3 Simple Ways To Make Clothes Last Longer

Image courtesy of Real Simple.

In the UK alone, it’s estimated that the average lifespan of just one garment is no more than 2.2 years. This explains why almost £140 million worth of clothing ends up in a landfill every year.

With the current ecological crisis, it’s more important than ever to take good care of your clothing. By keeping your clothes for longer, you’ll drastically reduce the impact of a garment. Not to mention that you’ll save yourself a lot of money!

With all of this in mind, read on to find out a few of the best tips and tricks to extend the lifespan of your clothing and build a sustainable wardrobe.

1. Upcycle and Adjust

More often than not, we’ll stop wearing an item of clothing because we’ve grown out of it (either physically or stylistically). This is the perfect opportunity to upcycle what you have.

One way to do this is to make simple alterations. For example, you could turn a full-length dress into a medium or short one very easily. Making simple alterations such as this is not only fun, but also turns old clothes into something that is completely fresh and new.

Image courtesy of Lombard Odier.

2. Wash Cooler

It’s no secret that washing clothes at lower temperatures with a gentle, natural detergent keeps the fabric soft and reduces colour fading. The majority of an average blouse’s emissions occur during washing or tumble drying. To reduce those emissions and preserve your clothes for longer, wash them at no higher than 30°C. With this in mind however, some items such as underwear, towels and bedding may require higher temperatures.

3. Air Drying

Air drying your clothes is a much better option than tumble drying, both for the environment and the state of the fabric. It’ll also save on unnecessary energy use from the tumble dryer. Just simply shake your clothes out and hang them on a washing line or rack in the sun. Be aware that some items, like woollen garments are best dried lying flat on a surface.

Switching up your lifestyle and embracing sustainable living is all about making the most with what you’ve got. By looking after your clothes, you’ll be doing both the environment and your wallet a huge favour. It also means that you can hold on to your favourite pieces of clothing for longer - a win-win, right?