Wash only when needed - Each time you machine wash your clothes, they lose fibres and colour pigment, which in time makes them look tired. If something isn’t really dirty, try brushing, spot cleaning or even just hanging outside the wardrobe for a couple of days instead.
Load up - A standard washing machine uses an average of 90 litres of water per load, 3.5 kwh of energy and causes water pollution. So, when you machine wash, it’s best to load up aiming for about 90% full. Not only does this save water and energy, it saves you time and money too.
Keep it cool – Did you know that heat is the main culprit of damaged clothes? It causes fibres to contract and others to extend, causing garments to lose their shape. Washing at 20º or 30º is enough to activate the ingredients in your detergent and as up to 90% of the energy used by the machine is to heat up the water, you’ll be helping both your clothes and the environment.
Keep it natural – Try to use planet-friendly laundry detergents and softeners and only use a small amount. These have an all-round smaller impact on the environment and are less likely to negatively affect your health.
Watch out for microplastics – When synthetic clothes are washed, they shed tiny fibres of what is essentially plastic. These microfibres are going down our drains and polluting our planet. To prevent this, you can use a GuppyBag or install PlanetCare on your machine.
Hanging out – Skip the dryer and instead try hanging your clothes to dry. Dryers cause the fibres in clothes to break and are responsible for up to 90% of the energy used in laundry. Simply give your clothes a shake and then carefully hang them to dry, using the lateral seams as the folds to reduce wrinkling. Even in winter, you can dry clothes indoors. Knits will last considerably longer if they are always air dried. Linens and silks should be dried out of the sun to avoid discolouration.
Freshen it up – If an item of clothing isn’t dirty per se but smells like it has been worn, you can freshen it up instead of washing it. Just hang it in the bathroom while you shower or use a steamer (the vapour will help release bacteria from the fibres and get rid of wrinkles).
Try Green Cleaning – For items that require dry cleaning, try to find an eco-friendly business who doesn’t use conventional toxic chemicals such as perc (known to be carcinogenic), hydrocarbons and/or D-5.
Keep a sewing box at hand – Often when you buy a new garment from us, we include an extra button or embellishment. These are sent to you just in case, and we recommend you keep hold of them.