Caring For Your Textiles (Pt. 1): To Wash or Not to Wash

Sick of doing laundry? Oh, do we have news for you. To the everyday person, it may seem normal to wash your clothes every time you wear them. Most of the time, we don’t give it a second thought, it’s just the way we’ve always done it. But, hear us out: you might be ruining your garments ... yikes! 

We pay a lot for our favorite clothing items, so we should be care for them correctly. Besides, we all know how difficult it can be to part with your favorite sweater, even if it is falling apart at the seams. To prolong the life of your favorite items, focus on wearing them more and washing them less! Washing these pieces so frequently can put a lot of stress on them and cause fading, shrinkage, and piling when they may not even need the wash.  

To combat over-washing your clothes, run through the following questions the next time you go to throw something in the hamper: 

Does it really need to be washed? 
Don’t be ashamed of the “sniff test” to determine if your garments really need that wash. There are some clothing items like undergarments, socks, and athletic clothes that should be washed every time they’re worn. On the other hand, your jeans can last a handful of wears.  

If you’re not sure how often you can go without washing a garment, consider things like the breathability and tightness of the fabric. The more breathable the garment, the less it will hold in your natural body odor. If the garment has less contact with your body, the less your natural odors rub off on the garment making it no longer clean. 

Let's wash less often and prolong the life of our favorite garments. Not to mention, just think of all the things you could do with the time you’ll save from doing laundry.