The World War I American uniform data attached herein answers the question as to how often Doughboy uniforms would wear out and need replacing. This information was all transcribed by U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and published in a book titled THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD WAR (1922).
Oddly, the other U.S. magazine that concerned itself with matters mechanical, Scientific American, also explored the question of World War One uniform and equipment costs during the same same month -however they took the question a bit more seriously and hired an artist to address the concern. The cost illustration dealing with uniforms and equipment was printed on their December, 1917 cover which we offer herein. FYI: Doughboy service jacket cost the U.S. taxpayer $15.20-while the Doughboy overcoat cost $14.92... For it's October issue, the editors of VANITY FAIR magazine stepped up to the plate and did their bit with this splendid review of all the finest uniform apparel that New York City offered it's "silk stocking" officers. The article is nicely illustrated with photographs of a double-breasted mackinaw coat, two officer blouses (one of a wool-silk blend), a classic silk knit service tie as well as a very fine trench boot.
New From Amazon: Doughboys on the Great War:
How American Soldiers Viewed Their Military Experience
The attached article, "How Our Soldiers Carry Their Ammunition", was originally published in a 1918 sporting magazine and gives an account as to how one uniform element unique to the U.S. and British military establishments came into prominence during the earliest years of the Twentieth Century. Written by Paul A Curtis, Jr., the essay describes the difficulties inherit with leather belting, the British need for an alternate material in order to maintain colonial regiments in India and the father of the American web belt, General Anson Mills (1834 - 1924).
When the Doughboys complained, they complained heavily about their uniforms; read about it here. In 1918 the U.S. Army Service of Supply instituted a salvaging unit near the French city of Tours which employed hundreds of French women and a number of idle "Sammies" in order to eradicate Army waste. It was there that the millions of discarded uniform elements were re-fashioned into other useful items:
"At Tours they evolved a hospital slipper with a sole made from a torn and discarded campaign hat and an upper of O.D cloth cut from anywhere. It was such a good slipper, and easy to make that St. Pierre-des-Corps soon reached quantity production on it." | 
