How to care for your clothing sustainably

Fashion sustainability is an essential part of caring for our planet. The way we look after our clothing plays a major role in reducing waste and lowering the industry’s environmental impact. It’s also the best way to ensure our clothes actually last as long as they can. When clothing is tossed out, it often ends up in landfill sites, contributing to greenhouse emissions and to the 92 million tonnes of textile waste that are generated globally each year.

Sustainable clothing practices are one way to start combatting this, and there are two important ways to go about it. First, invest in quality pieces that are designed to last; second, care for those items properly so you get the maximum lifespan out of them. At Farah, we’re committed to sustainable menswear and to promoting care habits that make your pieces go the distance.

Care tips for sustainable clothing

Caring for clothes properly can be the difference between a shirt lasting a few more years and it ending up in the landfill. Here are some simple, practical tips to extend the life of your clothing:

1. Washing care

• Wash less: Many clothes don’t need a full wash after every wear, but sometimes only require a spot-clean for minor stains or airing out between uses. This helps preserve both fabric integrity and colour.
• Use cold water: Washing at 20-30°C saves energy and reduces stress on fabric fibres, which helps your clothes stay looking better for longer.
• Choose sustainable detergents: Go for natural or eco-friendly detergents. Avoid bleach and fabric softeners. White vinegar or wool-safe mild detergents are better alternatives for a sustainable clothing approach.
• Wash inside out: Turning clothes inside out helps protect the outside surface and reduces fading and abrasion.
• Use shorter cycles: Shorter wash cycles consume less water and energy and put less strain on stitching and fabric.
• Check care labels: The symbols on labels aren’t just suggestions; they’re your guide for the best washing practices for that specific item, preserving form, colour, and structure.

2. Drying care

• Air dry: Using a tumble dryer may be quicker, but it damages fibres, fades colours, and uses more energy. Hanging or laying flat to air dry is gentler and more sustainable.
• Avoid ironing: If possible, reduce ironing. Use lower heat settings, steam, or hang up to let some wrinkles smooth out naturally. Ironing uses energy, and it can also weaken fabrics over time. If you can avoid it, it will extend the life of your clothing.

3. General care

• Mend and repair: Small rips, loose buttons, or hem issues are easy to fix. Mending clothing can greatly extend a garment’s lifespan, and it’s usually easy to do.
• Store clothes properly: Keep clean garments in cool, dry, well-ventilated cupboards to avoid mildew, moths, or fabric distortion. Use good-quality hangers and fold your knitwear to avoid shoulder dimpling.
• Rotate your wardrobe: Don’t over-wear a single piece. Rotating your garments equally means no one item gives out faster than others.

4. Disposing of clothes

• Donate or recycle: Once a garment is beyond repair, donate it or use a textile recycling scheme; one of the many innovative initiatives for more sustainable clothing. Often, items that seem worn out can actually be reused or transformed.
• Reuse or repurpose: Old t-shirts can become cleaning cloths, and worn patches might be used as design details. With a bit of creativity, fabrics can be upcycled into something new.

Farah’s commitment to sustainable fashion practices

At Farah, sustainable clothing solutions are a major part of our mission. We’ve taken various steps to reduce our environmental footprint and improve the sustainability of our clothing lines.

Many of our collections are made with 100% certified organic cotton, meaning zero harmful chemicals and less water usage. We don’t deliver our online clothing orders with unnecessary extra packaging, and we take pride in the care instructions we provide our customers with each garment. Here are some of the other commitments we’ve made to fashion sustainability:

• In 2021, we became a voluntary signatory to Textiles 2030, a major sustainable clothing initiative by Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to accelerate the UK fashion and textile industry towards a more circular economy.
• Since 2021, all our basics have been made with 100% organic cotton, significantly reducing our environmental impact. We also use recycled fabrics where we can. All our cotton and recycled fabric is certified.
• We’re continually reviewing and improving our supply chain, materials, packaging, and certifications to ensure more transparency and better practices for sustainable clothing.

Caring for clothes properly ultimately makes all the difference when it comes to sustainable fashion. Getting the maximum lifespan out of your clothing reduces your environmental impact and helps keep garments out of landfills. Take the time to look after your pieces, and they’ll keep you looking sharp for years to come.