbuk2 also does repairs or has a recycle program that gives you 20% off a new bag if you send (any!) old bag in for recycling.
- Darn Tough has a lifetime warranty on socks - send them back and they give a credit for a new pair, and Bombas has done that, too.
- Bernina sewing machines last FOREVER. My mom quilts 4-8 hours a day and just upgraded hers after 30 years (with regular maintenance), mostly because she wanted some newer features.
Share the info for your kid's classes? I bet some readers would be interested (including me!).
Sure! Their name is Dorian, and they're a costume designer/maker. They are available in Brooklyn, Manhattan or Queens. Website in progress, booking form is here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfH8tUJnO-CbSYjLcEkGCkATNd3PI8wfFVsEm3wf_ISrC9cJQ/viewform
The emphasis on repair and maintenance is key! It's something I often forget about, though I do tend to buy things that I keep for a long time. For me, it's more tempting with accelerating trend cycles and increasingly easy access to just about everything to replace my things with newer versions. I've definitely felt much more of an impulse to get new stuff (mostly clothes and some furnishings) to replace the stuff I've had for a decade or more. I think it might be tied to a cultural shift away from minimalist aesthetics (or just letting my gatekeeping mentality slip after adding a second kiddo to our family, or both!).
But I'd definitely read about furnishings or clothing, and have noted a real frustration with clothing fabrication (mostly plastic garments selling for hundreds of dollars) in my social media content.
The ubiquity of plastic clothing is a particular paint point for me!
Your comment reminds me of something else I don't love about BIFL: People's tastes change! It's okay to want to replace something because your style has shifted. How boring would like be if our tastes didn't change!
i worked in a mid tier boutique style lifestyle store off and on for a decade and watched the slow shift from natural fibers to plastic ones. when i first started you could still find several silk blouses per season and now... i just checked the website. 1900 available tops and only 16 are made from silk. not just less than 1% are silk, but also 1900 tops!!! i know the company now distributes other brands and that's part of its growth model, but oof, that's mind blowing.
1900 blouses. Wow. Same thing is happening with kid clothes: So much polyester.
Excellent. I appreciate a quality good, but the often touted axiom I hear of “Buy once cry once” is almost always coming from men rationalizing expensive purchases to social-signal within their hobbies. I *know* it’s far, far from just “once.” To your point, if the goal was truly BIFL there would be more effort put into maintenance than the fantasy of finding the exact right item.
Hah! I am picturing the rationalized purchases. Even my frugal-to-a-fault brother in law has a touch of this when it comes to his outdoor gear.
I saved the curtains from my childhood bedroom after the house was sold. They were in the room when my parents bought the house so I'm figuring they're around ninety years old. The linen has yellowed but it works with the pattern. They have a heavy, now off-white, cotton lining, while inside is an insulating layer of thick flannel. Weights are at the bottom, and over time those did slip through. Pull them closed and no light gets through. Siblings and others made fun of me for doing so, but when I put them up, people ask where I got them. I imagine if I could find that linen fabric now, it would run at least $1000/yard; the complete curtains themselves? I cannot guess.
I do have kitchen appliances that are around forty years old. My Cuisinart I had to replace because the bowl began cracking (plastic) around forty years, and a new bowl was as much as a new one! I found another at a thrift store for $20. I worry about the Kitchenaid, because I heard the design is changing and they'll stop making replacement parts for the old (there is a write-in campaign protesting that).
Obviously, I believe in saving up and buying high-quality but it isn't easy! Thrift stores can be your friend.
I’ve also bought replacement parts for all kinds of things on eBay. And I have some simple linen curtains from my parents’ old house—yours sound nicer though!
Well, I bet my parents would have been your grandparents' age, and the people who bought those curtains initially even older.
I’ve been trying to find a non-plastic option to line my linen curtains so they will block the light for a very long time, so thank you so, so much!
Plastic and PVC in particular are something that are really hard to avoid for blackouts.
The curtains are heavy; there's a triple layer. But the outside lining is a tight cotton and the inner one is thick flannel - thicker than the flannel sheets I can buy.
My KitchenAid stand mixer is 30 years old (used weekly for years—I love to bake) and needs the engine oil replaced. We bought parts and looked up how to do it, but the pin holding the housing cover on is frozen in place. (I've consulted a local machine shop and their industrial press got nowhere.) I was loathe to replace it because new ones lack the same longevity and lucked out that a friend was getting rid of hers!
Mine is about forty, and it’s a bit wobbly. Somehow I found Mr.Mixer on Instagram. You have a KitchenAid, you need to know Mr. Mixer!
thanks for the reminder to hit up estate sales for curtains. they really don't make them like they used to
I always look in the linen closet too! Once got D. Porthault pillowcases for a dollar!
that's amazing! i shop at the goodwill bins and there's a lot of quality bedding. sometimes it's stained or slightly yellowed but i just launder appropriately and sell on ebay. most of my towels are from there too.
I cannot express how much I loved this piece & how much it resonated! My father got a barbour in high school and wore it for decades. He recently sent it back to them for a total makeover and wellness check and it's good as new again - like it was in the 80s! Buying things to last and prioritizing nature materials and quality over quantity is something I'm really prioritizing now more than ever.
I'd love to read a post on how to buy high quality clothes. Quality cashmere sweaters, especially in the past decade or so, are particularly tricky to sort out.
There might not be any good sweaters left! See this article from 2023: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/10/sweater-clothing-quality-natural-fibers-fast-fashion/675600/
Fortunately, there are thousands of used sweaters from an earlier era of better manufacturing that we can buy secondhand.
Maybe learn to knit a basic sweater?
I've been on that reddit page multiple times, with mixed results. I do agree, it's just about things to buy mostly, and caring for things is also so important. A couple useful ones... we had a Samsung washing machine that broke after about 4 years. The cost of the repair was about $500, which was what the repair cost to begin with. I couldn't do it, epsecially knowing how likely it was to just break again. I did a lot of research, and ended up purchasing a Speed Queen, which was more like $1500, but well made, simple, and repairable. I hope to have it for decades!
A different not quite "life" example was buying a new pillow. I was sick of buying and replacing cheap ones every few months, and did a lot of BIFL reading. I choose a Coop Pillow, which was more expensive, but has already lasted a couple years. Of course a pillow won't be for life, but buying one for a number of years is much better than buying so many disposable ones .
I'd love more insight on buying quality things for home, though your advice is already great. I think there's already a lot of info online about buying good quality clothing, though you could pull some of those resources into one post if people wanted that. I always love encouragement to repair, too, in this time when it's so easy to just buy something new.
Thanks for weighing in. I think furniture can also be trickier to assess than clothing, so maybe I’ll start there.