Don't be so quick to throw your garment away.
On average, consumers throw away 60 per cent of their clothes in the first year. Sixty percent of one's closet. That is a ludicrous amount of clothing going into landfills. You can support as many sustainable brands as you'd like, but the greatest thing you can truly do for the planet is to keep your clothes.
By keeping your clothes, you are keeping them out of charity shops, thrift stores, and trash cans which are already overwhelmed by the weight of our textile trash. This trash can be our treasure if we approach holes, stains, and any other flaws differently.
Don't be so quick to throw away. I have been the unfortunate victim of many clothing disasters, but I come bearing good news. Through my trials and errors, I have discovered some excellent tricks for extending the life of our garments.
By keeping your clothes, you are keeping them out of charity shops, thrift stores, and trash cans which are already overwhelmed by the weight of our textile trash. This trash can be our treasure if we approach holes, stains, and any other flaws differently.
Don't be so quick to throw away. I have been the unfortunate victim of many clothing disasters, but I come bearing good news. Through my trials and errors, I have discovered some excellent tricks for extending the life of our garments.
1. The less you machine-wash, the better.
Luckily many of us don't have to hand-wash our bed sheets like some of our grandmothers back in their day. Time is precious, but with depleting natural resources, so should be our clothing articles? I've damaged far too many lace undies. I've seen too many cotton (organic-cotton too!) t-shirts lose their smooth touch after a few washes. Activewear that stretched far too soon.
The more tumble mileage on your clothing, the more prone it is to tears, rips and fading. My point is that we can normalize hand-washing, at least for our more delicate things. It's just a habit thing. You can meditate, podcast, or workout AND hand-wash in one go.
The more tumble mileage on your clothing, the more prone it is to tears, rips and fading. My point is that we can normalize hand-washing, at least for our more delicate things. It's just a habit thing. You can meditate, podcast, or workout AND hand-wash in one go.
2. The art of stain-removing
Nature happens, yet one wrong move could leave things permanent. I've done the hard part and now you can save a favorite pair of highlighter orange Adidas shorts from a two year old blood stain.
If stains are frequent guests, do yourself a favor and stock up on Dr. Beckmann's Stain Devils. They are available as specifically formulated stain removers: Wine & Fruit, Blood, Fat & Sauces, Dirt & Grass, Ink & Paint etc. You just add a bit to the affected area and throw it into a machine or hand wash right away. Make sure to initially wet the area beforehand.
Other alternatives are either experimenting with homemade vinegar and baking soda paste ratios or authentic stain-removing bar of soap as ancient as old wives' tales.
If stains are frequent guests, do yourself a favor and stock up on Dr. Beckmann's Stain Devils. They are available as specifically formulated stain removers: Wine & Fruit, Blood, Fat & Sauces, Dirt & Grass, Ink & Paint etc. You just add a bit to the affected area and throw it into a machine or hand wash right away. Make sure to initially wet the area beforehand.
Other alternatives are either experimenting with homemade vinegar and baking soda paste ratios or authentic stain-removing bar of soap as ancient as old wives' tales.
3. To mend visibly or invisibly?
Go big or go to a tailor. If you're going to choose the former, the digital world is your oyster. You can tackle any textile accident using the many wonderful youtube tutorials and Pinterest boards zealously dedicated to mending projects. Some examples:
Shrunken sweaters: Cut off the sleeves, use bright yarn to hand sew or crochet around the armholes, and make yourself a cute vest.
Holes of all shapes and sizes: There are techniques to repair them without ever knowing, but it can also be darned and flaunted for everyone to see. Use Celia Pym as inspiration.
Shrunken sweaters: Cut off the sleeves, use bright yarn to hand sew or crochet around the armholes, and make yourself a cute vest.
Holes of all shapes and sizes: There are techniques to repair them without ever knowing, but it can also be darned and flaunted for everyone to see. Use Celia Pym as inspiration.
4. Hang drying is the reliable clothing facial.
Tumble drying either age or eventually ruins your clothing. In this case, do as the Italians. Hang dry them indoors or outdoors. The great things is you can reduce your ironing after washing, by loosening the clothes immediately if possible, and drying them on hangers. Before hanging, shake well, pull it out in all directions, and only then hang it on a hanger.
5. Make a new friend in your neighborhood.
That friend can be a tailor or seamstresses as many pals. This list will be updated with every new discovery.
London
Sojo: The deliveroo of fashion repairs in London. Check out their app.
New York
Alterknit: Holes, burns, alterations, reknitting - they are knitwear surgeons.
Stockholm
Swedish Stockings: While selling sustainably made stockings, they also run a take back program that recycles destroyed tights in exchange for a 10% discount. Join their recycling club.
London
Sojo: The deliveroo of fashion repairs in London. Check out their app.
New York
Alterknit: Holes, burns, alterations, reknitting - they are knitwear surgeons.
Stockholm
Swedish Stockings: While selling sustainably made stockings, they also run a take back program that recycles destroyed tights in exchange for a 10% discount. Join their recycling club.