How To Take Care Of Your Clothes So They Will Last Longer

With the average lifetime for a clothing garment, just 2.2 years; and an estimated $140 million worth of clothing ending up in landfills each year – taking good care of your clothes has never been more important.

Keeping your clothes for longer can help to dramatically reduce the emissions that occur during a piece of clothing’s life cycle; extending the active life of a piece of clothing by just nine months can significantly reduce its environmental impact, while the emissions of a piece of clothing can be reduced by 24% over the year by doubling its useful life from one to two years. Here are some of the tips on how you can take care of your clothes so they will last longer:

  1. Wash Less

Think twice before washing your clothes. “Washing garments too often can actually cause damage to the fibers and hence decrease the lifespan,” explains Chris Morton, head seamstress at Clothes Doctor. “This is especially true with dry cleaning, which uses harmful chemicals that flatten the natural fiber follicles in some fabrics.”

If an item is not dirty but just needs freshening up, rather than slinging it in the wash bin, try hanging it outside or in a steamy bathroom to breathe first.

  1. Wash at low temperatures

When the time does come to do a clothes wash, wash at lower temperatures.  “Wash clothes at a low temperature with a gentle and natural laundry detergent to keep the fabric clean and soft, and also to prevent color fading,” advises Morton.  For an average shirt over a year, 80% of the emissions produced during the ‘in-use’ stage of its life cycle are from washing and tumble drying – washing at 30 degrees or less helps to reduce those emissions, while also protecting your clothes. The exceptions might be items that are in close contact with your skin, such as underwear, bedding, and towels – which may need a higher temperature wash.

  1. Check the Care Label

Different materials need different approaches to laundering. Wool, for instance, should only be washed when absolutely needed, using a specific wool detergent on a gentle cycle or handwash. “It is important to properly care for delicate fabrics such as cashmere and silk, which are particularly vulnerable to damage by harsh chemicals and heat,” says Morton. Pay careful attention to the instructions on the label, which advise you on the maximum recommended temperature an item should be washed at (rather than the recommended temperature).  Unless that is, the label says dry clean only.

  1. Cut down on Dry Cleaning

One in three consumers avoids buying a garment that says dry clean only on the label thanks to the extra effort involved in cleaning the item. But actually, the most delicate items labeled as ‘dry-clean only’ can be washed on gentle, lower temperature cycles (unless the item has details that might become damaged in the washing machine). 

Dry cleaning is a highly chemical-intensive process that has negative environmental impacts and can have a negative effect on textiles fibers and consumers’ skin.   Where dry cleaning is the only option for the garment, look for environmentally friendly cleaners offering non-toxic and ‘eco’ cleaning services