Caring for your clothes is a critical aspect within the slow fashion movement. These tips focus on being mindful about your clothing and taking the extra time to treat them as long-term companions rather than disposable items you use and discard.

Why not challenge yourself and your friends to adopt these routines this year? Let's break the habit of mindlessly tossing clothes in the washing machine and instead explore more innovative and less harmful ways to freshen them up as a first step.

Removing Lint with a Fabric Shaver

Lint formation is a natural process that occurs with all types of textiles, even with luxury fabrics like merino wool and cashmere. Lint can make clothes appear worn out, often leading to premature disposal. However, lint is simply loose fibers that have risen to the surface of the fabric and can easily be removed with a fabric shaver.

Simply move the shaver over the lint, and let the sharp blades trim away the excess fibers. This simple task can significantly enhance the appearance of your most worn clothing items. Removing lint can also be an enjoyable and satisfying activity. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be searching for fabrics with lint to eliminate.

Air Out Your Clothes Between Wears

Most of us are likely familiar with the process of smelling clothes to determine whether they need to be washed. Here's a handy tip: when jackets, jeans, or sweaters are nearly due for a wash, hang them outside to air out overnight. A bit of air circulation can work wonders in refreshing your clothes and is much gentler than washing.

This is a simple yet often underestimated trick that can genuinely extend the life of your clothing since airing is less damaging than washing. This technique works best with natural materials that are breathable. For clothes made from synthetic fibers, you might need to steam or wash the garment to eliminate unwanted odors.

Steam as an Alternative to Washing

Steaming your clothes not only makes them wrinkle-free but the hot steam also tackles unwanted odors. While steaming can't entirely replace washing (it doesn't help with stain removal – more on that later), it's a quick and easy way to freshen up your clothes before heading to work or dining out.

Steam as an Alternative to Ironing

If your shirt lies in a crumpled pile on your room's floor, steaming can quickly make it wearable again. Our S10 PRO Steamer is especially useful when you want to achieve a pressed look without the hassle of an iron and ironing board.

Hand Washing Whenever Possible

Hand washing your clothes may seem like a time-consuming task, but it's worthwhile when it comes to preserving your most delicate items. In fact, we recommend hand washing your clothes as much as possible to avoid damage from excessive machine washing. Learn more about hand washing clothes.

If you're still not convinced about the idea of hand washing your clothes, consider it similar to washing your dishes. A dishwasher may be convenient and save time, but some items, like your expensive chef's knives with wooden handles, need to be hand washed. Similarly, a delicate garment deserves extra care if you want it to remain in good condition.

Spot Treat, Not Full Garment Wash

Another advantage of hand washing over machine washing is the ability to choose which areas need cleaning or refreshing. For example, think of a shirt's armpits, the crotch of pants, or a stain on an otherwise clean garment. Washing only certain parts of the garment saves valuable time and effort.

Lower the Washing Temperature

Of course, some fabrics are much easier to machine wash, especially larger items like sheets and duvet covers. One thing you can do to limit damage during machine washing is to opt for a gentler cycle with a lower temperature.

Our liquid detergents are effective at temperatures as low as 20-30°C. We recommend using 30°C as the default setting for most items and reserving higher temperatures like 40-60°C for durable items like sheets and towels or heavily soiled items.