By Kacie Wedel
If you’re like me I’m sure you’ve set some goals for the new year. One of the most common resolutions or goals people set are fitness related goals. If we’re going to focus on becoming more active, we might as well do it with style!
And as always, we don’t have to sacrifice our sustainable ethics to look nice while we work towards feeling nice, that’s why we have added the active edit to our shop, so you can start browsing with peace of mind.
To maintain sustainability, we want to make sure our clothing lasts us as long as possible. Have you ever thought about the effects of over-washing your clothes?
“As a whole in the UK, the average lifetime for a garment of clothing is estimated as ~2.2 years.”
By not taking appropriate care of our clothes we vastly contribute to waste and carbon emissions. For example, the material sportswear is typically made from is harmful to the environment and can shed in the wash. To help counteract this, start first by shopping from sustainable brands and love your clothes as if they were truly part of you. What we wear protects us from the harsh elements of the world. If we take proper care of them, they’ll take proper care of us!
Best Care Tips For Your Sportswear
Properly caring for your clothes has many benefits. It’s preferred to wash your clothes as little as possible. I know I’m guilty of overwashing!
To avoid this, we need to focus on proper maintenance and consideration.
Avoid heat and wash cold
“40 is the new 30.” Experts are now recommending that we wash on a cycle at 30 degrees for 15-30 minutes. Switching to a colder and short wash will result in less energy usage and a lower carbon footprint.
“About 90% of the energy used by the washing machine during laundry goes towards heating the water.”
Wash garments in a mesh bag
Washing your garments in a mesh bag is beneficial in protecting your clothes, especially sportswear and delicates. As I said earlier, sportswear is typically made from materials that might shed harmful microfibres in the wash. Using the Guppy Friend bag will help reduce the plastic pollution that might be released. This in turn aids in the protection of the rivers and oceans that suffer from the limitless amounts of plastic fibres that make their way out of our washing machines.
Avoid tumble dry
If you are able, it is highly recommended to avoid tumble drying your garments. Some materials are sensitive to heat which can cause them to shrink or bring about further damages to the fibers. To avoid this, lay your garments out flat or hang to dry. And if you cannot avoid tumble drying, consider using wool dryer balls. Wool dryer balls help reduce your dryer time, something that is eco friendly and budget friendly!
Opt for eco friendly detergent
Be mindful of the detergent you use when cleaning your sportswear. Not only are standard detergents not always the best option environmentally, but they can really affect your health as well. As someone who suffers from severe eczema, I’ve always had to pay attention to what chemicals hide in laundry detergent.
Properly put away when not in use
Keeping our clothes put away properly aids in the longevity of the material. If you decide to pack up your sportswear for a period of time, be sure to remain mindful in how you do so. You’ll want to keep them in a cool, dark place unexposed to the elements. Excess moisture and light can cause damage to the garment which can shorten its lifespan. When storing in your wardrobe, consider hanging the outfits vertically on wooden or padded hangers so that everything is within sight. This reminds us what we already have so that we don’t feel compelled to go buy more.
The Active Edit
Why Caring For Your Sportswear Is Important
Taking good care of your clothes will keep them looking and feeling great for a longer period of time. When we focus on extending the life of our wardrobe we lower our carbon footprint and the amount spent on clothes.
Some helpful tips to remember once you’ve decided you no longer have a need for your sportswear:
Materials vary in care so always be sure to read your labels! In between wears, hang them to air them out and keep them fresh. Proper care applies to all clothing, not just your sportswear. People Tree offers an informative guide on the best ways to maintain your Fair Trade Clothing.
“Care for your clothes like the good friends they are.” – Joan Crawford
Keeping your wardrobe in tip top shape has a multitude of benefits. Being mindful of the relationship you have with your clothes will help your wallet, our environment, and the workers that craft the garments we cherish.
Kacie Wedel
After taking a few years to travel to different countries, Kacie rediscovered her love of writing and living a more mindful lifestyle. When she’s not in a coffee shop or pilates class, you can catch her in the vintage shops in Portland, Oregon on the hunt for her next great find.
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