Extend the life of your clothes – and save a few bucks – with our clothing maintenance hacks

When buying clothes (have you flipped through our fashion pages on page 18 yet?), you not only want to look good, but get bang for your buck, too. Ideally, you’d want your garments to stay in top-notch condition for as long as possible. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep your clothing from heading to the landfill.

Choose your detergents wisely
Ditch the harsh standard products – they are not only bad for the environment, but for your clothes too. It can be responsiblefor fading the colours of your garments and could be the culprit causing holes and quick wearing down of fabrics. Instead, make use of detergents that don’t contain as many (or any) harmful chemicals, or make your own products at home (the internet has various DIY detergent options for you). 

Wash less…
We’re often guilty of throwing clothes in the washing basket unnecessarily. Reducing the number of times that you wash your garments can keep it in good condition for longer, since excessive washing can deteriorate clothes and fade their colours. Some items – such as jeans – can be worn a few times before they need to be cleaned. Do some inspection before needlessly washing a garment. Better yet, spot clean only when necessary.

And at lower temperatures
It’s not essential to wash your clothes at high temperatures, except those garments that need the antibacterial benefits of hotwater (underwear, for example). Lower temperatures are recommended to extend the life of clothes. Warm water tends to shrink garments and may fade colour as well.

Regarding drying… Reduce the use of a tumble dryer, as it tends to damage fibres. A drying rack or washing line are better options if you’re looking to have clothes that stay perfect for longer. Hang your clothes inside out, as it will prevent it from getting bleached by the sun.

Savvy storage
There’s nothing worse than mould, stretched-out clothing and moth holes. This can all be prevented by making sure you’re storing your clothes correctly. Firstly, don’t hang your sweaters as they will stretch. Secondly, make sure that your garments are stored in a cool and dry place with some aeration – here’s where overfilling your wardrobe is a no-go. Adding mothballs is a good idea too. And another nifty tip (if you have the space) is to organise your wardrobe so that it only has this season’s clothes in it. Store your summer garments somewhere else (an unoccupied cupboard, in boxes in the spare room) in winter, for example. 

Words by Bianca Muller
Photography: Courtesy Images