The Complete Clothes Care Guide is here for you.
Properly caring for clothing will make it last longer, extending their lives. This is important for the environment. If we buy less new clothes, it means we are also contributing less waste into the world’s landfills and fashion carbon footprint. However, no matter if it’s brand new or inherited from generation to generation-everyday or special- all garments need just a little care in order for them to serve us longer periods. Additionally it helps save money eventually!
1-Think twice about washing.
Only wash dirty clothes (any garment can be put on more than once without washing). The life of a garment is shortened by washing. Over-washing damages clothes less.
Earth-friendly benefit: You’ll save water and energy.
2- Washing Tips.
First, sort clothes and then observe care labels. Get to know the fabrics you wear.
When washing synthetics – remember they shed microplastics, so wash less frequently.
For more fragile fabrics like silk and linen, wash on delicate cycle.
Wash with cold water and on shorter cycles to save energy. About 90% of the energy the washing machine uses goes towards heating the water. According to the Sierra Club, every household that switches to cold water washing could eliminate about 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Washing clothes on a hot cycle uses 75% more energy than cold water and warm water is also more likely to break down dyes and cause shrinkage.
Wash shirts less often if you wear them with a layer between them and your skin.
Brush suits after every wear to eliminate dust and grime which can damage fabric.
Wash clothing, especially jeans inside out to keep color from fading.
Avoid dryer sheets which can be full of chemicals such as toluene styrene.
Use less detergent. You can use half the prescribed amount with ½ a cup of baking soda to get clothes just as clean.
3- Use earth-friendly detergents.
Use laundry detergent without harmful, petrochemicals. Switch to minimal packaging laundry products and cleaning solutions. The Complete Clothes Care Guide is here for you.
4- Avoid ironing.
Hanging clothes in the bathroom when you take a hot shower will help reshape them.
5-Think twice about dry-cleaning.
The use of Perc perchloroethylene considered to be highly toxic to both human health and the environment is what has been traditionally used in the dry cleaning process. If you have to dry-clean your clothes then you should only consider those dry cleaners who employ environment-friendly cleaning agents. Should you wish to minimize your ecological footprint further, kindly come along with a reusable bag as well as return back to the shop any hanger(s) you may have carried home.
6-Hang clothes properly
Hang on wooden hangers to avoid misshapen shoulders. Fold arms cross-wise over the shoulders. For woolens, avoid hanging and fold instead to avoid sagging.
7-Drip dry.
Hang clothes to dry outdoors on a clothing line or a drying rack.
8-Rotate your clothing.
Change your clothing rotation to reduce wear and tear on individual pieces.
9-Store your clothing properly.
Avoid bacteria and mold by storing fresh clothes in a cool, dry place at the end of a season. To keep them smelling nice, make sure that garments have room to breathe and keep hangers far enough apart. Wooden or cushioned hangers prevent clothes from loosing their shoulder shape. Keep your heavy sweater folded on a shelf so it won’t get stretched out. Unless you want them to fade away, avoid direct sunlight when storing your clothes. Clothes can also be stored in vacuum sealed bags for space efficiency, or garment-storage bags that can protect clothes but allow the fabric to breathe.