For some clothing is purely practical, and for others deeply sentimental–like a long-cherished sweater knitted by a loved one. When life is moving quickly, caring for our clothes often ends up a chore or an afterthought–but it might be worth reframing this outlook.
All garments pass through human hands, and represent the sum of countless hours and an enormous number of natural resources.
It’s estimated that the fashion industry uses around 93 billion cubic metres of water per year, which accounts for four per cent of global freshwater extraction. Despite this, one recent study by WRAP found that many of us only use our clothes for an average of 3.3 years before discarding them! They also found that extending the life of even half of our clothes by nine months would result in a five to 10 per cent reduction in each of their carbon, water and waste footprints.
So what can we do about it? I’ve done some research and put together some tips to help you look after the clothes you love. Maybe you’ve got a favourite shirt that’s starting to fade? Or a sweater you hot-washed that now feels a little… snug?
These tips should help you avoid such mishaps, make your clothes last a bit longer, practice responsible resource use, and save a few bucks in the process!
First Stop: Laundry
Generally speaking, we’re washing our clothing more frequently, with more detergent, and at a higher temperature than we need to.
The average modern front-loading washing machine uses at least 50L of water per load. We can save a lot of water by reducing our wash frequency, while also reducing the impact of over-washing on the integrity of our garments.
Dermatologists often suggest this rule of thumb: the garments that get the most consistent close contact with your skin (underwear, socks etc.) are the ones you should be washing regularly. Most pairs of pants can be worn at least four to five times and shirts at least two to three times before washing. Outer layers such as sweaters made from natural fibres like wool (which is naturally resistant to odours and bacteria), and jackets are not intended to be washed frequently, and can comfortably be worn many times.
For those concerned about smells, many items can be aired outside on a clothing rack after use. Promptly addressing stains and spot cleaning can also save garments from lasting damage and unnecessary washes. For most light and white garments, you can pre-treat them using an oxy-powder to remove particularly stubborn stains. Soaking with chemicals like bleach should be avoided as it can be particularly harmful to clothing fibres.
When doing your laundry, your first port of call is your garment care label, which has care instructions based on the dyes and materials used by manufacturers in production. Then it’s worth taking a second to separate your garments by colour and material. Washing red/yellow, dark and white items separately, and turning coloured items inside out before a wash, will help keep colours from fading, and stronger dyes from bleeding and transferring onto other items. Also, washing things with zippers, buttons and tougher materials separately will keep these items from accidentally fraying or tearing more delicate or synthetic fabrics. You can even use something like a guppy bag to protect synthetic materials, which will also keep them from shedding micro-plastics in the wash and polluting waterways. Another critical way to help with colour retention is to wash things in cold water. According to Energy Star, you should be able to save up to 90 percent of the energy your washing machine uses by cold washing, while also saving on your energy bill. Most modern detergents have been engineered to work effectively at low temperatures, and in much lower quantities than you might expect–you should only need a couple of tablespoons of liquid for most conventional loads.
Drying and Storing
So your clothes are clean, what next?
If you’re anything like me and occasionally forget a washing load in the machine, it’s worth noting that the sooner you dry your clothes after a wash, the less chance they will collect wrinkles, mould or mildew.
Clothes dryers are among the most energy intensive domestic appliances, and they can be pretty harsh on clothing fibres when used regularly. We’ve got no shortage of sun in Australia, so it’s worth making a point of drying your clothes on the line as often as you can. Hanging your clothes to dry inside-out in the shade is also a great way to keep particularly colourful garments from fading in direct sunlight.
Knitwear and garments made of materials like wool should be laid flat to air dry, preferably on a rack, to keep them from being pulled out of shape by their own weight when left hanging. Other garments, however, often benefit from a gentle stretch after a wash cycle. Doing this with shirts and jeans while they’re damp and folding them promptly after they’ve dried can help them find their shape again, and keep them from wrinkling.
Clothing generally (and footwear especially) should be stored in a well-ventilated area where it can breathe. Removing the insoles of shoes used during intense sessions of exercise should help to manage any build-up of odour, moisture or bacteria over time.
Wardrobe staples like t-shirts and jeans can be folded and stacked on shelves, but other garments like dresses, button-downs and jackets should be hung with hangers that support their shape. Sweaters and items made of wool should be folded for storage as often as possible to help them retain their shape. If you’re using a closet or wardrobe, homemade lavender bags or cedar-wood blocks are great natural alternatives to synthetic moth balls to help keep pests at bay, and leave your clothes smelling and feeling fresh. Just be mindful that cedar blocks can cause materials like leather to dry out.
Protecting and Repairing
Ironing might be a pretty standard part of your laundry practice, but it can be pretty rough on clothing fibres. Removing an iron from your routine might not sound very practical, but there are other ways to manage wrinkles and creases! You can start with the post-wash tip shared above, or place garments on a hanger in the bathroom when showering–the steam should even out the creases in your clothing before use.
Despite our best efforts, sometimes a button might pop off of a pair of pants, or a hole might appear in a weave. When this happens, mend it, don’t end it! Donating your clothes is a great way to extend their life and keep them from landfill, but research from RMIT has shown donated clothing items that lack buttons or require small repairs are often not re-homed, as many second-hand stores lack the resources and capacity to repair them.
Darning holes into woven items, replacing buttons, and sewing patches into jeans and pants, are all relatively simple and practical things you can learn to do to conserve and continue to make happy use of your clothes. For other items that just aren’t getting enough use, you can always host a clothes swap! Or if you’ve got the know-how to do basic garment repair, get a few friends together to share your knowledge.
Prevention is often the best cure, and the longer you can use your clothes, the less you’ll need to invest in new ones.
With leather or treated shoes, regular conditioning can be a great way to keep them resilient to wear and tear. For outdoor gear, you can use specific laundry liquids to wash and re-treat them for water-resistance every so often. For these items, refer to the manufacturer for the best approach.
Rinse and Repeat!
It’s easy to feel a little helpless when looking at the staggering human and environmental cost of consumer fashion. Our latest Ethical Fashion Report is due to arrive next month, and our research continues to show the responsibility primarily rests with brands to create meaningful change in the fashion industry. But large-scale change can also come from the many small impacts of individual action. Everyone has a part to play in making fashion fairer and more sustainable.
The choices you make to care thoughtfully for your clothing might not seem like they amount to much. In reality though, they show care for the people that crafted the garments you love, and for the planet and the resources we all share. By laundering correctly, storing appropriately and repairing where possible, we can continue to keep our loved clothing items in circulation and out of landfill.