By Anjalee Madugalle It’s one thing to purchase clothing made to last, but there are many other things you can do to make them durable. For advice on how to care for our garments, we decided to research designers’ and dry cleaners’ advice and share them here. The most important lesson we learned was to first and foremost appreciate what we wear, accessorising with enthusiasm rather than worry about ruining them.   

1. Wash your clothes less often

  Before you wash your clothes, think about the fact that the longevity of clothing can be reduced by washing it too frequently. This is particularly true of dry cleaning, which employs hazardous chemicals that cause some materials’ natural fibre follicles to flatten. Try hanging your clothing outside or in a hot bathroom to breathe first, especially if an item doesn’t need to be cleaned but simply needs to be freshened up.  

2. Don’t wash with hot water

  When it’s time to wash your garments, don’t use hot water. According to experts, washing clothes at a moderate temperature with a mild laundry detergent will keep the fabric soft and clean while also preventing colour loss. Washing at 30°C or below helps to reduce those emissions while also protecting your clothing. For an average shirt that lasts over a year, 80% of the emissions created during the ‘in-use’ stage of its life cycle are from washing and tumble drying. Underwear, bed linen, and towels – material that comes into direct touch with your skin – may be the exceptions and require a higher temperature wash.  

3. Pay attention to care labels

  Different methods of laundry are required for various materials. For instance, wool should only be hand washed or gently machine washed when absolutely necessary, with a wool-specific detergent. Also, delicate materials like cashmere and silk should be properly cared for because they are particularly susceptible to damage from strong chemicals and heat. Pay close attention to the label’s directions, which provide information on the highest recommended temperature at which you should wash an item (rather than the recommended temperature). The label could also just say “dry clean only”.  

4. Reduce dry cleaning

  Due to the additional work required to clean the item, so many choose not to purchase a garment that is labelled as “dry clean only.” However, the majority of sensitive items with this label can be washed on moderate, lower temperature cycles (unless the item has details that might become damaged in the washing machine). Dry cleaning is a very chemically demanding technique that harms the environment, the fibres of textiles, and the skin of customers. If dry cleaning is the only choice for a garment, you can use this cleaning method sparingly.  

5. Wash inside out and air dry

  Another helpful suggestion is to wash clothing inside out and to avoid overfilling the machine because this can cause friction and damage the fibres. When you bring your clean clothes in from the washing line, nothing compares to the scent of newly laundered, air-dried clothing. In addition to smelling great, air drying is healthier for the environment and your clothes than tumble drying, which consumes a lot of energy to operate and may also harm some fibres. Instead, brush out your clothing and hang it on a drying rack, a laundry line, or hangers so they can air dry. More importantly, pay attention to the labels on your clothing because some items, like woollen sweaters, may dry more effectively laid flat.  

6. Store properly

  Proper storage can significantly increase the longevity of a garment. To avoid damaging dampness, sunshine, and heat, store all of your clothing in a cool, dry place. Before storing your clothes, make sure they are clean because surface dirt and dust might draw insects. To further protect your knitwear from moths, try storing them with lavender or insect balls. It’s crucial to keep your closet from becoming overstuffed because clothing needs breathing room. By doing so, you’ll also avoid colour fading and wrinkles caused by clothing rubbing against one another. Also, use wooden or padded hangers while hanging clothes to further prevent clothing from deforming. [foogallery id="215796"]