A few ways to make your clothes last longer
I’m standing in H&M and there’s a giant poster on the wall encouraging people to recycle and repurpose their clothes.
Could the fast fashion brands finally be waking up to the fact our throw away culture is getting us nowhere? I hope so. The environment is suffering, our bank balances our suffering and we’re spending more time than ever pounding high street pavements or worse getting sucked into an online browse-a-thon.
The longer our clothes last the less we have to buy. The less we buy the more money we have spare, the more time we have to spend living instead of shopping and the less strain we put on the environment. The waste we’re creating is out of control. ecent stats reveal that 53 million tonnes of clothes are produced globally each year, of which 87% ends up in land fill.
Here are a few ways we can all make our clothes last longer
Buy quality to begin with
Trying to get three years wear out of a £2 t shirt is like trying to make it across the Atlantic in a old rubber dingy. Never spend more than you can afford but do have an honest conversation with yourself about how spending a little bit more upfront might benefit you. How might life be better if your clothes lasted longer?
To a certain extent we get what we pay for and it’s important to remember that we’re always paying for something. Victoria Beckham’s wages when she fronts the campagin, the marketing the brand chooses to spend on or at the other end of the spectrum the sweatshop salaries that allow companies to charge lower prices.
A lecturer at university once told us to always ask ourselves ‘how can they charge this much for something and still make a profit?’ Your imagination will provide the answer. He was talking about burgers at the time but it applies to everything and I’ve never forgotten it.
Don’t over wash
Over washing our clothes ruins them. Nobody wants to be that kid who didn’t smell so good in school, but there’s rarely a need to wash your clothes every time you wear them. How often we should wash our clothes is an individual thing. As a simple rule, unless something smells or has a stain I can’t spot wash – I put it back in the drawer when I’ve worn it.
If you just want to give your clothes a refresh I’d recommend freezing them. Yes it’s a thing – watch this video for a step by step how to.
Use gentle detergents
The ads we see on telly that suggest we’ll be transported to tropical rainforests every time we put our clothes on if we use their products are the devil in disguise. The chemicals we’re putting into our washing machines are not only ruining them, they’re ruining our clothes and our environment. I also have my own suspicions on their affect on our health. The worst part is they’re totally unnecessary. Opting for a gentle detergent is an act of kindness your clothes will thank you for.
I’m currently loving this and this one looks great for especially delicate items.
Repair when you can
Someone mistook my trench coat for his last year and ripped the arm lining when he put it on. I haven’t got round to it yet but instead of buying a new trench coat, I’ll nip it down to the tailor and it’ll be good as new within a day or so.
I’m not clear on the stats, but this throwaway culture we’re in must be taking it’s toll on tailors and cobblers. Moving to the countryside has shone a spotlight on just how important small local businesses are. It always feels good to support them.
Learn to store things properly
There’s a lot I could say about storing our clothes properly – books have been written on it. If you’re anything like me, you grew up in a house where most days you chose what to wear based on what was at the top of the ironing basket pile. Life was busy, we had mountains of stuff, ironing was a pain and so I never learned how to store things properly.
Sweaters for example should be folded over a hanger else they will lose their shape quicker. These ikea hangers or these are fab – always try to go for wood as metal ones will ruin your clothes and plastic end up in land fill. Socks should not be bundled inside one another, they should be laid flat and folded as a pair.
This video by Marie Kondo is a great watch to get you started on the basics of how to fold clothes.
I don’t go as far as Marie Kondo and talk to my things, thanking them at the end of each day, but there is something in the act of appreciation for what we own. Maybe it’s more of a two way street and the more we give, the more we’ll get in return. For me, the less I own the more I appreciate what I have and the more inclined I am to look after things.
Hoping these tips help you keep your things going longer. If you’ve got any more tips for how you make things last longer share them in the comments – I’m always looking for more tips.
