The four checks
The Stu scores fabric through hand feel, structure, care risk, and cost per wear. We avoid treating material names as automatic quality signals because a weak blend can outperform a premium fibre in the wrong garment.
Hand feel
We record how the fabric feels against skin, whether it traps heat, and whether seams or labels create irritation during movement. This matters most for tees, hoodies, trousers, and trainers worn all day.
Structure
Structure covers drape, stretch recovery, shoulder line, pocket stability, and how a garment handles bag straps. A jacket can look excellent in product photos and still collapse once loaded pockets pull on it.
Care risk
Care risk includes shrinkage, colour transfer, stain visibility, dry time, and whether normal washing changes the shape. Easy-care fabrics score better for student wardrobes because repeat wear matters.