Make your clothes last longer – what’s in it for the environment, and for you?

By making our clothes last as long as possible we are creating multiple benefits. From a personal point of view, we get to keep clothes that we love in our wardrobe for a longer time. Meaning that jumper you bought ten years ago can still look great and feel cosy for more years to come. By caring for what we have, we also avoid the need to shop so often. This saves money, time and for a lot of us, the stress of shopping.

In terms of the environmental benefits, keeping our clothes in good condition means that we are consuming less. This is always good for the environment – less shopping means less production. The fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, takes a huge toll on the planet’s resources. So anything we can do to reduce this impact is a positive step.

Make your clothes last longer – washing

The washing process can be harsh on clothes and on the environment. But making some small changes to the way we approach laundry day can make a big difference to our clothes’ lifespan and to our environmental impact.

Wash items less often

A lot of items don’t need washing after every wear, and washing items less often can extend their life. Now, I’m not talking about underwear and socks or your sweaty gym gear. But if you can hang your jeans or jumper by an open window overnight you might find that’s enough to get another day (or two) of wear out of them.

Wash cool

The simplest way to make clothes last longer is to wash at a cool temperature. 40 degrees has been the norm for so long that a lot of us just wash at that temperature without thinking. But in reality, the combination of modern washing machines and detergents makes washing at 30 degrees just as effective as at 40. Washing at cooler temperatures is gentler on our clothes, making them last longer. But that’s not all – washing at 30 degrees instead of 40 saves energy, which is good for the environment and for your wallet.

Hang clothes out to dry to help them last longer

I am so guilty of not doing this! As a family, we don’t own that many white items. So washing my children’s sports socks and my husband’s two white shirts feels wasteful. 

But if we want our clothes to be looking fresh and new for as long as possible, sorting them is a good move. I’m going to start with separating colours from lights & whites. But in an ideal world we should be washing darks, brights, lights and whites separately.

Read fabric care labels

Use a gentler detergent (and less of it)

By choosing a detergent with fewer harsh chemicals, you can give your clothes more life whilst also protecting aquatic life and the planet as a whole. Many new, sustainable detergents use enzymes or natural ingredients to get your clothes clean and fresh and are also more concentrated. This means you can use less and still get the same results.

Use a delicates bag to help make your clothes last longer

To avoid delicate items like underwear getting caught on the inside of your machine or on bigger items, consider buying a delicates bag. These mesh bags come in a variety of sizes and keep your delicates handily zipped away and protected. Using a delicates bag also makes the hanging process a lot quicker, as it keeps all your small, fiddly items together rather than tangled up or lost at the back of the drum. Some bags also collect fibres and microplastics that are shed from clothes when they are washed, like the GUPPYFRIEND.

Spot-clean stains and marks

Rather than washing a whole garment just because you dripped a bit of dinner on yourself, try spot cleaning. A lot of marks will easily sponge out when they’re still fresh. This means you can keep wearing the item for the rest of the day and avoid washing until it really needs cleaning.

Short wash, gentle spin

By putting your clothes on a short wash (an hour or less) and with a gentler spin, you can protect them from unnecessary wear and tear. You might find that they take a little longer to dry if they’ve not been spun as hard. But on a windy or sunny day this shouldn’t make too much of a difference. If you’re drying indoors, try laying a towel underneath your drying rack to absorb any excess drips.

Wait until you have a full load, but not too full

From an environmental perspective, washing a full load of clothes rather than half loads is best. But be careful not to over-stuff your washing machine. This can damage your clothes, reduce the cleaning effect and shorten the life of your machine, too.

Wash inside-out to make your clothes last longer and avoid fading

Darker items in particular can benefit from this approach. By turning them inside-out before washing, you avoid fading whilst reducing the likelihood of colour transferring onto other items.

But actually, turning everything inside-out before you wash it will help make your clothes last longer, regardless of colour. Washing inside-out protects any printed patterns or sewn-on embellishments from damage. It also means that buttons and zips are less likely to get caught on other items and either be ripped off or tear another garmen