Caretaking of garments
1- Avoid washing the garments after every single use. Do so exclusively when necessary. You can get rid of stains if needed without stressing the pieces and then let them air-dry, with the exception of sports-wear and underwear. That way, the tissue will last longer and the colors won’t fade.
2- We strongly recommend to hand-wash your items.
3- When using a washing machine we recommend:
- Using washing bags: you can use them with all your most delicate pieces. They protect your garments from the harshness and the friction caused by the washing cycle. They also prevent the drainpipes from getting clogged.
- Set the washing machine in a warm or cold cycle, no more than 30°C. It will not only help to save energy (up to an 80%) but it’ll make your garments stay in optimal shape for longer.
- Try to load up your washing machine to the max in every session and use short cycles to minimize the waste of water.
- Air-dry your garments. Clothes dryers aggravate deterioration of the tissue due to heat and stress; also, they consume a lot more power than a washing machine set in a cold cycle (30°C / 270 WH)
Conscious consumption advice
- Invest in quality pieces, pieces that will last longer, better made, and made out of more resilient materials. Like so, you won’t have the need to replace them so often.
- Take your garments to a seamstress to get them fixed or restored. If restoration is not possible, you can always find a way to transform them into something you can wear. Repurposing is key.
- Wear your garments time and time again: buy timeless pieces.
- Donate – lend – exchange – repurpose – sell – the pieces you no longer wear.
- Give it a go, don’t hesitate, buy second hand and vintage.
- Buy handmade products or locally manufactured clothing items, to make sure your garments were made in safe working environments and under fair working conditions, far from the ones of mass-producing workshops that exploit their workforce. This way you’ll get the chance to better understand the process of design and fabrication of the garments you chose to wear; on top of that, you’d be helping to develop the local market, their economy and the skills they hone.