One of the biggest causes of landfill is fast fashion. More people than ever are now becoming more conscious of their buying habits, or are spending more money on their clothes for quality over quantity. Keeping clothes around for longer is more important and is one of the best things you can do to minimise your carbon footprint. Even with more expensive clothes still using unsustainable production methods and providing a lot of waste, it is now up to us as consumers to door bit. It’s important to remember that change only happens when there is enough demand.

Understand your fabrics

One of the best things you can do to understand how to care for your clothes longer is by learning about the various fabrics that you have in your wardrobe. This can be complicated by the number of clothes that have combinations of fabrics in plant-based, animal-based or synthetic fabrics. It is great to see that there are brands out there that are now using innovative fabrics made from organic materials that reduce the amount of carbon footprint. These materials include organic cotton, Pinatex and TENCEL. By understanding the types of fabrics you have, you will then be able to care for them in their own specific way. This will in turn reduce the emission from wearing and washing.

Wash on cold cycles

Hot water is the killer of clothes and it can instantly make your clothes look worse for wear. Using hot water can also use up to 75% more energy than cold water washes whilst warm water breaks down dies and can cause shrinkage. This means if you wash on cold, it not only saves your clothes from being destroyed in the wash, but it also helps you use less energy. You should also start to wash less often than you do. Not everything needs washing after use. An example of this is jeans. Jeans should hardly ever be washed as it ruins the fabric and fit. Jumpers and bras are also items that can be worn more than once before washing.

Learn to mend your clothes

For items of clothing that you have worn for a while, or have purchased second-hand, you need to understand that these pieces have been through a lot so they need some TLC. The decision to fix or update your clothes will allow you to be creative and give your clothes a new life.  For example, if you have to spend a lot of money on a premium oversized men’s hoodie, you are not going to just throw it away in the event of a hole, you are going to go and get it repaired, so its essential that you learn how to do it yourself.

There are many methods for caring for your clothes, but it if you follow these simple steps, you are going to be well on your way to keeping your clothes nicer for longer.