Your Trashness

Closest match: Psylliodes chrysocephala genome assembly, chromosome: 4 Common name: Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle

This is around when you start seeing spandex infest everything - spandex blends are prone to wonky shrinkage in the dryer, and the fabric just kind of shreds in a short period of time.

You also see more and more companies skipping steps like pre-washing fabric, so even previously "safe" options like 100% cotton shirts bleed and shrink a ton in the wash. (See a bog-standard 100% cotton shirt these days with dry cleaning instructions? Yeah, that thing will bleed everywhere, shrink in the dryer because the fabric hasn't been pre-shrunk, and the seams will also start bursting due to shitty construction.)

You also see print quality take a dive -- yarn-dyed fabric and screenprinting getting replaced with sublimation work. (I have 25 year old screen printed t-shirts that look better than anything modern that has gone through only 2 washes.)

The rise of fast fashion thanks to internet retailers like Zara (often sourced as the originator of the trend), H&M, and Primark in the 90s and 00s realizing global supply and labor chains being shifted around in the wake of NAFTA and other international agreements, meant that they could debut new clothing year-round instead of just Fall and Spring. The links between designer, approval, production, and sales were growing shorter while markets were getting bigger with the rise of internet shopping. To maximize profits and minimize costs, materials were made thinner and stretchier across the board.

When you have a stretch poplin shirt or a pair of spandex blend leggings, it can fit more people in a generalized size range (S, M, L). It will also wear out quicker and be resistant to mending (once the intermixed stretchy fibers are severed, it's incredibly difficult to get it to stop degrading- like a run in a pair of stockings). Ever try to repair a hole in the inner thighs of a pair of stretch jeans? It's a pain in the ass to get it to stay that way.

The decline in union-made clothing also resulted in a loss of quality. Instead of being guaranteed a minimum wage, garment workers are paid by each finished piece, which incentivizes speed over quality. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of garment workers out there who are quick and accurate, but when factories push more styles and ridiculous quotas, corners WILL be cut.

Shoppers have also become accustomed to this year-round release schedule, which encourages manufacturers to embrace cheaper materials and labor practices to cover any losses. Did last month's turtleneck sweaters absolutely bomb in sales? No problem, they were mostly acrylic and sewn cheaply! On to the next microtrend...