When it comes to sustainable style, it’s not all about what you buy – it’s also about how you care for it. Washing your clothes in an earth friendly manner will immediately reduce toxins that enter the earth AND have the long term effect of giving your clothes a longer life. Great for the planet and your wallet too!
Here are our tips for doing your laundry sustainably:
Front Loading Machines
If you are in the market for a new machine, choose a front-loader. These machines much more energy efficient and also much gentler on your clothes than traditional top loading machines or indusrial laundromat front loaders.
Wash Clothes on Cold
Trust us! You really don’t need hot water to get your clothes clean. The heat actually causes your clothes to break down and age faster. Let your detergent do the cleaning.
Choose an Organic, Biodegradable Detergent
They’ll get the job done. For set-in stains we’ll allow the occasional spot treatment with the tough stuff – but please, promise us you won’t fill your whole machine with harsh chemicals. It pollutes the environment, and it’s also bad for your clothes!
USE A CLOTHESLINE
instead of drying in the machine. Drying machines use enormous amounts of energy, and they are the quickest way to shorten the life of your clothes. Leaving clothes in too long just spells disaster. You will not believe how nice your clothes will feel, and how long they will last, if you just spare them the trip to the dryer.
If You Must Use the Dryer…
try not to dry your clothes all the way. Air dry your clothes to remove the final 10% of moisture. If you absolutely must dry your clothes all the way in the dryer, then please turn off the heat for the final 25% of the cycle.
Dry Cleaning
First of all, many products that say “dry clean only” on the label only say that to protect the manufacturer. Take a look at each garment, read it’s content labels, and decide for yourself whether it really needs to be dry cleaned. With the exception of formal wear and fine silk, most “dry clean only” clothing is fine to hand wash using a gentle detergent. Lay flat to dry.
For products that require drycleaning, please select a PERC-free cleaner. Most drycleaners out there use perchloroethylene, a hazordous chemical cleaning solvent, to wash your clothes (more). If possible, opt instead for a drycleaner that uses Wet Cleaning or CO2 Cleaning. Both methods are endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Let’s Review
So, using these tips will help protect our environment, save you money on your energy bills, and prolong the life of your favorite clothes. What are you waiting for?
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