The life cycle of a garment doesn't end once you receive your new clothes.

Did you know

• 11,000,000 tons of clothing waste ends up in landfills every year
• It takes 200 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans, that's the equivalent of 285 showers
• £30 billion worth of clothes are discarded every year, in the UK alone

So how do we combat this?

We encourage washing clothing less often, at lower temperatures and storing garments in a way that will protect and maintain them for longer. 

The average piece of clothing lasts for 3.3 years before being discarded. It’s estimated that extending the life of a garment by an extra nine months reduces its environmental impact by 20-30%. It's important to try and keep your clothing for as long as possible. Here are our tips for maximising their life span.

Wash less frequently.

Try to wash your clothes as little as possible, (not that you should wear dirty clothes) but the more you wash them, the more they lose their quality

Handwash

Handwash your garments with eco-friendly detergents and recycle the water in your garden.

If you do need to put them in the washing machine

• Use cold water
• Use liquid detergent instead of powder (less friction means less shedding).
• Use a Guppy Friend waste bag, which catches any microfibres and then dispose into a lint bin.

Why not try spot washing larger garments like jackets or cardigans.

Avoid the dryer when you can. Researchers found that repeatedly drying cotton garments led to cracks in the fabric, which reduces its strength by at least 25% and also caused pilling.

Why not learn how to make small repairs to fix minor snags, instead of throwing them away.