7/29/2026 at 10:30:35 AM
by GreenPencil7
7/29/2026 at 1:59:08 PM
Discontinuing a product breaks the cost-comparision chain. It makes it easier to increase prices or reduce quality without direct backlash. Releasing new products also makes for marketing announcements that work like advertisement (or is advertisement directly).by explorigin
7/29/2026 at 8:24:12 PM
A consumer watch dog that meticulously tracks equivalents to combat this would be an interesting project.by CSSer
7/29/2026 at 12:34:13 PM
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.
by mancerayder
7/29/2026 at 3:02:56 PM
That's why I repurpose or discard all of my old socks every time I Invest in a new set. I do this about every two years. I rotate them for uniform wear. I've successfully eliminated the possibility of mismatched socks.by LandStander
7/29/2026 at 5:20:04 PM
> 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.Most sock brands don't actually produce socks, they license the brand name out to third-party textile manufacturers to make the product.
They'll often switch partnerships to new manufacturers which has a drastic impact on the produced product in terms of materials, feel, overall quality, etc.
In many cases they even license the brand out to multiple manufacturers simultaneously, using different manufacturers for higher end stores than cheaper department stores, so even in the same time period you could get very different socks of the same style from the same brand depending upon where you buy them.
Same core problem as typical cost-cutting enshittification -- everything is hyper-optimized to extract the maximum amount of value at the expense of every other consideration.
by georgemcbay
7/29/2026 at 7:33:31 PM
[dead]by GreenPencil7
7/29/2026 at 5:57:36 PM
Your logic breaks down at the critical point of sourcing: not only must we have the means of production and the schematics, we also need the original materials required to create the stuff. If we lose access to the original materials, or if they are no longer available, then the rest of the chain doesn't matter.However, I do find promise in one aspect of your idea: an infinite archival catalogue of items-that-once-were. Then, you can link to things like, as others have mentioned, eBay listings where you can still find the "originals.'
by summarybot
7/29/2026 at 7:20:57 PM
[dead]by GreenPencil7
7/29/2026 at 3:50:38 PM
I've been wearing the same pair of shoes for (Vans Camacho) twelve years now because I cannot find any that actually fit my feet. Vans made these shoes that I purchased over and over again for ten years, but discontinued them in 2016. I've had to learn cobbling to some degree to keep these shoes going, though now the bottoms of the soles are so thin that my big toe might finally wear through them in the next year. It is ridiculous that in twelve years I haven't been able to find a replacement for something so simple.by Tanoc
7/29/2026 at 5:58:24 PM
I have a discontinued shoe that I really like and I've had great luck getting them on eBay lightly used. I keep a few spare pairs and swap individual shoes out as they wear. You might be concerned about odor/cleanliness but I've had a good success rate, the sellers with good reviews that are doing this professionally have the hygiene program down pat.by rickypp
7/29/2026 at 4:07:54 PM
I'm so impressed by your ability to keep them going but it looks like ebay still has a ton of pairs of them if you want to stock up.by hn_user82179
7/29/2026 at 12:54:51 PM
I’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’s time to start shopping around again.by dividedcomet
7/29/2026 at 4:42:47 PM
take a intl trip and buy stuff from locals.like the tribal type of people who live close or off the land.
it won’t be cheap but you also won’t be paying 60% of the price for the brand name alone.
that kinda stuff is so high quality and lasts forever. plus it looks dope af compared to whatever you can buy from a retail store made by a mix of man and machine.
by moomoo11
7/29/2026 at 7:00:08 PM
[dead]by GreenPencil7
7/29/2026 at 1:53:36 PM
I finally found a brand+model of jeans that I liked. I don’t have to buy pants/trousers often, so of course the next time I went to buy some it had been discontinued by the manufacturer. Even the “this is the closest style to that one” online recommendations had been discontinued, leaving me back at square one.by mysterydip
7/29/2026 at 3:04:56 PM
I stopped long ago buying brand jeans because there's literally none that will fit my build (fit guy with normal waist, huge upper leg, big but smaller lower leg), so I wondered if anybody did custom ones.I've been very happy with www.madetoorderjeans.com (there are others) : get your measurements as they explain, pick the fabric you want (normal, stretch/fit, elastic; light and thin, thick, ...), make your stile, wait 2-3 weeks - for the price a brand jeans (so overall reasonable). Jeans last 3x times longer (wear patterns) and they fit me perfectly, instead of needing to have them adjusted after (expensive) purchase.
by plqbfbv
7/29/2026 at 2:20:17 PM
If you haven't already: Check eBay and maybe also set up an eBay Saved Search.by rationalist
7/29/2026 at 7:49:54 PM
[dead]by GreenPencil7
7/29/2026 at 1:41:30 PM
Not sure how to fix but I do miss the Private Selection™ Belgian Chocolate Milk from Kroger. Why in the world would they discontinue such a unique excellent tasting product, it's a bit similar to the Dutch Nutricia brand.. ugh. shame.. https://www.kroger.com/p/private-selection-belgian-chocolate...by eurob
7/29/2026 at 1:57:00 PM
I have the same with a pair of jeans, I bought the same pair 3 times but now they start to wear down and I have been trying to find another pair but no luck.by starvar2
7/29/2026 at 1:21:14 PM
They discontinued my freaking favorite hamburger, and nobody knows why. (Yes, I asked every branch)by wseqyrku
7/29/2026 at 2:15:44 PM
It's called having a tailor, and it is expensive (in the US)by a34729t
7/29/2026 at 1:04:56 PM
There is cost involved in supporting products for life long, moreover this assumes that the company would provide a life long support for every product it releases.by the_beast
7/29/2026 at 5:35:04 PM
Bring back PB Crisps!by processunknown
7/29/2026 at 6:35:42 PM
> Where does my logic break down? What am I overlooking?You're in a room of software developers who keep breaking and changing everyone's "favorite everyday" workflows, every time a piece of software is changed.
