How to test a new brand without spending too much
Short answer: Buy one item in the product type you use most, and wear it daily for a month. After thirty days you will know if the fit, elastic and colour hold up, without having spent too much.
Choose the product type you use most
Test with something you rarely wear and you rarely get a real answer. Choose something for daily use instead. See bamboo underwear for women as a good place to start the test.
A month is enough time for an answer
After four to five washes you can see if the shape holds and the colour fades. A longer test rarely gives more information, because most changes happen early in a product's life.
Wash it the way you normally do
Test under your own conditions from the start. If you normally wash at forty degrees, do that in the test too, otherwise you do not really know what you tested in the end.
Buy one first, buy more afterward
If the test goes well, buy a multipack or several more items afterward. See Bamboo Basics as a brand that sells a lot in exactly that kind of pack. If it goes badly, you have only used a single item and not spent a whole pack of money on it.
Test it at home and out in daily life
Try the item in different situations, both at home and out and about, so you see how it behaves under normal conditions and not just on the sofa.
Keep the receipt until the test is over
Should the material disappoint along the way, an exchange is easier if you still have the receipt. See bamboo t-shirt for women as an example of a product type that is easy to test.
Note your observations along the way
Write down briefly each week how the fabric feels and looks. It is easier to remember the difference from week one to week four if you noted it down instead of relying on memory.
Compare it with what you normally wear
The best test is a direct comparison against the brand you already know. See bamboo clothing for women to compare a new brand with your usual choice.
The conclusion comes after the month, not before
Do not judge a new brand after the first day or the first wash. Most weaknesses or strengths only show up after several weeks and several trips through the washing machine.
Frequently asked questions
How do you test a new brand?
Buy one item in the product type you use most and wear it daily for a month. Feel free to note your observations along the way.
How long does a proper test take?
A month with four to five washes. That shows both fit and durability without needing to spend unnecessary amounts.
What should you look for during the test?
Whether the elastic holds, whether the shape stays and whether the colour fades after many washes. Compare it with the brand you usually wear every day.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
