JoeTro

I randomly popped into a Primark at Oxford and was amazed at how cheap the prices were, plus they had some shirts that I thought looked nice. Would the stufff fall apart in a week for being so cheap?

madameX

You just have to examine the goods and give it a shot. Primark is one of a few retailers that emphasize "fast fashion," i.e. meant to capture the latest style, last a season or two, and be disposable. Some of it can last, mostly depending on how it is handled in washing, i.e. avoid hot water and high agitation; etc.

FYI: the New York Times had an article about "fast fashion" on Thursday in the Style section (www.nytimes.com,) and brings up the issue of how disposable fashion has become an issue in landfills, etc. 'Not to be a party pooper -- I love fashion, too -- but it also mentions Primark in the article (along with H & M, etc.)

walkinaround

>>>>
Would the stufff fall apart in a week for being so cheap?
>>>>

who cares if it does? the clothes are disposable. cheaper to throw out than to pay for the hot water to wash them.

madameX

I should also mention that there is a huge business is selling used clothes around the globe, i.e, bundled by the 50+ pound bale, destined for markets where people can't afford to buy new. There are pro and con issues here, too. If interested, read: "The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy," by Pietra Rivoli. It's a very readable account and interesting.

walkinaround

zara's business model is also clothing that is worn between 10-20 times then discarded. common in european shops...quality is often very poor, styles are fickle. throw away society.

JoeTro

Thanks. I'm not very fashion conscious and had actually never heard of the "fast fashion" stuff. Interesting. I'm also the kind of person who buys stuff to last a while, but with such low prices I can see how it may make sense just to wear and then discard.

noe847

We've found decent buys at Primark for things like fleece jackets, socks and hose, belts and accessories, and underwear, as well as the occasional trendy top for my girls. The prices tend to be dirt cheap, and the quality a bit better than the price might suggest.

flanneruk

For what it is, Primark's no cheaper (indeed, I'd say they're still a bit pricier) than Old Navy or Wal-Mart. Primark are cheaper than most UK retailers mostly because they have a different model from many, based on higher sales at lower gross margins. JoeTro will have noticed that the Oxford Primark feels more like a supermarket on a Saturday morning than the empty cathedrals many clothing stores are.

The quality's about as mediocre (they shrink, slub and tear as quickly) as the American cheapos, but Primark's generally a great deal more stylish. Wal-Mart manages a bit more style in its UK-designed George range, but its US-designed George garments tend to be a lot grislier.

The reason Primark out-styles the Americans is that, as madamX might be implying, a huge slug of the UK/Irish market (Primark's essentially an Irish business) is organised around rapid production of styles that are currently in fashion. Some trade estimates put the fast fashion sector at 12% of the market in the UK, against 1% in the US

Essentially, Primark et al have supply chains that are all about getting things into a shop a lot faster than many American dinosaurs can manage. Helps, of course, that Britain is nearer to most low-income countries, has sensible trade agreements with them (so a Turkish driver can take garments straight from his factory to a British warehouse, while the Americans won't let Mexican drivers into most of the country) and slick clearance systems.

All down to management, really. And an openness to globalisation.

Incidentally, a relatively small proportion of clothes put into recycling bins goes to people who can't afford clothes. In many countries, from Nigeria to Poland, they're claimed to be destroying a large chunk of local manufacturers. And there are persistent allegations many "recycled" clothes are just dumped in landfill.

W9London

may I also mention that Primark in my neighbourhood Kilburn High St allegedly has the highest shoplifting incidents among London retailers? Dunno if this is an urban myth, but does tell a thing or two about the kind of clientelle the store attracts.
Aplogies if I sound too judgemental/ condesending.