How to Tell If Clothing Was Made Specifically for a Discount Store
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered retail stores across the country, a growing number of consumers were choosing to shop online rather than go to brick-and-mortar stores. And while this trend is largely continuing, according to a recent report, two retail segments are seeing a return in foot traffic: consignment stores ( covered in previous Lifehacker posts ) and discount stores such as TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Burlington. and Ross Dress for Less, which are in the spotlight today.
These discount retailers’ advertising makes it seem like their products come directly from high-end department stores and flagship stores and are sold to you for a fraction of their original price. But as two recent viral TikTok videos explain, the truth is a little darker, including the fact that the clothes sold in these stores are often made specifically for them.
How do clothes get into discount stores?
As two TikTok creators who worked in the fashion industry, @itslaurendeleon and @kingkattoo , explain in recent videos, most—if not most—of the merchandise sold at retailers like TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack was not imported. from full-fledged stores with unsold goods. Instead, this product was deliberately designed to be sold at lower prices.
In fact, @kingkattoo, who explains that they are designers and worked for companies that sold to these discount retailers, says that “excess inventory doesn’t really exist because that’s not how the fashion industry works.” Instead, holding companies that own heritage American brands such as Calvin Klein commission designers to create pieces that will sell at specific prices. For example, one designer might be asked to design sweaters to sell for $50 at a department store, while another might be asked to design a sweater for $20 to sell at discount retailers. From there, as @kingkattoo explains, all decisions throughout the process—like fabric, lining, and trim—are made with those costs in mind.
Signs that an item of clothing was made specifically for a discount store.
As with clothing intended exclusively for sale at a brand’s outlet stores , there are a few features you can look for that are a good indicator that the item was always intended to be sold at a discount:
White Label Product Labels
In her TikTok video, @itslaurendeleon says that plain white tags like the one in the screenshot below are a “clear sign” that the item of clothing is either a sample or a “white label product”, meaning “anyone can buy wholesale, put your own label on it and call it yours.” This also means the clothes “will not be the same quality or style that you see on the brand’s website,” they note.
Availability of sizes and colors.
When a particular clothing item is available in all sizes rather than a few unpopular sizes that are usually left in stock, there’s a good chance it was made specifically for the discount retailer, says Giovanni L. Bordone, director of the fashion course. Business at London Metropolitan University . In addition to a wide range of sizes, this type of discounted product is also typically available in limited options and colors, Bordone says.
Place of production
Checking the label to see where the clothing was made may provide another clue, Bordone said. More precisely, some brands have production in China, but produce clothes for discount stores in Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Construction and stitching
Jay Barton, CEO of men’s activewear brand ASRV , recommends checking the overall construction and seams of the garment. “Products intended for clearance stores may have less complex production specifications, fewer stitches per inch, or simpler embroidery patterns,” he says. ( This video explains what to look for if you’re unsure.)
Material quality
Generally speaking, clothes made specifically for thrift stores are usually made from lower quality fabrics. “Study the fabric,” Barton says. “If it feels less luxurious, stiffer or thinner than the name would lead you to expect, it may have been produced for a low-cost retailer.”
Design and style
Clothes created for discount stores may have less complex designs, with fewer details and embellishments, Bordone said. Likewise, Barton says clothing designs “can be a simpler or more subdued interpretation of a brand’s signature aesthetic.”
Should you shop at discount stores?
When it comes to shopping, everyone has different priorities, as well as budget and time constraints. In other words, we are not all looking for the same things.
If you’re worried that designer items sold at discount stores aren’t “real,” @kingkattoo says they’re not. “It is usually made by the same brand, or at least the same holding company, to have a lower price,” they note in their video.
Their real advice to buyers is: “If you like [an item of clothing] and think it’s worth your $20, $50, or $200, spend it, but the price on the tag is the price. You won’t get it.” about these big brands, almost never.”