Knowing how to make clothes last longer is an important factor when trying to create a more sustainable wardrobe. Prolonging the lifespan of our clothing will allow us to master slow fashion and save money by reducing the amount of clothing we need to buy in our lives.
We’ve all had certain garments that we carelessly threw into the washing machine and dryer, only to find out that it got ruined because we didn’t consider the proper way to wash it.
By not taking care of our clothing, we end up throwing it away, only to wind up in a landfill or incinerated somewhere on the planet.
It’s horrible for the environment considering the pollution clothing creates to get produced, shipped and maintained, only to land somewhere that will cause more pollution.
Not to mention it’s a waste of money that was spent purchasing the clothing. Because of this, it’s crucial for ourselves as well as the environment to ensure our clothes have a long lifespan.
Here are 10 ways to make your clothes last longer.
1. BUY HIGH-QUALITY CLOTHING
Purchasing better quality clothing is an important factor when considering the lifespan of your clothing. Cheap garments won’t last long after repeated washes in the laundry machine and dryer and may be more prone to shrinkage and fading.
Focus clothing that is made with high-quality fabrics such as organic cotton and rayon, and makes sure the seams on the clothing is intact and not fraying.
If the piece of clothing comes with an extra button, that’s another good indication that the garment is well made as it usually means that the designer intends for it to last.
2. DON’T OVER-WASH CLOTHES
Clothes last longer when they aren’t being over-washed. Sweaters you’re wearing over a t-shirt don’t need to be washed after every single wear. The same goes with jeans, skirts, camisoles, and dresses.
Unless the garment is actually soiled with something, they can generally be worn about three times before needing to be cleaned.
Just make sure that you’re hanging these clothes that you’ve worn in order to help freshen it up, avoid wrinkles, and not collect dirt or dust if they were just sitting on the floor.
3. LEARN TO REPAIR YOUR CLOTHES
A little sewing knowledge can go a long way. You don’t need to throw away clothes because a button fell off or there’s a small tear. Be more sustainable with your clothing and learn to fix your clothes so that they last for many years!
4. PROTECT YOUR CLOTHING
Try and prevent dirtying your clothing by wearing protection when doing certain activities. If you’re cooking, wear an apron to prevent food or possible stains on your clothing.
You should also protect expensive pieces of clothing that you don’t wear often like suits or fancy dresses in a garment bag when storing in the closet to help preserve them.
Stains can be a death sentence for clothing, so by taking precautions in advance, you’re ensuring that your clothes will last that much longer.
5. USE A LAUNDRY BAG FOR DELICATES
Mesh bags for certain types of clothing like lingerie and delicate fabrics are important for ensuring that the clothes last longer.
Underwear can easily get caught in other pieces of clothing or on zippers which may cause them to become damaged and ultimately thrown out.
Reusable mesh bags are also great to put all your small items in like your underwear as well as socks to make it easier to sort afterwards. Using a mesh laundry bag will help make sure your clothes don’t get ruined.
6. ZIP & BUTTON UP TO PREVENT DAMAGE
Speaking of zippers, in order to reduce the possibility of damaged clothing when washing them, zip up your sweaters and jeans before tossing them in the laundry machine.
The same goes with buttons. By doing this, you’re reducing the chance that your clothes will get caught or tangled and damaging your clothing.
Ensuring your clothing remains undamaged is an important factor for having clothes that last a long time.
7. FOLLOW WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
Clothing doesn’t come with laundry instructions on their tags for nothing. It’s extremely important to read these tags in order to learn how to wash each piece of clothing to ensure the garment’s lifespan is a long one.
Certain pieces of clothing need to be hanged to dry, or tossed in the dryer on a gentle setting. Maybe something can only be hand-washed.
You don’t want to take a piece of clothing out of the washer or dryer just to realize that it shrunk, faded or lost its softness. There’s no going back after that.
8. DON’T STUFF THE LAUNDRY MACHINE
You definitely don’t want to wash with a small amount of clothes because it’s a waste of energy and water, but you also don’t want to put too much clothes in your laundry machine.
If the laundry machine is stuffed too tight, it won’t wash your clothes properly. Also, the clothes will rub up against each other which may damage and fade your garments.
You should also be washing your clothes in cold water to prevent fading, shrinking and stains from setting in. It’s also more eco-friendly to wash in cold water regardless since it takes less energy.
9. WASH CLOTHING INSIDE OUT
To reduce fading and preserve prints from cracking, turn your clothing inside out prior to throwing them in the laundry machine.
Although it may seem tedious having to turn them back out after they’re dried, it will help make certain types of clothes last longer such as shirts with text or designs on them.
10. HANG CLOTHES TO DRY
Hanging your clothes to dry on a clothesline or clothes rack is a great way to preserve its quality and therefore extend its lifespan. It will also help reduce wrinkles and shrinking that could possibly happen from the dryer.
It’s also a better alternative because you’re saving energy by not using a drying machine.
When you are using the dryer, use eco-friendly wool dryer balls to shorten the drying time and reduce wrinkles in clothing.
