Loved Clothes Last

The most responsible clothes are those that last a lifetime, which is why we’re here to help you take care of your favourite NC pieces. From washing to repairing, we’ve gathered some essential tips to extend the life of your clothing while minimising your environmental impact.

Did you know extending the life of your clothes by just nine months can reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints by around 4-10% each?*

Washing

Wash less. The first step to caring for your clothes is washing less frequently. Unless your clothing is noticeably dirty, you can often wear garments multiple times before washing. This not only saves water and energy, it helps preserve the fabric quality too.

Here are some basic guidelines on how often to wash your clothes:

Shirts and blouses: after 2-3 wears
Trousers: after 2-3 wears
Jeans: after 4-5 wears
Jumpers: up to 6 wears if worn with an undershirt (or 2-3 wears if worn without an undershirt)
Sleepwear: after 3-4 wears

Check the care label. Always check the care label for specific washing and drying instructions for your garment.

Keep things cool. When it comes to washing your clothes, opt for cold or cool temperatures whenever possible. Washing at lower temperatures reduces energy consumption and helps keep colours vibrant and prevents shrinking.

Wash inside out. Washing your clothes inside out helps to protect prints, embroidery, and delicate fibres, keeping your garments looking new for longer.

Fill to the max. Half loads of laundry use almost as much energy and detergent as the full thing. Washing a full load can also help minimise microfibre shedding by reducing friction between clothes. Be careful not to overload though!

Pick your detergent. Selecting the right detergent can help preserve your clothes whilst lowering the environmental impact of washing. More environmentally friendly detergents and fabric softeners will contain less harmful chemicals so will also be kinder on the skin.

Air dry. Avoid the tumble dryer and air dry your clothes whenever possible. This significantly reduces energy use and helps prolong the lifespan of your clothes. If you do need to tumble dry, choose the lowest heat setting to minimise energy use.

Microfibres. It’s estimated that one load of laundry can release more than 700,000 microfibres into the waterways. Help minimise microfibre pollution by using a responsible wash bag, such as a Guppyfriend Bag.

Caring for:

Wool has natural antibacterial and odour-resisting properties so doesn’t need to be washed after every wear. Instead, air garments between washes
Machine wash at 30 °C with a low spin
Use an enzyme-free detergent to help maintain the quality of the fibres. Avoid using fabric softener as this can coat the fibres, making them less breathable
Lay wool garments flat to dry to prevent stretching and deformation. Never hang wool garments as they may lose their shape when wet. Do not tumble dry
Wool should be gently steamed or ironed on a low heat setting using a pressing cloth to protect the fabric
Pilling will naturally occur so use a pilling comb or fabric shaver to remove

Denim does not need to be washed regularly. This saves energy and helps maintain the quality of the denim. You can spot clean between washes and hang to air to freshen up
When washing is required, machine wash on a gentle cycle at 30 °C. Wash inside out to prevent the colour fading
Hang to air dry as tumble drying can cause shrinkage

Hang up linen garments between wears to keep them fresh and minimise the need to wash
Wash at 30 °C on a low spin or handwash
Air dry and hang in the bathroom whilst taking a hot shower so the steam reduces creases or iron at a low temperature

Machine wash inside out at 30 °C
Hang out to dry as tumble drying can cause shrinkage

Cotton clothing can be either machine or handwashed. Wash at 30 °C degrees to save energy and help maintain the fibre quality
Hang cotton clothing out to dry as tumble drying can cause shrinkage

Machine wash at 30 °C using a Guppyfriend bag
Avoid using fabric softeners
Air dry to help maintain fabric quality
Synthetic fibres are usually wrinkle-resistant so often do not need ironing. If ironing is needed, use the lowest heat setting and iron inside out

Love your clothes for longer

We’ve partnered with SOJO to help you extend the life of your clothes. If your clothing no longer fits quite right or you've grown tired of the style, you can alter them with SOJO to give them a fresh look. You can also help reduce clothing waste by repairing that broken zip or loose button to breathe new life into your wardrobe.

Take-back

Our clothes are made to last, so we want to keep them in circulation for as long as possible. However, if you do wish to part with your clothing, we encourage you to gift it to friends or family, re-sell, or donate it. Platforms like Vinted, Depop, and eBay offer easy ways to sell on your clothes so they can have a second life and stay out of landfill.

*https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/textiles/actions/sustainable-clothing-design#:~:text=WRAP%20research%20shows%20that%20extending,around%204%2D10%25%20each.

Caring for:

Wool has natural antibacterial and odour-resisting properties so doesn’t need to be washed after every wear. Instead, air garments between washes
Machine wash at 30 °C with a low spin
Use an enzyme-free detergent to help maintain the quality of the fibres. Avoid using fabric softener as this can coat the fibres, making them less breathable
Lay wool garments flat to dry to prevent stretching and deformation. Never hang wool garments as they may lose their shape when wet. Do not tumble dry
Wool should be gently steamed or ironed on a low heat setting using a pressing cloth to protect the fabric
Pilling will naturally occur so use a pilling comb or fabric shaver to remove

Denim does not need to be washed regularly. This saves energy and helps maintain the quality of the denim. You can spot clean between washes and hang to air to freshen up
When washing is required, machine wash on a gentle cycle at 30 °C. Wash inside out to prevent the colour fading
Hang to air dry as tumble drying can cause shrinkage

Hang up linen garments between wears to keep them fresh and minimise the need to wash
Wash at 30 °C on a low spin or handwash
Air dry and hang in the bathroom whilst taking a hot shower so the steam reduces creases or iron at a low temperature

Machine wash inside out at 30 °C
Hang out to dry as tumble drying can cause shrinkage

Cotton clothing can be either machine or handwashed. Wash at 30 °C degrees to save energy and help maintain the fibre quality
Hang cotton clothing out to dry as tumble drying can cause shrinkage

Machine wash at 30 °C using a Guppyfriend bag
Avoid using fabric softeners
Air dry to help maintain fabric quality
Synthetic fibres are usually wrinkle-resistant so often do not need ironing. If ironing is needed, use the lowest heat setting and iron inside out

Love your clothes for longer

Take-back

*https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/textiles/actions/sustainable-clothing-design#:~:text=WRAP%20research%20shows%20that%20extending,around%204%2D10%25%20each.