Quality and Convenience

This morning I have been on the Internet looking at albs. An alb is the basic vestment worn by clergy and others during worship. I have two albs. One is a wheat colored, wool-blend that I purchased right after I received my first appointment as a pastor back in 1989. The other is a white polyester garment that I bought with some money that my mother had given me for my birthday about five years ago. There is a marked difference in the quality between the two.

The wheat alb has held up beyond my expectations. Of course, it is worn and that is partly the reason that I am looking for a new one. But the fact that this garment has served me for twenty years now, I couldn't be more impressed. I honestly hate to replace it.

On the other hand, my white alb has been a great disappointment. I purchased it because it looked great in the catalog. Embroidered bands in the sleeves and at the bottom making make the robe look very stylish. When it arrived, it looked as good as it did in the picture. It was about twice as heavy as the wool-blend so I expected that it would hold up well. It has not. The hems are breaking down. The cloth is fraying badly. The polyester is much heavier than the wool and it breathes very poorly so the beautiful white color is now stained with rings of sweat.

By all measure the older, thinner fabric has outperformed the newer, fancier garment. As I look to purchase my next alb, I see that I am going to have to spend some money. The natural fabric costs about a third more even though it looks like it should cost less.

I suppose it is a lesson that we have to learn more than once. It is always tempting to go with the picture on the box... Besides that, it's getting harder to find the quality. Even brands that were once reputable and reliable are not necessarily producing that same stuff they were a few years back... [The difference in Ralph Lauren chinos is subtle but definitely there.] Of course, the consumer is supposedly the one with the power. Theoretically, if we don't buy the junk, sooner or later they will have to stop making it.