With a rising trend of sustainable fashion in mind, extending the life of our favorite closet items is an often discussed topic. Buying high-quality garments that last longer contributes to less production and fewer emissions. However, there’s more you can do. Learn how to take care of your clothes so they last longer.
Why buy high-quality clothes?
Quality clothes consist of excellent fabrics, threads, and quality work. You can always read the “About Us” section on a clothing brands’ website. They often provide information about fabrics’ source and manufacturing process, because it’s the excellence that matters to them and separates them from the competition. With proper treatment, the higher the fabric and sewing quality, the longer the item lasts. The only downside of superior quality garments is the higher price tag. But at the end of the day, you save money by not having to shop for clothes so often.
Do This Before Laundering Your Clothes
It’s important to mention that correct fabric care starts way before the washing process. Here are the best tips to protect your clothes.
- Separate the colors. Don’t ever wash white clothes mixed with other colors. Dark-colored items (blacks, blues, etc.) and reds tend to release fabric dye during washing that will stain your whites.
- Separate fabrics according to temperature. Items like towels and some types of bedding require washing at a higher temperature to get rid of bacteria.
- Separate clothes according to fabric type. Some fabrics create more significant friction when rubbing against the other items in the washing machine. Wash your satins, silks, and sweaters in separate loads.
- Turn clothes inside out. This helps to reduce friction on the visible (outer) side of your clothes and protects buttons, prints, and embroidery.
- Use a laundry bag. To maintain the appearance of your underwear, wash it separately in a laundry bag to protect the lace from tearing. You can use it for all the delicate fabrics.
- Read the washing & care label. It contains important information about what to do and what not do to during the washing process.
- Clean the machine’s filter. A clogged filter can lead to a washer’s inability to wash away dirt, hair, and lint.
- Do not overstuff the washer. The soap and water need space to get in and out of fabrics and flush out the dirt.
Washing Knit Fabrics
As we mentioned above, always read the instructions on the label. You can wash some sweaters on the delicate setting in cold water and low spin, but some knits are prone to damage even during this process and require hand wash.

Give special attention to wool – never wash it in warm water, don’t spin, and please, do not tumble dry. Otherwise, what will happen with wool is this simple equation: heat + moisture + friction = felt. And then you can sing the song from the Phantom of The Opera – the sweater is Past The Point of No Return.
Drying your sweaters can get tricky too; knits get heavy when they contain water. Therefore dry your sweaters on a flat surface rather than on a hanger to avoid stretching the fabric and creating a weird shape in the shoulder area.
General tips
- Wash your clothes less. Unless they smell or are dirty, no need to wash them. The more you wash them, the quicker they wear out.
- Hang to dry instead of tumble drying. Clothes in the dryer rub against each other and tangle.
- Attack the stains right away. The more time a stain spends on your fabric, the more likely it becomes a permanent resident.
- Put hairspray and perfume on before dressing up. Alcohol and chemicals can fade the fabric.
- Invest in velvet or padded hangers. Wire hangers are evil to your clothes and can tear delicate fabrics.
- Do not hang heavy clothes, rather fold them and store them on the shelf.