Most people can't tell the difference between a $30 t-shirt and a $90 one until it's been washed 20 times. Here's what actually matters:

1. Fabric weight — Quality cotton runs 180-220 GSM for tees, heavier for outerwear. Anything lighter feels cheap and pills fast. Check the label or feel for density, not just softness.

2. Stitch density — Flip the garment inside out. Cheap fast fashion uses wide, loose stitches (6-8 per inch) that unravel. Quality construction runs 10-12+ stitches per inch, especially at stress points like shoulder seams and hems.

3. How it drapes, not how it stretches — Fast fashion fabric is often stretched thin to save material, so it clings and loses shape after one wash. Quality fabric has structure — it drapes and holds its form wash after wash.

This is exactly what we obsess over at Auren. Buy less, buy right.