this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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Sewing, Repairing and Reducing Waste

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A place to share ideas, knowledge and creations with textiles. The focus is on reducing waste, whether that be sewing from the scraps left from other projects, using the end of rolls and remnants, or repairing and remaking finished pieces.

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Is there a way to improve badly cut clothes? (jlai.lu)
submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I buy most of my clothes second hand, the quality is much better for the price but when I look for something precise, too replace something wear out for example, rather than a new piece for my wardrobe, it take me a lot of time to find what I look for. Meanwhile, fast fashion brand sells lots of clothing that seems exactly what I need except that the quality is fast fashion quality :(

Is there any general advices you have to improve bad quality clothing?

Here is two specific examples that really disturb my shopping experience:

  • T-shirt that have not T, because the cloth piece under the arm has been removed. The t-shirt looks fine, folded or wear with your arms lying against your body but as soon a you raise them, in a T, or high to reach some high shelf, the whole t-shirt raises with them
  • Long sleeves than a just long enough to keep your arms lying against your body. If you go for a crazy move, like using your hand, you hand up with almost 3/4 sleeves.

What do you think? Is there anything that can be done to improve these type of badly cut clothes? What about all the others? With loose stitches, bad made buttons... You know what fast fashion looks like.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It sounds like both are examples of too much material being cut away. Either too little space in the shoulders, or just not enough sleeve material.

You could make either example into a tank top. Adding material in is pretty much always going to be really hard and result in a fundamentally different piece of clothing than you started with, rather than a typical alteration where you're removing material.

If they're a way you can remove material to get something you'd be happy with that's definitely the easiest route- like making them into tank tops. Or cutting and hemming the sleves so they're intentionally like half or 3/4 sleeves

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I really need to learn how to alter clothes. It seems more and more like a necessary skills given the state of the industry.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

I got started by learning basic hand sewing and mending stuff I thrifted- I feel like that's one of the easiest ways to dip your toes in and start getting comfortable with it and building skill :)

When you're hand sewing you place each stitch one at a time, so it's really easy to feel in control at every moment

Regardless, good luck my friend :) if you decide you wanna pick up a new skill I'm rooting for you!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I probably don't have the best of answers, as I'm a guy that tends to be a bit rough on clothes. Either they dryrot or rip, or both, within like a year or so.

So, I've taken to finding clothes that are either almost perfect fit, but might be slightly oversized or sleeves perhaps slightly long. I don't mind slightly loose fit clothing, nothing a belt can't help with.

After I manage to rip through the knees in my pants, I'll just cut the pant legs off, convert them into shorts for the summer, and use the cut pant legs as oil rags for vehicle repairs.

Sorry if this isn't quite the answer you were looking for, just sharing my experience with old clothing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If your clothes are dry rotting, wrap em up in orange peels. I don't have any fix of they're dry rotting on the hanger.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Okay, sounds good on paper I guess.

My clothes tend to gradually dryrot as I wear them out, not in the closet. Mechanic work tends to take a toll on clothes, especially when you do stuff like wipe brake fluid or transmission fluid on your pants..

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh. In that case, wax the pants you like. Work shirts too if your shop doesn't provide them.

https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/how-to/how-to-wax-your-own-clothing-and-gear/

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I do appreciate the advice. But at the same time, waxing is only particularly suitable for waterproofing, it's most certainly not suitable for vehicle fluids. If anything it can actually make the clothing even more dangerous and even potentially more flammable. Waxing is also really bad on washing machines.

Sigh, worn clothes kinda come with the territory of mechanic and construction work and the like.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

I respect the trade and the info. Good luck to you.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Don't be worry. That's helpful :-)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Buy quality a size or more larger than what you wear and have it tailored by a local seamstress.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I guess there is only that much Incan do with m'y minimal sewing hability...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

It’s a good opportunity to practice! Start small by replacing buttons and mending small holes in the clothing.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

This is the only answer