7 ways to make your clothes live longer

Our wardrobes are filled and we’re still buying. In times of recession and eco-thinking, we believe we should start recycling or making our old clothes last longer. So, if you want to be eco-savvy, smart and save money follow our tips:

1. Sew up holes immediatly. A little hole is not much but with wear and tear it will grow bigger and you’ll want to throw your clothe out.

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/how-to_mend_a_hole_in_a_shirt.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_4957403_sew-hole.html

2. Save buttons and zippers. Usually many clothes come with extra buttons. Save them cause you will surely need them. This way, if you lose a button, there is a good chance that you’ll have a matching button on hand. On the other hand buttons can take you a long way when it comes to re-decorating clothes or using them as accessories. Zippers can replace destroyed ones or used for decorating.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/30/customising-t-shirts-with-buttons

3. Wash clothes in cold water. Most of the clothes we wear on a daily basis (usualy for 1 day) can be washed with cold water or around 30 degrees Celsius. This way you save energy,  the texture and colour of the clothes hold the initial state. If your clothes are more heavily soiled, then soak them for half a day before washing. This will release some of the dry dirt and make it easier to be removed.

http://creativecitizen.com/solutions/18-Wash-Clothes-in-Cold-Water

4. Hang your clothes to dry inside out. When drying your clothes out on the clothe line, the sun can scortch them and quickly fade their colour and texture (especially if high in elastic fibres). Turn them inside out and postpone the deterioration.

http://www.momadvice.com/money/line_drying_clothing.aspx

5. Hang out in the breeze worn clothes. We don’t always have to wash our clothes once we’ve worn them once. Sometimes we can wear them one more day, if we hang them out and let the breeze take away all odours. This way we wash less and preserve more.

6. Avoid mechanical drying. Don’t dry your clothes in the dryer, use the sun and air wherever possible. Save energy and see your clothes live longer.

http://homes.ninemsn.com.au/houseandgarden/advice/8180172/is-using-a-clothes-dryer-bad-for-clothes-or-the-environment

7.  Alter old clothes. Got tired of something and you don’t want to wear it anymore? Change it. If you can’t do it yourself there are many professionals out there that can do you a great job by creating a new feeling to an old garment. It’s called upcycling and everyone is talking about it.

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/upcycle-reuse-gown.html

& http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/uluru-upcycling-fashion.php