Anyone else tired of brands discontinuing your favorite everyday items?

Question

Hi everyone, 1 I've run into the same problem over and over again. When an item wears out, I can't buy the exact same one anymore. It's been discontinued. Or it has been changed while keeping only the same name.2 I assume this isn't only my problem. I've heard many stories about people not being able to buy the same shoes, T-shirt, perfume, or jacket again.3 I understand why manufacturers do this. I have no questions for them. What matters more to me here is us &mdash; customers, or simply people. And I started wondering: what could be done to support a customer's choice for years?4 This is where I want to bring concepts from software and hardware engineering into the clothing industry &mdash; LTS and APIs. What if we freeze the standard and support it? We already have things like SATA or CPU sockets. Why not build a similar concept for clothing? Then the API at the point of contact with the customer is divided into a physically immutable part (color, material, design) and a flexible part (logistics, ingredients). Let's start with the simplest base &mdash; a T-shirt. Why not give it LTS support? The idea is that the exact same T-shirt could be sold for 1, 5, or 20 years.5 Where does my logic break down? What am I overlooking? Are there any similar projects? And would you become a customer of such a company?Thanks.

dividedcomet · Accepted Answer

I&rsquo;ve had this happen with the clothes I get from Patagonia. What was only a few years ago a thick plaid button down is now thin and not nearly as warm. And Patagonia still makes good stuff! But I do wonder if it&rsquo;s time to start shopping around again.

mancerayder · Answer

There might be something to this. It does seem older models of things are better than newer models of things. So it could be the drive to lower costs and increase profits are causing this, at the appliance, car, etc. level.It doesn't explain why every couple of years I have another four or six pairs of yet another set of socks, from the same company, but with enough variation that now I have multiple different generations of CK socks that aren't pairable.

lurn_mor · Answer

This assumes there's no advancement in clothing manufacturing and design. Could you buy a 20 year old computer today and use it with a modern OS?
I believe the engineers and artisians who make the clothes you wear are also pushing the boundaries of fabric, patterns and cuts to feed an ever-famished audience looking for the 'next thing'.
Besides, they read the room - you no longer fit in those same sizes anymore!

secretsatan · Answer

I always have trouble buying shoes, most shops don&rsquo;t stock my size in the first place, and sizes vary greatly across manufacturers, and even styles. Now when i find shoes that fit, i go order at least another 2 pairs online to avoid having to hunt down a new pair that fit well.One bizarre one, i find when i find some foodstuff i like, the shop will eventually discontinue it, it seems almost personal&hellip;

fsflover · Answer

Slightly related. This reminds me of this article: https://pudding.cool/2026/02/womens-sizing/
Sizing chaos (pudding.cool)
827 points by zdw 5 months ago | 435 comments
It's not about discontinuing items but about the industry incentives that seemingly go against logic making it impossible for most women to find fitting clothes.
Quotes:
"While there are no universal sizing standards, an organization called ASTM International regularly releases informal guidelines." "There are no regulations or universal sizing standards. Instead each brand is incentivized to make up its own. When size guides change — and they’re always changing — brands are not obligated to disclose updates."