In today's fast paced fashion industry the durability of clothes is suffering. Fast fashion taught us to buy something new when it's out of trend or broken. But what can we do to make our wardrobe more durable and hold on to our favorite pieces for longer? Investing into sustainable and vintage clothes makes sense only if you also care for the items appropriately, to make sure they can last a lifetime. In this blogpost we want to give you five tips to take better care of your favorite wardrobe pieces and therefore make them more durable.
1. Consider the nature of the fabric and the necessity to wash
This one might be obvious, but consider your washing schedule and reflect if it is really needed to wash the items. For example, pants and jumpers don't need to be washed as frequently. Further it is important to consider the fabric of the clothes. For instance, wool is self-cleaning because of the lanolin it contains. Consider spraying certain items to give them a quick and more sustainable cleanse like with a mix of vodka and water. It disinfects and kills bacteria.
2. The Washing and drying
The colder you wash the kinder for the planet and clothing. Fabrics can be destroyed or can stretch when washing on higher cycles (for example merino wool). Also think about not overloading the machine, as that leads to wrinkled clothes and can even make holes into the clothing. Try washing certain items inside out to avoid fading.
When it comes to drying it is no secret that drying in fresh air is more sustainable and suitable for most clothes. Also certain items like wool need to dry flat to remain their shape and comfort.
3. Consider a delicates bag or a guppy friend
Delicate bags make sure your delicates are washed with extra care and don't break too quickly while washing. The guppy friend even takes it to a new sustainable level and filters the microplastic from polyester items to prevent it going into our groundwater. If you don't want to spend that money on a delicate bag, consider using a cushion cover. When washing it in a laundry bag, the item stays in shape, but also keeps the item safe from buttons and hooks (so it won’t damage)
4. Invest in a good Fabric Shaver
This little gadget makes wearing wool much easier and fun, and you will wear your wool items more often, as the wool looks nicer without the pilling. As you know, after a couple uses wool items tend to pill. Through washing you will not get rid of the pills, you need a clothing piller. Easily and quickly done your sweaters, pants or tops will look as new. We use the one from Steamery.
5. Invest in good hangers and know how to store clothing
Consider how you store your clothing. While it is better for sweaters to be folded, it is better for blazers and dresses to hang them up. Investing in proper hangers can also retain the shape of your clothes. Avoid hanging items in the sun or in an open space, they will dust and fade. Maybe also good to hide some cedar balls to prevent the items from moths.