How to keep your clothes looking like new?

One of the most important aspects of sustainable fashion is to acknowledge how we, as customers, can contribute to reduced textile waste generated each year. By simply adopting some fabric care practices and using the right products, you can not only extend the lifecycle of your clothing but also keep them looking and feeling like new for longer.

This means that you no longer need to buy the same white, blue, and black basics every year, and instead revive the ones sitting already in your wardrobe until they finally reach the end of their lifespan. Sounds interesting, right? Let’s get started!

1. WASH LESS OFTEN

Laundering has a much bigger impact on the lives of your fabrics than you’d typically expect. When you wash your clothing too often, it leads to fading, fabric pilling, fraying, holes, and much more… and no one wants that!

So, what’s the best way to reduce this impact? Simply start doing lesser laundry (duh!). For example, if you wore a shirt for only an hour or half, and did not sweat or soil it heavily, it may not need to be tossed in the washing machine. Instead, hang it, button the neck, middle, and bottom buttons and air it out for some hours. Then, put it back in the closet.

Now, the next case. Maybe you didn’t wear a piece of clothing for long but accidentally spilled a drop of coffee or food on it. Instead of washing the complete garment, use spot treatments to treat the affected area only. This way, you can get a nice, clean, and fresh garment to yourself, without letting it going through the excessive rough and tumble of the washer.

If your clothing truly has a lot of soiling, perspiration, or sweat accumulated in it, it’s time to give it a go in the laundry machine and the sooner you do it, the better. Dirt and sweat can cause the fabrics to deteriorate faster than washing. This is why your uniforms, work clothes, kids’ clothes, activewear, bath towels, bedding etc. should be washing frequently.

2. STAY CAUTIOUS

Taking care of your clothes starts long before they go into the washing machine. For example, when you use smocks or aprons while cooking, it reduces your chances of getting food stains on your clothing.

Similarly, when your kids are eating staining foods like red-sauce pasta, or tomato soup etc. give them a napkin (make it seem like a cool thing to wear!). These small habits can go a long way in prolonging the lifespan of your fabrics.

3. REMOVE BOBBLES

Bobbles or pills are the pesky little balls of fibre, clinging to the surface of your clothing. It is essential to remove bobbles and fabric pilling from your fabrics as it can transfer quickly to other items in the washer, dryer, or even closet.

One of the best lint remover powders for cotton clothing is BIORESTORE Re-Tergent. It works in the washing machine, so you don’t have to spend hours and hours on manually depilling the garments. Plus, it’s sustainable for both your wardrobe and the environment.

For clothing made of other fabrics like silk, wool, and linen etc. you can use a fabric shaver or an old razor for cutting off the pills one-by-one. But it’s important to stay cautious during the process to avoid any snags, cuts, or holes.

4. STORE PROPERLY

Make sure that your clothes are stored properly in the closet. Ideally, the fabrics should not be too crammed, and there should be some ventilation, otherwise your clothing can get mildew or start smelling weird after a certain period of time.

Store hats and other accessories on shelves in separate boxes to prevent crushing and denting. Same goes for your shoes and footwear. Shoe trees can also be placed inside to ensure that your footwear retains its shape even after years of purchasing them.

Put away gloves in a flat space, ideally a drawer or a box. For coloured gloves, place a piece of cloth or tissue paper next to them, so you never accidentally transfer colour to other gloves.

5. USE A MILD DETERGENT

Traditional heavy-duty detergents are packed with harmful ingredients like phosphates, sulphates, optical brighteners, and even bleaches (in some cases). While these laundry powders do a great job in getting rid of stains, soiling, and any other dirt from your clothing – they can also pose serious harm to the tensile strength of your garments in the longer run.

Typically, liquid detergents are gentler than powdered ones and can dissolve effectively in cold water temperatures. Some detergents with labels like “gentle”, “mild”, “sulphate-free”, “ecofriendly”, “bleach free” etc. can also be a good choice for your wardrobe.

For a smart choice of laundry detergent that’s gentle on clothes, but tough on pilling and bobbles, BIORESTORE cotton is a great choice. Also, it’s only made of only six essential ingredients – all of which are sustainable and ecofriendly, whilst leaving any unnecessary fragrances, bleaches or optical brighteners out of the mix.

6. AVOID THE MACHINE DRIER

Tumble-driers or machine-driers are time-saving and convenient for sure, but they are not the best thing for your fabric upkeep and maintenance. The aggressive spinning force in these driers can result in fading, fabric pilling, and many other issues. This is why occasionally opting for air drying is essential to retain the appearance, texture, and structure of your clothing.

If you are lucky enough to have some outdoor space for drying your clothes, simply take a couple of clothespins and hang your fabrics neatly away from direct sunlight. Otherwise, you can use a drying rack just as easily. Once dried, fold your clothing neatly and put it back in the closet.

7. INVEST IN TIMELESS PIECES

The concept of “fast fashion” has completely transformed the way people buy and take care of their clothing. Instead of investing in high-quality classics, every one of us (almost) is tempted to indulge in trendy pieces with extremely short lifespans.

For example, some of the cotton tees that I bought just last year are now a shabby mess while the ones I bought many years ago still look as good as the day I first bought them. Even if I notice any lint or fabric pilling on the latter, I use BIORESTORE cotton to revive their vibrancy and handfeel in only one home laundry wash. Talk about low maintenance, huh!? To really get the most out of your wardrobe, it’s essential to look for timeless fabrics with high quality. Remember, when it comes to fabric care, quality always beats quantity.