It’s often been said that less is more. And though ethical dressing has evolved beyond the old stereotype of minimalist wardrobes in uniform greige, the adage still holds true in many ways. Far from sustainability being something you can buy off the rack, the most meaningful change we can make is doing less. Shop less. Get rid of less. And here’s an easy one: do less washing.
Yes, really. “Underconsumption core” – AKA the radical act of … er, wearing and using the things you already own – is TikTok’s latest obsession, while the not-for-profit global movement Fashion Revolution has long preached that the most sustainable garment is the one already in our wardrobe.
But tell me, how are those garments looking? As fresh as the day you bought them, or a little faded? Stretched, shrunken, misshapen? Committing to our clothes for the long haul is a lovely idea in theory but, like any long-term relationship, it becomes harder once the novelty wears off and the seams start to fray.
In these germophobic times, it’s now a habit for many of us to fling our clothes straight in the laundry basket at the end of the day – whether they really need washing or not. But while we might be aware that all that heating, rinsing and spinning has a planetary impact (washing and tumble drying a load of laundry every two days creates an annual carbon footprint of about 440kg of CO2e, which, according to a Guardian report, is “equivalent to flying from London to Glasgow and back with 15-mile taxi rides to and from the airports”), all that frequent washing is taking its toll on our clothes, too.
Every go-round in the machine causes fabrics to shed hundreds of thousands of microfibres, which are then washed into our waterways and ultimately ingested by marine life – and us.
Meanwhile, all that shedding degrades the look of a garment over time, making it more prone to shrinking, fading, bobbling and tearing. We’ve all had an outfit that never gave us the same excitement after the first giddy wear. But what if the reason we get bored of our clothes isn’t purely psychological? What if overwashing is actually making them less appealing?
Of course, learning to love those visible signs of wear is part of the answer, as is buying more wisely. Investing in hardy fabrics such as cotton, linen and hemp can help build a wardrobe that lasts longer than a celebrity marriage. But while it’s true that the breakneck speed of fast fashion has come with an inevitable decline in quality, we still have the power to keep our favourite outfits in service – whatever their origin. And the first step is employing the sniff test.
So take a quick whiff and ask yourself honestly: could you get another day out of that? Does it really need full immersion, or would a spot-clean suffice? Minimalism might not be everyone’s aesthetic, but a minimalistic approach to laundry could be the secret to helping your clothes go the distance.
Don’t panic; basic hygiene still dictates that underwear, socks and anything else worn intimately should be washed after every wear. But the rest is a judgment call. Wrap, an NGO dedicated to tackling the climate crisis, estimates that extending the active life of a piece of clothing by just nine months can reduce its carbon footprint by 20-30%.
Using the correct detergent and washing your clothes the right way can also help prolong their lives for longer. Ecover’s bio detergents, for instance, contain powerful enzymes to help clothes go the distance by reviving colours and brightness. Its bio capsules can also address the damage done by overwashing by removing bobbling from cotton fibres.
So next time you’re tempted to part ways with that tired looking T-shirt, show it some TLC instead.
And PS. I can’t smell a thing.
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