We’re all a little partial to a H&M sweater or two, but, according to one clothing expert, the cost of these items outweighs any kind of benefit. She argues that while brands like H&M won’t break the bank, it will cost you in other ways.
In a new TikTok, Jennifer Wang, a clothing expert, stitched a video showing how an H&M knit dress got ruined after a single wash.
“That video makes me so sad because these companies are literally robbing you in broad daylight by selling you those dresses,” she starts. “I was at the mall the other day, and I overheard these girls shopping, and one of the girls was like, ‘Wow this feels so soft. These must be good quality.'”
But, according to Jennifer, looks can be deceiving. “That’s how they get you,” she adds. “When you touch it in store, you’re like, ‘Wow this feels really good quality. I’m gonna buy this. But after you wash it once, it turns out like that, and when you take it back to the store, these companies will gaslight you and tell you you didn’t wash it properly.”
“Like, they know what they’re doing,” she adds ruefully.
@wangjenniferr #stitch with @Majelle stop letting companies rob you by buying acrylic knitwear ☠️ #knitwear #fastfashionfail #hmfail #viralhmdress ♬ original sound – Jennifer Wang | @wangjenniferr
While acrylic and polyester are no-nos, Jennifer says that some polyamide or nylon is “probably fine,” depending on the type of sweater. “But the safest route is to go natural fibers like wool,” she says. “[The clothes are] not going to turn out like that because synthetics are plastic, and through exposure to heat and friction, those plastic fibers melt together into a huge clump of plastic, and a fabric shaver is not gonna help.”
But while commenters were grateful for Jennifer’s insight on knitwear to avoid, many of them weren’t wild about the idea of switching to pure wool. “Wool shrinks if you wash it at all,” one commenter pointed out. “What should I do?”
“Wool is so itchy though,” another added, while a third commenter said wool “irritates their skin.” Cashmere was floated around by other commenters as an alternative, but there were also concerns about the material’s expense.
Jennifer’s video is just the latest in a string of viral TikToks that question the quality of items. Kathleen Pan (@kathleenlinpan), who once loved retail shopping, made a viral TikTok about how shopping “sucks” now due to a lack of quality products. Pan also showed how consumers who shop at high-end stores aren’t even safe from poor-quality goods and urged viewers to check the tags of items to “see what the clothes [are] made out of.”
Jennifer didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.