It’s never been a question of whether the garments can handle it, it’s a question of respect. Culturally (at least in north america) for whatever reason there are negative connotations associated with putting things on the floor. For all I know, there are cultures where the floor is more highly esteemed, and so a rule against putting things there would make little sense in those places. As far as I can see, it’s the same as with rules associated with treatment of the national flag. No, it will not disintegrate if it touches the ground, and nobody will know the difference, but we disrespect the institution represented by the flag when we knowingly let it touch the ground, or so the story goes. I guess I don’t have a problem with that, but I can see where some people, on either side of the issue, might see a problem. Fortunately, unlike (some) body piercings, whether or not you throw your garments on the floor will not come to the attention of the rest of the church, so you can do whatever makes sense to you without fear of reprisal.
