How to measure wear on a garment
Short answer: Hold the garment to the light, measure two points with a tape and feel it with your fingers. The three methods together catch most of what has happened, and you need no special equipment.
Light shows thin wear
Hold the garment up to a window or a lamp. Areas where fewer fibres remain shine clearly through, and you can see the difference between worn and fresh areas. It is the quickest test and takes only a minute. Look especially where the garment rubs most in use.
The tape shows stretch
Compare chest width and length with what you measured when the garment was new. If it has grown longer or wider, the fabric has given way and the garment has lost some of its fit. Always measure the same way, with the garment laid flat and not stretched. See all bamboo socks for women.
Fingers feel the surface
A worn area feels rougher or smoother than the rest of the garment. Run your fingertips across the fabric and feel for differences. Pilling and loose fibres can be felt long before they can be seen. Compare with a spot that is hardly used. See Turiform and bamboo footies for women.
Weight tells you something too
A garment that has lost noticeable weight has lost material. Weigh the garment when it is new and dry, and again later under the same conditions. Use a kitchen scale and always weigh when the garment is completely dry, since moisture changes the number.
Write down the first number
All the methods get better if you have something to compare with. Measure and weigh the garment the first time you have it, and write the numbers somewhere you can find them again. Take a photo against the light while it is new. Then you have a clear reference later.
Signs that it is over
When the fabric gives way to a light pull, or when light clearly shines through, the garment is nearly finished. Loose seams, holes and areas that feel thin as paper are also signs. One sign alone is not necessarily enough, but several together mean the garment will soon fail.
Test in several places
Wear rarely hits the whole garment equally. Test in several places, not only where it looks worst. Check seams, edges and cuffs too, where the fabric is often stressed extra. If only one area shows clear wear, the garment may still be usable or repairable locally, so you need not discard it all.
Compare with a new garment
If you have an identical garment that has not been used, it is the best yardstick. Lay them side by side, hold both to the light and measure them with the same tape. The difference shows what time and washing have done. It gives an honest picture of how worn the used garment really is.
Use the measurements to decide
The measurements make it easier to choose what to do. A garment with little wear can be used as before. If it is worn locally, it can be repaired or moved to a lighter job. If the fabric is thin all over, it is often time to let it go. Then you decide from facts, not feelings.
Frequently asked questions
Should I measure new clothes from the start
It is a good idea if you want to see the development later. Write the measurements down and take a photo against the light, so you have something to compare with once the garment has been washed many times.
What is a sign that it is over
When the fabric gives way to a light pull, or when light clearly shines through. Several signs at once, like holes and loose seams, show that the garment can no longer do its job properly.
Can I use the scale
Yes. A garment that has lost noticeable weight has lost material. Weigh it dry when it is new and again later, and always use the same scale and conditions, so the numbers can be compared.
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