It feels good to have a few companies that offer “buy it for life” items because you save money and reduce waste in landfills. Sadly, these 12 brands that once had a reputation for creating durable products are now failing at it.
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Levi’s
Levi’s jeans quality has drastically changed in the past few years. These pants would even last a decade, but the current ones barely make it past a year.
Smartwool
Smartwool outdoor clothes were a buy-once-in-a-lifetime product, too, lasting more than a decade without wear and tear. Sadly, “the new ones are popping threads after the first use,” and “they tend to do poorly on high friction seams, too.”
L.L. Bean
L.L Bean quality has been plummeting, whereas the prices have been skyrocketing. Many users mention their old stuff works perfectly, but the new products don’t last.
Dr. Martens
“I loved their boots; they were great leather and lasted forever. Now, they’re just some cheap Chinese leather that falls apart within a year,” complains a buyer.
Another mentions they’ve had their 1994 Dr. Martens boots in good condition, but his daughter’s shoes have cracked in multiple places, even though they are just five years old.
Lucky Brand Jeans
Also ruined are Lucky Brand Jeans after the company declared bankruptcy and was acquired by private equity.
Weber Grills
Weber Grills products featured thick metal that could withstand daily use for years. Unfortunately, this family-owned company went private after it was acquired by BDT Capital Partners LLC, a move that may have changed the quality of the products.
“Webber kettles are really thin now. When I find a better alternative, I’m done buying them,” declares a buyer.
Arc’teryx
Some people think Arc’teryx’s quality was ruined because it became fashion wear instead of sticking to high-performance outdoor wear. Now, many people are leaning toward Patagonia for quality products.
Eddie Bauer
This American clothing store has also lost its buy-for-life quality. Some people feel they changed their warranty from a lifetime to one year because they knew they had lowered their quality.
Others blame the poor craftsmanship on the fact that the brand was bought out in 2018 by private equity, and they “fired all of their sponsored mountain athletes and replaced them with influencers.”
Filson
Filson is currently overpriced, yet the products don’t meet premium quality. “They transferred all the manufacturing to the Third World countries and changed their suppliers. So bye-bye legendary US-made mackinaw wool,” explains a poster.
Birkenstock
You were guaranteed Birkenstock sandals would last a lifetime when you bought them. Sadly, the new pairs are falling apart within two years. One user notes that the brand’s recent Initial Public Offering (IPO) will worsen product quality.
Carhartt
The old Carhartt jackets were comfortable and durable. They rarely had broken zippers, rips, or stains. The newer ones, however, look terrible, are poorly made with cheap materials, and have odd and inconsistent sizing.
A poster shares, “My parents bought me one of the newer models for my birthday in 2022, and it already has fraying in the sleeves and a sticky zipper.”
North Face
North Face’s quality is also diminishing, with some people feeling it has become a fast fashion brand.
Source: Reddit
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