MISSGUIDED DRESS, £5 (WAS £10)

96pc viscose, 4pc elastane, wash at 30 degrees

WHAT: This is very creased when taken out of the packaging and the material is flimsy.

HOME TEST: There is three per cent shrinkage, which is perfectly acceptable. The fabric is a little less soft and dark peach rather than terracotta. ‘Viscose is made from recycled cellulose,’ says Jim. ‘Some car tyres contain it, so it’s generally considered pretty hard-wearing.’

LAB TESTS: Despite the viscose, this proves to be the least strong fabric because it’s so thin. ‘ Its lightweight nature means you wouldn’t expect it to survive 30 wears,’ says Jim. ‘ Also, it just meets minimum target on pilling standard, so you might see some wear after ten or so washes.’ Missguided said: ‘ We have detailed quality standards for everything we sell.’ 30 WEARS? NO