The best ways to make your clothes last

After having bought a garment, it is important to think about the rest of its lifecycle. How can I keep it looking good? What should I do if it is damaged? Where does the item go once I have donated it? Here is our guide to answer these questions and make sure your clothes last:

1. If buying ‘new’ clothes, buy quality and not quantity

The production of new clothes has a big impact on the environment. So when you are buying, make considered choices. If you think you are going to wear an item for a long time and you need it, buy it! It is a good investment! If either of these isn’t true, then try to think of what you actually need, or alternative ways you could buy that would reduce your impact on the environment. 

A great way to buy quality clothing is to buy pre-loved items. You can find great quality items all while making sure you’re also not breaking the bank. Websites such as Cudoni (look out for a clothing aftercare surprise for Cudoni customers), Thrift+ or Depop are great tools for this. 

2. Follow cleaning instructions

Once you have bought any clothing you might need, the easiest and primary way your clothes can keep looking great is simply by following the care instruction labels. Situated on the inside of your clothing, this should tell you exactly how to wash, dry, iron, dry-clean and bleach your clothes.

And yes, we all started out by throwing everything in the washing machine on a normal cycle at 30°C, but that doesn’t cut it for a lot of clothes, and can damage the fibers of your other clothes. If you need a bit of help reading the clothing labels, fear not, we have a guide of our own to explain what each symbol means. 

3. Alter your clothes as the seasons change

As the seasons change, your body will also fluctuate, it’s normal. And clothes are just like them, adaptable. You should be able to keep that pair of pants you oh so love. To do this, book an alteration and make your clothes fit right.

For simple and seamless booking, go into the Save Your Wardrobe app and click on repairs and alterations. You will then be able to choose a service partner to make your clothes exactly the way you want them to be. You could also upcycle some items if you want a little bit of difference added to your wardrobe.

4. Mend and repair

As we keep our clothes, the fibers get worn out little by little and sometimes they aren’t even wearable anymore (think undone seams on the ribcage). However, this doesn’t mean you have to let go of your treasure, there are plenty of options out there to mend your clothes. 

If you have the skills, you can repair the holes or tears on your own. We even have tutorials on the Empower Your Wardrobe tab of the app. If you need something harder done or would rather have an expert do it, you can also choose from our service partners for quick repairs.

5. Donate responsibly

Now, what if the love you had for one piece of clothing has slightly ebbed? Prolong the life of the clothing through donation or by reselling! For resell, the shops mentioned above also do resell, if you have high street items you can easily sell them on Depop and if you’re looking to sell luxury, Cudoni is the way to go, the website includes a fully managed service, which makes reselling your items easy!

For donation, make sure you donate responsibly. Most of the clothes that are donated end up in landfill, but choosing the right organisation can enable you to prolong the life of your clothes. For this, go into our Donations tab and choose to donate with Thrift+, who will resell your clothes on their website. 

So, do you have a few pieces of clothing in mind that you could prolong thanks to these tips? We hope these tips helped you think of the other ways you can make your clothes last!