T-shirt price fails to predict garment durability
WRAP and University of Leeds study of 47 T-shirts reveals no correlation between price and longevity, challenging consumer assumptions about clothing quality and value.
Price has no correlation with t-shirt durability, according to new research by the University of Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) in collaboration with WRAP, challenging consumer assumptions about clothing quality and value.
The study tested 47 t-shirts from UK brands, ranging from £4 to £395, and found the most expensive item ranked 28th out of 47 for durability, whilst a £4 garment placed 15th. The most durable t-shirt cost £28, but a similarly priced £29 item ranked second worst for durability.
"Most shoppers use price as an indicator of how hard-wearing clothes are 'the more I spend, the more I'm bound to get out of my purchase'," said Mark Sumner, WRAP's Programme Lead on Textiles. "But our study shows this is totally misleading."
The research, which was conducted as part of WRAP's UK Textiles Pact, aims to reduce the environmental impact of fashion by improving durability and circularity. With 779,000 tonnes of textile waste sent to landfill or incineration in 2021, improving garment longevity can play a major role in reducing waste.
PhD student Kate Baker from LITAC presented the findings to the Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference in Aalborg, Denmark. The research used multiple durability tests including pilling assessment, dimensional stability, colour fading analysis, and bursting strength measurements after 50 wash cycles.
Fabric type influences durability
The study revealed that t-shirts containing synthetic fibres including polyester, polyamide, and elastane typically performed better than pure cotton alternatives. Of the top ten best performing t-shirts, six cost less than £15, with 64 per cent of garments containing synthetic fibres ranking in the top 50 per cent overall.
"If circularity in fashion is to be truly effective, durability must come first," said Dr Eleanor Scott from LITAC. "Crucially, these findings show that durability is not a luxury reserved for the few – it's achievable at any price point."
Cotton t-shirts showed higher shrinkage rates, particularly when tumble dried, though well-designed 100 per cent cotton garments could still achieve good durability scores. Among pure cotton t-shirts tested, heavier weight fabrics demonstrated superior performance compared to lightweight alternatives.
The research methodology assessed garments across five key metrics: pilling (the primary reason consumers dispose of t-shirts), visual assessment, dimensional stability, spirality, and bursting strength. Each factor was weighted according to its impact on consumer disposal decisions, with pilling receiving the highest weighting.
Growing textile waste crisis
By 2030, global apparel consumption is projected to rise by 63 per cent to 102 million tonnes, making durability improvements a key ingredient for reducing environmental impact. In the UK alone, approximately 1.45 million tonnes of used textiles were generated in 2022, with 711,000 tonnes discarded in household waste bins.
The average UK consumer purchases around 28 new clothing items annually, equivalent to 8kg per person, while one quarter of every UK wardrobe remains unworn for more than a year. WRAP estimates that designing for durability could reduce carbon emissions by 7 per cent and water consumption by 7.5 per cent this decade through extended product lifespans.
"This research is another step forward in developing a way of measuring how durable the clothes we wear are," said Baker. "Improved clothing durability is critical for the future of circularity and providing the opportunity for people to wear the clothes they love for longer."
The findings support WRAP's broader push for design-led solutions to textile waste. Through the Textiles Pact, WRAP is working with 130 businesses representing almost two-thirds of textiles placed on the UK market to reduce carbon footprints by 50 per cent and water footprints by 30 per cent by 2030.
WRAP's testing methodology is also now ready for adaptation in other regions, with the organisation exploring partnerships with EU and US brands to develop durability standards tailored to different markets. The research provides manufacturers with concrete evidence that durability improvements can be achieved across all price points.
