I have been going through my stash and I can tell a difference between my printed cottons and flannels. The older fabrics are heavier and a nicer hand. I haven't worked with my batiks long enough to notice a different.
It's unfortunate that fabric quality has lessened over the years. A number of our local shops closed during and after the pandemic. I have to drive an hour to my nearest shop. I do a road trip every summer to visit new and favorite quilt shops in my state. I try to shop from them online as much as possible. However, I usually shop on the sale pages.