Even something as dumb as changing a design language is the same thing as a brand discontinuing your favorite every day item. Why did my UX have to get ugly for no reason? Why can't I go back? people cry out.
What do we do to support peoples' choice of software over the longterm when they can't choose to 'roll back'?
Your favorite T-shirt is still available for sale. It's just got a giant black box strapped to the back of it called AI. The t-shirt companies said that's good for you so you have to wear it now.
by kotaKat
7/29/2026 at 1:54:48 PM
> Where does my logic break down? What am I overlooking?(1) Clothing manufacturing is a lot more complicated than sockets
(2) Generally products aren't discontinued because they're popular. So what you're describing is a lot of cost, for products that a lot of people don't care about.
(3) Even if someone did write up a spec for a t-shirt—what would you do with it?
(4) The need for standards is a lot more important for things like sockets which have multiple ends, and need to ensure that both sides work consistently, than for things like a piece of clothing where there's a single wearer at a time.
by mcphage
7/29/2026 at 8:47:58 PM
[dead]by GreenPencil7
7/29/2026 at 12:53:24 PM
I always have trouble buying shoes, most shops don’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…
by secretsatan
7/29/2026 at 8:09:47 PM
Lidl has trialed vegan lasagna a couple times now. It sells out so incredibly fast all across the country, to the cries of many vegans in Facebook and reddit communities. And yet they discontinued it years ago. I don't understand the economics of it, but I would assume such a popular product would be a no brainier.by lopis
7/29/2026 at 12:15:53 PM
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."
by fsflover
7/29/2026 at 1:22:05 PM
Pah at least women get a decent number of sizes. Where are my Extra Medium t-shirts?by IshKebab
7/29/2026 at 1:20:48 PM
Yes it's super annoying, especially for shoes, which take a ton of effort to find.I guess they do it to appeal to their biggest customers - people who can't resist buying way more shoes than they need. But it does seem weird for some brands that aren't exactly fashion houses, e.g. Ecco, to do it.
It must cost them a fair bit of money too. I wonder how much cheaper you could make shoes if you only designed one set and then fired all of your designers...
My solution is to just buy a few pairs when I find shoes I really like. Reduces the problem at least.
Also I've started buying Levi's jeans - really expensive but at least they have some styles that don't change.
by IshKebab
7/29/2026 at 3:37:48 PM
Unfortunately Levi's has started making subtle changes to the same models. I have a drawer full of Levi's, all the same model. The older pairs are 100% cotton. The newer pairs are 99% cotton, 1% elastane, and have noticeably thinner fabric. Usage that would just scuff the older pairs will put a hole in the newer pairs. Very disappointing.by diggernet
7/29/2026 at 9:09:29 PM
I thought maybe you were buying one of the Levi's signature or special models they make for Wal-mart and others, but nope seems like even the full fat 501s are now 1% elastane. And they must have made this change in the last couple years as the last ones I bought are still 100% cotton. Death of a brand. They did always tweak the cut of the models a bit but changing the fabric is unforgivable.by chocochunks
7/29/2026 at 4:14:50 PM
Even I think ten years ago, my Levi’s would consistently fail within a year. Switched to cargo pants and haven’t had that problem since.by philwelch
7/29/2026 at 3:16:25 PM
Levi's jeans does have pretty consistent styles and has model numbers that haven't changed their main style identity for decades.But, I swear the different factories will often produce slightly different cuts. I used to buy 517's all the same size, and depending on which country of origin they'd all just fit a bit differently. A little tighter here, a little looser here, but all for what are supposedly the same measurements. Some enough out of whack I refuse to wear them. I don't bother trying to get the exact same anymore.
But I do have to say they have definitely come closest to actually keeping things pretty much the same across time. I can't really say that for any other mass market clothing brands which don't include custom tailoring.
by vel0city
7/29/2026 at 2:12:56 PM
I also swear by Levi’s, they also have good range of sizes with a very rare combo that fits me perfectly, and they are well made. I tend to just instinctively buy a pair whenever i see they are on sale, i now have too many and haven’t bought any in a good couple of years.Converse shoes also have styles that haven’t changed in decades, while convenient, they’ll usually only last me a year.
by secretsatan
7/29/2026 at 1:52:27 PM
> It must cost them a fair bit of money too. I wonder how much cheaper you could make shoes if you only designed one set and then fired all of your designers...Alden has been making the same models of shoes for decades but they aren’t cheap. Assembly labor and materials make up most of the cost for producing shoes, and Alden are made in the US.
by quickthrowman
7/29/2026 at 12:38:01 PM
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!
by lurn_mor
7/29/2026 at 8:12:10 PM
Advancements in clothes technology in the last 40 years only optimized production, not quality...by lopis