What Do You Do To Make Your Clothing Last a Long Time?

[TinyTim]

What do you do to make your clothes last longer? Patch clothing and shoes as Prince Charles does, or something else?

I launder my clothing using cold water, and hang clothes rather than putting them in the dryer, or in some cases use very short dry time before hanging. I also turn pants and some shirts inside out before putting in the washer. I separate clothes into color and fabric types and occasionally hand wash an item. I avoid the cleaners, which is an easy way to make clothes last longer. I button pants and zip them up before washing .

And I patch small rips or tears, either using an iron-on patch on the inside of the torn area, or having an alterations shop repair the rip. I tend to buy quality items ( not necessarily expensive) and keep them well-maintained.

What about you?

 

[kelbro]

It all starts with buying high quality. Then, take good care of them.

 

[Doraemon]

Having a large enough wardrobe reduces the amount of time each item is worn, and the wear-and-tear it receives. 5 suits will last five times longer than one suit. Being more careful also helps. I don't carry bags with shoulder straps when wearing an expensive suit or coat, I don't wear leather-soled shoes on wet or rainy days, I wear my cuffs over my watch to prevent it from being struck or scratched when doing things like passing through doorways, or getting in or out of a car.

I don't bother to patch or fix clothes or shoes, other than replacing the rubber pad on a leather heel when it start to get thin. Repairs on clothes and shoes can look as tacky as holes and tears. When I was a kid, my clothes were held together by patches (many of which didn't match the color of whatever it was they were patching), but most kids' clothes were like that when and where I grew up.

Nowadays I avoid damaging my clothes as much as possible, and discard them when they start to become obviously worn. I cleared out my closet some weeks ago of a couple old suits, a coat, and several pairs of shoes. It was painful, as they were quite expensive, and I had become accustomed to them. But nice clothes are supposed to look nice, and when they don't, it's time to get rid of them.

 

[tankerjohn]

How, that's interesting. I didn't know Prince Charles was so into patching clothes. He has access to some of the best tailors in the world. I suppose that helps.

Yes, I try to take care of my clothes and shoes, at least the nice ones. Cold water and hang dry, for sure. I don't know about the other measures, but its worth looking into. I am not at the point yet where I can say all of my clothes are top quality. As things wear out, I try to replace with better quality items as budget allows. As my graphic tees wear out and start their second life as bicycle rags, I find myself replacing those with more collared and button-up shirts.

 

[G-Dogg]

I spend a lot of time naked, or in my wife's clothes. That helps a lot.

 

[Lmarkow]

I line dry as much as I can. The dryer beats the stuffing out of clothing.

 

[redfalconf35]

I wear old clothes when doing activities that beat my clothes up. Nothing chews up my work clothes faster than not bothering to change out of them when I do evening chores at home.

I also don't bother to wash my pants nearly as often as I used to. In the past, I would wear pants once and then chuck them in the laundry. Now I wear them 3-5 days depending on what I do in them, what fabric they're made of, etc.

Finally, I went down an inseam size so that my cuffs don't drag when I'm not wearing shoes.

 

[Kazeryu]

Buy too much of it.

 

[christhechap]

I always try to wear clothes appropriate to the task or activity I am performing, this helps to avoid unintentional damage.

For garments in my wardrobe, I make sure there is sufficient space for my shirts etc not to be pressed together. I recall reading somewhere that things need chance to "breathe" as it were. I also make sure that the place that they are stored is free from damp, dirt and moths!

Once worn, I always ensure that they are returned to either the correct storage (hung up or folded) or washed promptly according to their need. Yes, buying quality does make a big difference in how long clothes will last but even some of the cheaper shirts I own have lasted for a considerable time as they've been properly cared for.

 

[davent]

Cold water washed with unscented laundry detergent and line dry, in the winter hang from lines in the basement. In the spring, that first outdoor line dry is a momentous occasion. Some things i do turn inside out to wash and dry but most i don't. Separate loads by coloured/white. There are hardly any white items of clothing in the house so it can take quite a bit of time to build a load, my only whites are some athletic socks which rarely get worn.

dave

 

[dws]

I haven't installed a clothesline yet and this thread reminded me that I really should get on that.


I try to get the best life out of all of my clothes. I tend to remove my work day clothes as soon as I get home to give them a bit more longevity and not destroy them during my household tasks. Even my loungy/yardwork clothes get treated well. I wash all of my jeans and tshirts inside out, for instance. I don't patch my work or dress clothes. I know Prince Charles does, though he's a British Monarch and can basically do whatever he wants and it will fly. With a guy like me? Not so much.

 

[TinyTim]

With white t-shirts, I use Mrs Stewart's Bluing rather than bleach. I also am in the middle of a transition from crew-neck to V-neck t-shirts, the subject of a discussion here awhile back.

The dryer, as Lmarkow pointed out, decreases the life of clothes.

It seems weird that Prince Charles patches his clothes. Why?

 

[davent]

It seems weird that Prince Charles patches his clothes. Why?

Street cred.
dave

 

[oc_in_fw]

I wish I could convince my wife not to bleach whites. The bleach companies have programmed us to believe that if are whites aren't really white, then we are not good human beings Bleach makes cotton brittle, which causes it to wear quicker.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I spend a lot of time naked, or in my wife's clothes. That helps a lot.

 

[Lmarkow]

Bleach makes cotton brittle, which causes it to wear quicker.

But line-dried, bleached whites smell heavenly. Does the one counter act the other? lol

 

[oc_in_fw]

But line-dried, bleached whites smell heavenly. Does the one counter act the other? lol

It might. The only white I own are socks and t shirts. The tighty whities were supplanted by UnderArmour Heat Gear boxer briefs about 5 years ago. Those get cold water, detergent, and air dry.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Buy quality dress shirts and hand wash and line dry. Buy quality shoes with shoe trees...and clean, polish and condition regularly. Suits and sports jackets and dress pants should be dry cleaned and stored properly when not in use and stored in clothing bags on hangers in off seasons. Same for seasonal coats.

 

[oc_in_fw]

For those wanting a clothes line, this is what I plan to buy

Amazon.com: Minky Retractable Reel Outdoor Dryer, 98-Feet Line Drying Space: Home & Kitchen

 

[Mullen88]

Wash as little as possible, only when necessary. And when you do, use Woolite.