The fashion world is one of the biggest contributors to polluting our mother earth. The fast-fashion manufacturing process leads to carbon emission, textile dump, water pollution, running down of natural resources, and what not increased detergent and dry cleaning products. All these industries are dependent on one another which is ultimately destroying our environment at a very fast rate.
Care for clothes
So how can we do our bit in encouraging sustainability and protecting “Earth” from all these dangerous aspects? One sensible step towards this correcting measure is to take care of your blank apparel for enhanced durability and maintained quality.
1. Know your fabrics
When doing laundry by ourselves, we mostly overlook the given labels and load our washing machines with opposite fabric. Knowing your fabric lets you keep it for a longer time. It helps in analyzing the correct wash cycle, detergent powder, and the required drying environment. Some fabrics are much more durable than others, while some fabrics need to be washed gently and preferably by hand. It’s a better practice to wash similar types of fabric altogether than mixing up all different types of fabric. Always buy fabric that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. This way you won’t pile up your closet with an unnecessary bundle of clothes that you will probably never wear.
2. Wash Less
This may sound unhygienic to over enthusiast cleanliness freaks but, not all clothes need to be washed after every wear. In fact, washing your clothes unnecessarily reduces their durability. It destroys the color and fabric strength every time you wash your clothes. Some clothes like jeans, for example, were specifically invented for multiple wears without washing. You can wear your winter clothes multiple times without washing. It keeps their fabric intact and keeps them warm and cozy. Whereas, washing them often breaks their fabric and they lose their warmth. Even most of the summer clothes can be worn a couple of times without washing. You just need to dry them out properly. You can simply increase the life of your clothes by assessing their actual need for washing.
3. Wash at low temperatures
Washing your clothes at low temperature or more precisely with cold water is a good practice. Hot water damages your clothes ‘ fabric and color dye drastically. Fabric loses its texture resulting in loose-fitting, faded color, and degraded fabric quality. Most of the good quality brands attach a prescribed wash temperature label for the long life of clothes. Moreover, washing clothes at low temperatures saves energy and protects your clothes from wearing out quickly.
4. Pay attention to care labels
Not paying attention to care labels is a common practice among almost everyone. These care labels help us in determining the fabric requirements for wash, dry, and ironing. Every cloth needs different care depending upon its fabric, color, dye, and strength. If you want to treasure your favorite clothes forever, then never overlook the care labels. Following the instructions will surely keep your clothes in wearable conditions for a longer time.
5. Rinse after taking a dip
Never put your clothes in the washing machine directly after you go swimming. Whether you go for a saltwater swim or the one with chlorine, always rinse your clothes in warm water (please note not to use hot water). The chemicals in the swimming pool water damage your swimwear and other clothes if put together for a wash. Always wash these clothes separately or wash them by hand if possible. Use a liquid detergent to get rid of chemicals or minerals present in pools or seawater that can damage your swimwear.
Must Read –Creative Tips for the Perfect Bath Bomb Packaging
6. Mend your clothes
A lot of people throw away their brand new clothes or stop wearing them; because of some minor defect or damage. To encourage sustainability, you must mend your clothes if possible. A little thread pulls out or a minor hole can be mended by a tailor. It’s a good practice to fix it, rather than throw it away. You always have the option of alteration if your clothes no longer fit you. You need to be a little creative to fit in your favorite clothes for that matter. Try every possible option before dumping away. If nothing seems to work, donate these clothes to the needy ones.
7. Avoid Dryers
Since the invention of dryers, we are more likely to use these electronic machines to ease out our work. However, some particular fabric needs to be dry naturally out in shade. Drying clothes often reduce their elasticity. The multiple clothes put together in the dryer increase friction and loosen up the fiber too. Stick to natural air drying wherever possible. You will yourself notice the difference in the quality of your clothes after practicing this hack.
8. Store your clothing right
You may be doing all the things right while washing or drying your clothes, but one big factor to increase the life of your clothes is to store them correctly. Some particular clothes need to be stored in dry and moisture-free places. Silk, woolen fabrics need special care. Always use hangers to store the clothes you wear often without washing them frequently. This helps them to air dry naturally and let the fabric breathe properly. Store similar kinds of fabrics together. Never keep your winter or summer clothes in capsules without washing. This will ruin your clothes. The unseen sweat and dirt leave stains on your clothes.
9. Fold clothes along the seams
Maybe you never got to notice this little hack but folding clothes along the seams to keep them neat and well managed. This hack will surely save your time by decreasing unwanted creases. This saves your clothes from high-temperature heat during ironing. Be a responsible human being, by contributing your bit towards energy conservation wherever possible. It is a need of time.
10. Use a pilling brush or comb
Lint is certainly the one thing we don’t want at all. It ruins the overall look and makes our fabric look old and worn out. However, lint does not count the life of your clothes. Sometimes friction with other clothes while wearing or washing causes the fibers to shed off a bit. This accumulation of fibers appears as a little bundle of lint on your woolens most often.
Several lint remover machines and pilling brushes are available now to remove lint. These brushes and removers work very efficiently without damaging your clothes. The final results are quite impressive. It’s a better move towards sustainability too.
[…] How To Care for Your clothes […]