Is It The Garment Or Us At Fault?

How do you feel when you buy new clothing only to watch it lose its shape after wearing for only a handful of times? It sure feels bad to watch your new pants become unwearable in front of your eyes. But why does that happen, you just bought it!?

It is not uncommon for brands to use cheaper materials and sell the products for more than they're worth to make more profit, which affects both the environment with pollution and our wallets with the hole the bill dug inside. When it is the garment and bad production at fault, is there really anything much we can do about it? I guess we can only say that it was nice while it lasted. While repairing the clothing is sometimes possible it is also another option to recycle it into something new, give it a fresh start, and wear it for some more.

The production process might be at fault at times, but is it always the manufacturer at fault? How can we keep a dress in our wardrobes for a long time while still in a good shape?

Fabric maintenance is one of the keys to keeping those lovely dresses in good condition in our closets for a long time. It is also something most of us neglect for various reasons, all of us have our own excuses for sure... How can we take better care of our clothes?

Inside almost every piece of clothing, a tag that includes care instructions can be found which should be taken as a guide for longevity. As we all can guess, those annoying tags that make our body itch when we wear a t-shirt are there for a reason. Cleaning the clothes according to the instructed methods helps the fabric stay in good condition for many years to come. Using water hotter or colder than necessary, using dryers, or extra products like bleach or softeners can wear the fabric down if it is not suited for that might thin the fabric, loosen its stitches and fade its colors so easily. While this results in overconsumption, it contributes to waste and pollution as well.

Even if we wash them accordingly, washing a fabric too much can also wear it down or discolor it as well. Hanging them somewhere airy to let the odor out instead of washing it after every wear, and not wearing the same piece of clothing every day without a break if it is possible helps maintain its shape for longer periods of time.

The way we store our clothes plays a big part in long-term wearing. Just like the way it can affect the furniture and home appliances, getting exposed to humidity for long periods of time can affect the condition of our clothes as well. No matter the fabric, too much moisture will make the garment deteriorate when moisture builds up in your closet. Using dehumidifiers, and not letting the clothes stay wet for long periods of time,f possible is another key to being able to wear something more than only a couple of times.

Taking care of what we own not only benefits our finances but also the environment. Overconsumption is a problem that is eating our world at light speed and not taking care of our wardrobe only contributes more to it. While it is not the exact solution, it is an effective way to a better world and a longer future. And you get to keep your dresses for more!