Clothes and accessories are among the most important items you make an investment in for the family. This includes workwear, uniforms, bags, shoes and that special dress or suit you wear for anniversaries and birthdays. When you’ve invested money in quality fashion pieces, you’ll want them to look like new for as long as possible. By practicing these tips, you’ll be able to make your clothes last much longer.
Shop quality over quantity
It’s called fast fashion for a reason. The price tag often reflects how well an item is constructed and whether it uses superior materials. Although buying a cheap coat can seem tempting, it’s worth asking yourself whether you’d rather replace it every season or invest a bit more money for a coat that lasts multiple seasons. For your wardrobe staples, adventure and sportswear quality should always be the deciding factor.
Wash less often using a good detergent
Unless your clothes are dirty or smell, you can probably wear them multiple times without washing them in between. Washing machines can be pretty harsh on fabrics depending on which setting you use, and items tend to wear out faster when washed often. Colors will fade quickly and garments may feel like they’ve been stretched or even shrink when dried in the machine. Use a good liquid detergent like Persil for your laundry deep clean.
Skip the dryer
Not only does the humble clothesline save you money on the electricity bill, it’s also a lot kinder on fabrics to air-dry them. That’s particularly true for natural fabrics like cotton, wool and silk. The heat from a machine dryer can cause unwanted damage to items and should be avoided if possible. Some items should never be put in a dryer, including bras, leather, delicates, activewear, and sequined clothing.
Check the settings on your iron
Knowing which setting is the right one for your fabrics can be difficult. If it’s too hot, you run the risk of shrinking your garments. Try to avoid ironing altogether if you can. Alternatively, a good rule of thumb is to dial the iron below the recommended setting to begin with and only turn up the heat if creases do not disappear.
Restore color using fabric dyes
Many garments tend to lose color over time, especially when you frequently wash them. But there’s no need to get rid of a blouse just because it turned from black to gray. Instead, invest in a fabric dye, add some water and – et voilà – your items will look brand new again.
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