Eco Laundry: Clothing Care 101

You have read about the common fabrics in your wardrobe and their impact on the planet and people.
And you have read about how they relate to the (micro)plastic pollution.
Now, here are some eco laundry tips to make your (pre-)loved clothes last and reduce your environmental impact. And if laundry has always been a bit of a puzzle to you, continue reading!

Understand (Eco) Laundry Symbols

The symbols can be somewhat confusing, but when you understand the basic shapes, you’ll easily understand the “more complicated” ones. I use this cheat sheet below which breaks down these (eco) laundry symbols.

Some brands use the dots system; others use the number system. Essentially, this indicates the temperature at which you should wash your clothes. It starts at 1 dot meaning cold/low heat (maximum 30 degrees celsius for machine wash) up to 6 dots meaning hot/high heat (maximum 95 degrees celsius).

In addition, sometimes, you see the dry cleaning symbol (the circle) with a letter inside indicating which specific solvent *aka chemical* to use. Dry cleaning doesn’t use water, but liquid solvents to clean and remove stains. “Perc” or perchloroethylene is commonly used, but is also a health and environmental hazard according to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

In most cases, depending on the size, the delicateness, the decorations, and the “interwovenness” of the material, you can ignore the dry clean symbol. “Clothing makers often place the “dry clean only” label on tags because they can list no more than one cleaning method, and can be held liable if an item is damaged when the owner follows the listed procedure.“

Alternatives to Dry Cleaning

• Wet Cleaning is a gentler version of home washing. It uses computerized washers and dryers, water, and specialized detergents, which are milder than your regular home products. Lastly, it uses professional pressing and finishing equipment. It still uses detergent and additives which find their way into our water streams. However, the EPA considers this environmentally preferable than dry cleaning mainly due to the absence or lack of hazardous chemicals.
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Cleaning uses liquid CO2 and detergent. As much as it sounds worrying, liquid CO2 technology is non-combustible and non-toxic, and is actually used to carbonate drinks. Plus, the CO2 used is a by-product of existing industrial processes. A small portion (~2%) still enters the atmosphere, but the machines used recover and reuse the majority for the next load. It also doesn’t contribute to toxic air pollutant and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. On the other hand, it can be expensive due to the technology.
• Hand Washing allows you to control what you put on your items and how gentle you can wash them with your hands. I have not used any of their products yet, but I heard wonders of The Laundress laundry products, especially their wool and cashmere shampoo. Their detergents have mixed reviews and the packaging is still plastic. But it claims to sell eco-friendly, non-toxic, cruelty-free, biodegradable products. And their ingredient lists are quite impressive. **Generally, linen, silk, wool (including cashmere), and bamboo are safe to hand wash depending on their structure.

Eco Laundry Tips For Lasting Clothes

Your clothing items require specific instructions, so read your labels!
Essentially, I recommend:

• Washing your clothes inside out to prevent or reduce pilling;
• Using a mesh bag for your delicates and laundry bags such as the ones from Guppyfriend to catch microfibers, especially for synthetic fabrics like polyester;
• Air drying as much as possible – using the dryer can actually wear down your clothes. Dry flat for easily wrinkled fabrics and find hangers that don’t surpass the width of the shirt shoulders. Your clothes can take shape of the hangers while drying;
• Ironing when damp or with steam for easily wrinkled fabrics like linen and hemp;
• Ironing with a press cloth in-between the iron and clothes for delicate, easily burnt/marked clothes like linen and silk;
• Washing your clothes less which make them last… but naturally, *practice good hygiene.*

Making Eco Laundry Easy For Your Next Purchases

Before your next purchase, think about your lifestyle. Are you busy or have the time to do “careful” laundry? Can you or do you want to pay the extra fees of (sustainable) dry cleaning? If you know your fabrics or simply check the labels before you buy, you can reduce your costs of professional cleaning and environmental impact. This will also make eco laundry less of a headache for you and a less consuming task while ensuring that you take proper care of your clothes.

Ultimately, caring for your clothes will make them last longer and your need to get newer ones won’t be necessary. Investing in quality pieces and making them last is part of sustainable fashion. Basically, this describes slow fashion. Maybe not all the pieces in your wardrobe were sustainably made. But loving and keeping them will prolong their life and keep them away from landfills as long as possible.

If you have any other tips, don’t forget to share in the comments below!