In an effort to reduce our impact on the environment and save money, we're all looking for ways to 'go green' with our wardrobes and shopping habits.

Thankfully, more and more companies nowadays are using environmentally friendly and ethical production methods to manufacture apparel that we can buy with confidence.

A little care, smart shopping advice, and careful washing can go a long way to protect clothes. Credit: Get Set Clean.​

While it's true that manufacturers taking huge steps towards sustainability can help the environment, the simplest (and most cost-effective) strategy to achieve a sustainable wardrobe is to simply extend the life of the garments we already own and love.

After all, no one wants their favourite clothes to lose their colour, tear, become too small, or look too worn out, right?

Whether it's the dress you wore on that one date night, the suit you donned to dinner with your best friends, or the sweater the grandkids gave you on Christmas, we bet you want your favourite clothes to look and feel as good as they did when you first put them on.

The effects of regular use are unavoidable, and it won't be long before the garments we typically reach for in day-to-day living have reached the end of their life. But what can we do to guarantee longevity?

Here are some easy ways to clean and take care of your clothes to make them last longer and help reduce the number of garments that unnecessarily end up in landfills.

Washing your clothes properly ensures their longevity. Credit: Tide.​

WASHING

• Use laundry wash bags.

A laundry wash bag lets water and suds through so your clothes can get clean while protecting them from the roughness of the machine. It also prevents your garments from being tangled with one another, a common cause of wear and tear.

Aside from keeping your delicates and undergarments safe in the washing machine, you can store other items in your laundry wash bag. For one, if you're annoyed that socks sometimes go missing in the washer, put them all in the wash bag first.

Also, you can use the wash bag to keep thinner, less durable fabrics like silk, satin, and cotton from getting damaged by rubbing against thicker fabrics like denim.

• Treat stains right away.

In many cases, it is next to impossible to remove a stain once it has set. If you address stains as soon as they occur, you have a better chance of removing them completely.

Using cold water is almost always going to be the most effective solution for this, and it will also save you from having to wash the entire clothing.

We also post a bunch of other stain removal tips and tricks on our forum, so make sure to stay tuned in!

Most of the time, steaming your clothes is better than ironing them. Credit: Good Housekeeping.​

DRYING

• Steaming your clothes is better than ironing, in most cases.

If your clothes are made of light materials, choose a steamer instead of an iron, which may be easier on your clothes.

Even if you don't burn your clothing, ironing generates extra heat that could make your fibres sag, unravel, or otherwise deteriorate. When you steam your clothes, you don't have to use as much heat to get the wrinkles out – your clothes will stay beautiful and wrinkle-free while being protected.

A steamer also allows you to begin steaming without having to preheat the iron plate first. Also, it is helpful if you don't have a lot of room at home.

Proper storage of clothes is necessary to keep them in good condition. Credit: PODS.​

STORAGE

• Get proper hangers for your clothes.

The most disheartening thing that can happen after a long and laborious session of ironing or steaming is for the hanger to leave an unattractive crease on your garment. Investing in sturdy, reliable hangers can also help your clothes last longer.

Keep an eye out for ones that aren't wire-thin, as well as those that aren't so thick that they will eat up valuable wardrobe space.

There are also hangers with a velvet finish that give dresses more grip so they don't fall off. Some hangers are also specifically designed for pants, helping to keep them neat and wrinkle-free.

• Minimise clutter in your closet.

Make sure your closet isn't too full. When you cram your clothes together, they can get wrinkled, which is bad for the fabric. Reduce the amount of stuff you have and focus on a few key items that will last for years.

In the same way, this is also true for swimming suits and bras. Avoid stuffing your bras in a drawer since doing so can cause the padding to wrinkle and the underwire to bend, both of which are usually irreparable.

When folding garments, fold them along the seams. This helps them keep their shape while preventing wrinkles from forming (and fading along the creasing). This is very important to bear in mind when dealing with denim and knitwear!

Buying high-quality clothes benefits you in the long run. Credit: Getty Images.​

PURCHASING

• Invest in quality clothing.

Buying clothes is now more of an investment than ever before, especially in light of the rise of the 'fast fashion' culture.

Clothing is an investment, so choose pieces with longevity in mind. Quality fabrics not only save you money, but they also look and feel better. Higher-quality clothing may cost more upfront, but it is the best investment you can make for your closet.

You can also support your community by going to op shops and thrift stores! You'll be helping the environment by purchasing used clothing that would have otherwise been sent to landfills, thus lowering the amount of textile waste produced.

If you want your clothes to last as long as possible, it's also a good idea to have a sewing kit on hand for quick fixes like mending holes and re-sewing seams.

So there you have it, members! These are only a few steps you can take to make sure your clothes will last you for years to come.

If you have more you want to share with the rest of us, please feel free to comment below – we would love to hear from you!

 

[Nana Zorak]

As an old dressmaker, I have always made my own clothes but now I am old I can no longer do it. Having to buy things has shown me that I have been really lucky not to have had to buy all my life. I not only made money by making for others but have saved myself loads as I always bought the best material I could afford. Not now though I have to rely on 'Best & Less' & 'K Mart as a pensioner that is all I can afford.

 

[StitchWitch]

Many of the tips are certainly helpful, however, what has happened to the idea of sorting the washing? I was taught to wash whites & light coloured clothes separate from heavy and dark coloured items. This ensures that denim and smalls don't rub together as they wash. It also helps to keep the colours brighter and avoids risk of dyes running and ruining other clothes.
From a health perspective towels must be washed in a separate load and with 60 degree water to kill any bacteria that maybe lurking in the fabric ie toe fungus.