How to Make Your Clothing Last Longer (and Be Kind to the Environment)
Clothing is expensive! Here are ideas for making solid purchase decisions and care tips for longevity.
Let’s start with the purchase. Purchasing items made from natural fibers and materials ensures they will stand the test of time. Look for cotton, silk, wool and leather. Items in these fabrics are more expensive in the short term, but in the long term they are the better investment.
100% cotton t-shirts and jeans will last far longer than similar items with added synthetic fibers. Silk blouses will outshine polyester and acetate in just a few cleaning cycles. Merino and cashmere wool items can last a lifetime when cared for properly. Real leather belts, shoes, jackets and handbags not only elevate your outfit, but can be refurbished many times. Additionally, all these items will be worth more at resale if you choose to sell them at some point and are compostable (minus added hardware).
Tips to Care for Your Investment
Laundering:
Read and follow the garment care labels
Separate your clothes by color, wash colors and darks inside out to stop fading and wear
Wash on cold (or tap-cold). Today’s detergents are formulated to work superbly in room temp or cold water
Use the purest dye- and scent-free detergent possible, and only use the amount of detergent needed for the load
Use your washer’s specialty cycles for delicates, silk and wool
Presoak dingy white t-shirts for a couple of hours in an oxygenated whitener, then wash accordingly. They will look like new!
Dry to damp on medium heat or, better yet, hang to dry
Clean your dryer lint screen with every load, this will shorten the drying time
Wear denim, sweaters, and jackets multiple times before washing. Invest in lightweight cotton tees to wear under your sweaters to keep them fresh longer
Swap distilled vinegar for synthetic liquid softeners and single-use dryer sheets
Toss two or three wool dryer balls into the dryer to speed up drying time, fight wrinkles, prevent static and soften clothes. And when they need replacing, just toss them into your compost
Invest in a sweater depiller
Dry-clean only when necessary. Ask for a reusable bag vs a plastic dust cover; never store clothing in plastic bags
Leather goods care:
Clean salt and debris from shoes immediately
Find a good shoe repair
Recondition your Birkenstocks. We have the #1 US Birkenstock shoe repair right here in Chicagoland!
Evaluate your shoes for wear and tear at the end of every season. If you wait until the beginning of the season, you will be waiting to be able to wear your items
All the above and much more can be found in our Tips & Tricks for Sustainable Living. We hope this helps you reach our recommended goal of adapting one new sustainable habit each month. The Environmental Action Committee meets on the second Monday of each month at 4:30 pm—join us!