Taking Care Of Your Clothes
Properly taking care of your clothes can extend their lifetime and keep them looking newer for longer. It can also have a positive environmental impact due to less old/damaged clothing being disposed of. The items detailed below might help.
Sewing Kit
Using or learning simple sewing skills can enable you to extend the lifetime of clothing items you love. It can also enable you to create clothing you love from unworn items or badly fitting pieces by altering them for a better fit or reworking them into a new style. There are many instructional videos available online for all types of sewing practices. A sewing kit is beneficial to have at home and should include, needles, threads, fabric scissors, pins and a tape measure.
Fabric Razor
Fabric razors will remove bobbles, lint, loose threads and pilling from materials without damaging the fabric. They are usually battery operated or rechargeable and use a rotating blade behind a guard to remove the raised bobbles. Using a fabric razor will refresh tired and worn clothing and make them appear as new.
Purifying Charcoal Bags
Bamboo charcoal has a porous structure and attracts excess moisture in the space it is placed. This material also acts as a purifying air filter, absorbing and trapping toxins from mould as well as pollen, pet dander and dust mites. Bamboo charcoal bags are generally made using natural, sustainable materials and can be hung with clothes and placed in drawers.
Garment Bags
Keeping ‘fragile’ clothing in cotton or linen bags protects them from damage, discolouration from sunlight and dust. They are also helpful for organisation. It is important that garment bags are made from breathable natural fibres, synthetic garment bags can (over time) cause yellowing.
Dehumidifier
Removing excess air moisture from storage areas where you keep clothing and textiles helps avoid mould development and staining. If your shoes or clothing have developed mould, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda over everything and leave for a few hours, Using a brush you can dust off the powder and the mould should be completely gone, then clean as normal.
Reusable Lint Roller
A reusable lint roller isn’t always going to be made of the best material. but it is a better alternative than rolls of adhesive plastic. These are soft so will not snag fabric and are really effective.