Stitches

Why Are Clothes Made Like This?

Why are clothes made from multiple pieces of fabric that are cut and sewn together? Wouldn't it be better to just knit an entire shirt instead of many pieces that are sewn together? When individuals make clothes for themselves, not in factories, they knit the whole thing; not a bunch of little pieces that are then put together at seams. So why don't factories do this, they have the means of doing it and the clothes would certainly look better without seems?

Public Comments

1. THat's labor intense. And I think it's probably only one size if you do that. 5 minutes to make a shirt or 5 hours? Take your pick.
2. In addition to being faster, multiple pieces make for a shape in clothing.
3. Because then you would have less options for size and just about no shape. It would be like wearing a potato sack.
4. Its pretty cold out today, and I would prefer to have a tightly seemed winter jacket vs a scratchy ol sweater or two - since its pretty chilly. Plus washing. Think about washing it. And a bra, geez I could go on and on.
5. It's definitely time consuming to do one piece of garment at a time: think manufacture and chain working. The brain thinks less and handwork becomes kinda automatic if you just do certain movements repeatedly (like sewing sleeves to a shirt, sleeves to a shirt while the next person trims the lose ends and the next just do the tag...)
6. You obviously have never made your own clothes. I make clothes for myself, and I DO get a bunch of little pieces and sew them together. Otherwise, it won't fit. I've never knitted anything, nor made a piece of clothing out of ONE piece of fabric, and neither have any of the people in my costume construction class who make clothes or costumes. Creative seaming is an art. You have no idea what you're talking about, sorry.