The clothes we wear are part of our daily lives, our identity and our stories. Each garment holds value beyond the material: it accompanies us, protects us and often holds memories. However, we live in a time of fast-paced consumption, where we often throw away clothes due to stains, minor damage, or simply because we don’t know how to care for them properly. This guide gathers a series of useful and simple tips to extend the life of our clothes, encouraging more conscious and sustainable consumption.
One of the most common problems is stains, which, if not treated in time, can even ruin our favorite clothes. To remove grease stains, it’s recommended to apply absorbent powders like cornstarch or talcum powder and let them sit before scrubbing with dish soap. For ink stains, place a cloth under the fabric and dab the stain gently with alcohol, without rubbing. In the case of blood, it’s essential to always use cold water and neutral soap, avoiding hot water, which can set the stain.
When a garment tears or wears out, repair is an excellent alternative to disposal. There are many techniques that, besides being functional, can also be decorative. Mending, or visible repair, involves creatively stitching over tears, giving the garment personality. Sashiko, a traditional Japanese embroidery technique, is perfect for reinforcing fabrics and beautifying them with geometric patterns. You can also apply patches, either to cover holes or for decoration. Another option is upcycling, which involves transforming a garment into something completely different (for example, turning an old shirt into a bag). And let’s not forget how useful it is to know how to replace buttons or snaps: a simple act that can restore both function and style to many garments.
Another common issue is pilling, those little fabric balls that appear on materials like wool or cotton due to friction. To remove them, you can use a special razor or fabric brush, always with care. Additionally, it’s advisable to wash such garments inside out and on gentle cycles to prevent deformation.
Taking care of clothes also involves adopting some basic washing habits. Sort clothes by color (whites, colors, and darks) and by fabric type, which helps preserve the materials better. It’s important not to overload the washing machine, to use gentle spin cycles and to wash clothes inside out to protect colors and prints. Whenever possible, air drying is preferable to using a dryer, as excessive heat can deform, shrink or damage fibers.
Finally, learning how to read care labels can prevent many mistakes. A bucket with water means the item can be machine washed, and the number inside indicates the maximum temperature. If there’s a hand inside, it must be hand-washed; if the bucket is crossed out, it should not be washed with water. The dryer symbol is a square with a circle inside and the dots indicate the temperature. If crossed out, it shouldn’t be tumble dried. A triangle represents bleach: if it has stripes, only non-chlorine bleach is allowed; if crossed out, no bleach should be used. The iron symbol with one, two or three dots indicates the allowed temperature; if crossed out, do not iron. Lastly, a circle means it can be dry-cleaned (the letters inside indicate the type of solvent), and if crossed out, it’s not suitable for dry cleaning.
Below is an infographic showing the main laundry care symbols. In the first column on the left, you’ll find the most common symbols that appear on our clothing labels, while the following columns display other frequently used icons that are also easy to recognize. On the right, a brief explanation is included for each group of symbols to make their meaning and proper use easier to understand.
Caring for and repairing clothes is not only a way to save money and extend their lifespan, but also a way to reconnect with their value and with our own consumption choices. Small actions like treating a stain promptly, sewing a button or avoiding the dryer can have a huge impact on the durability of our garments and the sustainability of the planet. In short, it’s about looking at our clothes again with attention, affection and responsibility.
