Carhartt is said to have gone down in quality. And the problem is also they tend to sell at top dollar used too.

Maybe you can look at some military or fireman type generic coats. Or I’d suggest going to a Tractor Supply or Rural King store and seeing the off brand, generic Carhartt style coats there.

I also came across this brand Schmidt while thrifting that seemed very durable. Not sure it’s in business anymore.

Anyway if you want like a nylon jacket, cordura is a brand name fabric that luggage is made out of, as well as Jansport backpacks. I think it can probably be made into jackets.

Well there’s well made items that have high resale value, and there’s ones that don’t, but they’ll add to your closet.

If you want to resell items, look out for Carhartt. If you just want nice clothes for yourself, then Eddie Bauer.

I think for clothing, it’s good to get a sense for materials. Such as wool, cashmere, angora, etc.

And then of course there’s grades of fabric, so anything that drapes nice, doesn’t wrinkle easily, and has some thickness.

And then there’s the purpose of the garment—does it seem made to a specific function? Does the fabric make sense for that function? Do the features work for their purpose?

One thing that seems a mark of good quality is YKK zippers.

I think leather briefcase is the type of item that tends to be thrifted and can be found secondhand. If you’re interested in that direction

Ok so baselayers tend to come in lightweight and medium weight wool. The lighter weight is better for all year round, but less durable. The medium weight is better for colder months. And more durable because more material.

I have the Icebreaker 250 medium weight base layer and at first since I never wore wool before I found it slightly itchy but over time with washing I don’t notice it anymore. I recommend it for colored seasons.

I think a gentle detergent without enzymes that break down protein (like wool) is a good idea. Some recommend detergents with lanolin for softening, but others say the water resistance that lanolin gives is opposite what you want in a base layer, as you want the wool to absorb the sweat. I haven’t really tried either to be honest! But something to think about.

If you don’t mind used, Icebreaker is easier to find cheaper. Smartwool tends to be priced high even used, but it might keep its value better as it’s a known brand.

Merino base layers usually do fine in the washing machine. But hand washing probably does give the longest life. Especially if you have a washing machine that has an agitator like a top loading washing machine which can be harder on delicates. If so I recommend a delicates bag and wash on delicate cycle or wool cycle if there is one.