Clothing care has become something of a lost art. Many of us would struggle to recall the last time we gave a winter coat a good brush or sewed a loose button back on, if we’ve ever done it at all. Clothing has become so cheap and abundant it barely seems worth taking the time to care for it – after all a replacement could cost just a few pounds.
But the cost of constantly buying new adds up. In 2023, spending on clothes in the UK reached a record £63.7bn. And it costs the planet too. In 2021, around 711,000 tonnes of used textiles were discarded in the household bin – that’s around 35 items per person per year, a devastating waste of all the natural resources, non-renewable materials, and skilled labour that went into each item.
If we’re to tackle both wasteful fashion habits and wasteful spending, clothing care needs to make a comeback. Here’s how to keep your clothes in top condition for years:
Know your washing symbols
Fifty-nine per cent of Brits can’t correctly identify basic clothes washing symbols, which can lead to all sorts of garment-ruining disasters, from shrinking your favourite jumper on a hot wash to burning through a silk blouse with an iron. If that square with a circle in it means nothing to you, find a laundry symbol guide online and save it to your phone or print it and stick it above your washing machine.
Always wash according to the label
Once you know what all the symbols mean, it’s crucial to wash your clothes accordingly. Different fibres, colours, and garment types need different types of care. For instance, chucking a fine merino knit that’s labelled handwash only in the machine could cause it to shrink. A quick label check can save a lot of heartache.
Wash less
“Most clothes don’t get worn out, they get washed out,” says Frej Lewenhaupt, chief executive and co-founder of clothing care accessories brand Steamery. “Washing your clothes too often and in the wrong way will make them lose their shape and quality.”
Rather than throwing your clothes in the washing basket after every wear, Lewenhaupt recommends steaming in between washes to remove wrinkles and kill odour-causing bacteria. “You can also freshen up a garment by airing it outside overnight,” she says. If it’s raining, try popping it in the bathroom while you’re in the shower to make use of the steam.
Ditch the tumble dryer
Tumble drying is often the most energy intensive part of laundering, and it may be one of the leading sources of microfibre air pollution. Alongside the environmental impact, tumble drying can lead to shrinkage, fading and accelerated wear and tear. “Air drying is the gentlest way to dry your garments,” says Lewenhaupt.
Treat stains quickly
As many as 29 per cent of us have thrown out a garment just because it has a stain. But stains don’t have to spell the end. “One of the worst things you can do when it comes to tackling stains is waiting too long to treat them. The longer you wait, the more time the stain has to set into the fabric, making it much harder to remove,” says Lewenhaupt.
If you can’t wash right away, she suggests placing a damp cloth or napkin over the stained area to keep it moist, and warns against rubbing as that will push the stain deeper into the fibres and can damage the fabric. Remember to always test stain removing products on an inconspicuous area such as an inside seam before use.
Repair, don’t replace
A study by WRAP revealed that repair adds 1.3 years to the life of a garment on average. Everything from burns, holes, and unravelling seams, to broken zips can be fixed at home. Repair What You Wear is a brilliant online resource for those who are new to sewing, with tutorials for everything from repairing gym leggings to mending knitwear. And if you don’t fancy picking up a needle and thread, professional services like The Seam and Sojo can come to the rescue.
Store your clothes carefully
Proper storage goes a long way in keeping clothes looking good for longer. Knits should be folded rather than hung up as they can droop and stretch out of shape on hangers. For clothes that can be hung safely, avoid using overly wide hangers as they can stretch out the shoulders and create bulges in the fibre. The end of the hanger should end at around the shoulder seam of the garment. Equally, try not to use tiny children’s size hangers too, especially on tailored items like coats and blazers which benefit from support.
Placing cedar or lavender in your wardrobe is an effective, natural way to keep moths at bay. Regularly opening all draws and doors and having a good dust and hoover will help too, as moths like dust and dirt. For long-term seasonal storage, Lewenhaupt recommends a spot with low humidity to prevent mould growth. “Places like attics or a heated garage are great for seasonal storage,” she says, though don’t place clothes too close to a heat source. Using airtight boxes or bags will keep bugs at bay.
Buy wool, cotton and linen
Clothing care is important for longevity but some fast fashion pieces are made to such low standards you’re fighting a losing battle, so give yourself a head start by opting for quality from the get-go. “Choose your clothes like you choose your friends. You want them to be as beautiful on the inside as the outside,” says Andrea Cheong, author of Why Don’t I Have Anything To Wear?, and host of the Fashion our Future podcast. After looking for any glaring signs such as snags, wonky seams or holes, she suggests turning a garment inside out to have a look at the quality of the construction. “If you wouldn’t wear it inside out, something’s off about it,” she says.
A gentle tug of the seams is another must according to Cheong. If they come apart easily, if there are any loose threads, or if you can see the stitch holes, give it a miss.
Both Cheong and Lewenhaupt list the use of 100 per cent natural fibres such as wool, cotton, and linen as a sign of quality. When synthetics are mixed in, Cheong says it’s a hint that the brand is using lower quality fabrics and trying to artificially add the lacking durability. Flimsy body con dresses which are reliant on elastic are a particular pet peeve for the author. “They don’t wash well,” she says. “Plastics don’t do well in the heat, and over time they wear down and warp.”
Sidestep the flimsy synthetics and look out for sturdy heavyweight fabrics, natural fibres, and fits that rely more on good quality garment construction than synthetic-based stretch.
Get to know your clothes
“It’s so easy with fashion to be tempted by the constant churn of new styles and colours and to lose sight of what you’re actually likely to enjoy wearing regularly,” says PhD researcher and designer Wendy Ward who, for the past year has been adding a stitch to her clothes every time she wears them.
In doing so, Ward says she’s spending more time with her clothes and looking at them in far more detail, which not only allows her to reflect on how they make her feel but is a great way to spot would-be stains or damage to fix before they become a bigger issue.
“When I take time to sew a stitch into a garment, I’m looking at … the things you don’t really pay attention to when wearing your clothes,” Ward says. Regularly checking in with, inspecting, and auditing clothing builds a relationship of sorts, so clothing stops being a fleeting addition to wardrobes and becomes something worth investing in and caring for.