Ways to make your clothes last longer

Making Clothes Last

1. Start With Quality

While I don’t recommend buying overly expensive brand-name garments, it’s always a good idea to purchase quality clothing. By spending more on quality pieces that never go out of style, you create a solid base wardrobe with longevity in mind. You can then add in cheaper, trendier pieces for a season or two without feeling guilty. Those quality investment pieces last longer thanks to thicker fabrics and better construction.

It’s also a question of quantity versus quality. When purchasing kids’ clothes, you usually want to go for quantity, since the items are only going to fit for a few seasons. However, when purchasing professional clothes for yourself or a pair of jeans to wear daily, it’s better to invest in one quality item than five poorly made pieces that may need to be replaced in a few months.

Decide where to allot your clothing budget. Set some money aside for trendy, fun items, and reserve some cash for pieces that are bound to stand the test of time. Some of the clothes and items I don’t mind investing in include the following:

• Two-piece business suit
• Classic trench or pea coat
• Comfortable, well-made shoes
• Well-fitting jeans
• A few crisp button-up shirts or blouses

When clothes shopping, look for clues that an item is made to last – and remember, price isn’t the only indicator. Instead, try to spot attention to detail, as well as tight seams and buttons. If the material is overly thin, or you see loose threads, buttons, or snags, those are clues that an item may not be very well made.

2. Pay Attention to Laundering

That tag found on the neck or down the side seam of your shirt is not for decoration: It gives you a garment’s laundering instructions, which are designed to ensure that it stays in great shape.

If you know you hate hand-washing and line-drying, avoid buying clothes that require special care. You’d be better off spending your money on sturdier items. In fact, looking at laundering instructions is part of my shopping process. Even if it’s a steal, a piece that requires dry cleaning could cost more in the long run – especially if you choose to ignore care instructions and end up ruining it.

Some other laundering tips can help keep your clothes in great shape. While you should always check the instructions on the tag, these are some general techniques to keep in mind as you hang out in the laundromat or laundry room.

• Wash Dark Clothing Inside-Out. Dark-wash jeans, black blouses, and other darker material can become faded in the wash, particularly as it rubs up against other garments. Always launder your washer-safe dark clothes inside-out to ensure they hold their color.
• Invest in a Clothesline or Drying Rack. If you don’t have a place to line-dry your clothes, they usually end up in the dryer – a death knell for line-dry-only garments. A clothesline only costs a few dollars and it can also help you save on energy costs. If you don’t have the yard or the climate to dry clothes outside, a drying rack for your laundry room is only about $20.
• Wash Metal Separately. Buttons and zippers often find their way into the wash, but can become seriously hot in the dryer, which can lead to scorching and melting on your other clothes. Wash clothing with metal components separately and never with delicate clothes, such as silks or knits.
• Go Color-Safe. Is there anything more frustrating than ruining clothes with bleach? While it helps make your whites whiter, it can also stain colored clothes and damage delicate fibers. Swap your regular bleach for a color-safe alternative, which is also gentler on fabric.
• Wash Your Clothes Less. The washing process is famously tough on clothes. Agitating, tumbling, and coming in contact with other garments can leave garments faded, stretched, pilling, and damaged. Unless your outerwear is visibly dirty, you probably don’t need to wash it after each wearing. See if you can extend washing to every other wear, or even three wears, before you toss your garments in the laundry.
• Get to Know Your Settings. While each make and model of washers and dryers is different, they all have something in common: They come with instruction manuals. Read up on your model so you know when to use “wrinkle release” as opposed to “delicate.” Delicate settings traditionally work well for lingerie, but they’re also effective for clothes that you want to preserve and treat gently. The delicate cycle uses less agitation, so there’s less wear and tear. This setting is perfect for lightly soiled stuff that requires a little extra care, or for items that specify the “delicate” setting on the tag.

3. Practice Good Hygiene

It may sound simple, but practicing good hygiene – such as showering daily, wearing deodorant, and using proper undergarments – can help keep your clothes cleaner and in better condition. Don’t forget that sweat also causes stains. By insisting that your family members treat their clothing with cleanliness and care, you should get some extra uses out of each piece.

It also pays to make sure you wear the right clothes for the right events. If you know things are going to get messy at a birthday party, don’t send your daughter wearing an expensive lace dress. Or, if you’re going out to a bar where people smoke, opt for your cheaper wardrobe items.

4. Learn Basic Repairs

Learning to complete basic repairs on your clothing – such as replacing a loose thread or a missing button – can make them last longer and save you a ton of money. Even if you’re perfectly careful with your garments, fallen hems and buttons that pop off can take shirts and pants out of commission. You can always bring your clothes to a tailor for a fee, but why spend the money if you can do the repair on your own?

A simple sewing kit – which you can find at many big box retailers – costs just a few dollars and contains scissors, a variety of needle sizes, and thread. Even if you’ve never sewed before, online videos can teach you everything you need to know, from buttonhole stitching to repairing a zipper. If you can tie a knot in the end of the thread and weave the needle in and out of the fabric, that’s enough to get started.

5. Iron With Care

When you iron, you’re using heat to loosen fabric fibers and press them flat. Unfortunately, there’s also a good chance you can end up burning or yellowing the fabric if you’re not doing it properly. Using too much heat on delicate fabrics can completely ruin them, so make sure you always use the right heat level for the type of fabric you’re ironing.