Caring For Your Clothes

It’s about taking care of them for the next person who will wear them.

According to our friends at Fashion Revolution, 25 per cent of the carbon footprint of a garment comes from the way we care for it. It makes sense: by taking better care of your clothes, they’ll be up for replacement and repair less often.

The tips?

HANDLE WITH CARE

Go for lower washing temperatures and wash less often. Throwing your clothes in the machine might feel like an easy win, but subjecting them to the spin cycle on the regular isn’t in their best interests. It’s literal wear and tear on your clothes. And, if you can’t wash the garment, place it in a freezer bag for at least 10 days. Works a treat for denim and cashmere. Go for a green laundry detergent and, if you have to dry-clean, look for an eco-friendly cleaner (one who isn’t keen on perchloroethylene). Store your clothes away from direct sunlight and somewhere safe from mould.

FIBRE OPTICS

Wash your denim rarely and, when you do, wash it inside out. Be sure to close off zips and buttons. Cotton is prone to shrinking, so always wash on a cold cycle. Only wash wool when absolutely necessary – and even then, try the freezer first. If you are going to wash, go for a gentle hand wash using a wool wash detergent. If your silk is pre-washed, it’s fine to go in the machine but be sure to protect it with a wash bag and send it through on a delicate cycle. Same same with lingerie. And when it comes to synthetics, like acrylic, nylon or polyester, make sure to wash them with a Cora Ball or a Guppy Friend to keep microfibres out of our water system.

INDULGE IN SOME R&R

Repair and restore as much as possible. How? Either learn how to resew lost buttons and repair tears yourself, or make nice with your local alteration store. You’ll be friends in no time. Afterall, you’ll need them when you want to turn those jeans into shorts, too. To restore shine to your silks, hand- wash in 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to 3.5 litres of water. For stains, if in doubt, wash with white vinegar. When it comes to your whites, throw in some baking soda and lemon and leave them to soak before putting them through the cycle.

UPCYCLING YOUR CLOTHES
Why not transform your beloved jeans into shorts? Get creative with upcycling tutorials online. Even better? We hear tie-dye is B-A-C-K! Once you start you can't stop... here's how.

All things considered...