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Are you doing too much laundry? Probably—and it’s not just your time that you could be saving. Over-washing our clothes is a sustainability issue that’s often not discussed, but garment care is actually responsible for a significant amount of an item’s carbon footprint over the course of its life. In fact, a study by Levi’s found that for its iconic 501 jeans, the consumer care phase—i.e. washing and drying—was responsible for 37 per cent of its carbon footprint, as well as 23 per cent of total water consumption.
“Changing our home laundry routine is one of the biggest opportunities for resource conservation,” Paul Dillinger, Levi’s vice president, global head of product innovation, tells Vogue. “It’s also an incredibly easy solution: we’re just asking people to not do their laundry.”
While laundry may be a chore for many of us, simple changes can actually make a significant impact when it comes to our environmental footprint – and reduce the amount of clothes we go through. “Beyond the energy savings, carbon reduction, and water conservation, changing the way we do laundry is just better for our clothes,” Dillinger says. Not to mention: Who among us doesn’t want to spend less time doing laundry?
The case for washing less
It’s not just time, energy, and water that can be saved by reducing the amount we wash our clothes–washing less means that our garments last longer, too. “Over-washing contributes to shrinkage, color fading and quicker deterioration of clothes,” Dr. Sonali Diddi, associate professor at Colorado State University’s department of design and merchandising, says. “With decrease in quality of clothing manufacturing and over-laundering, more clothes end up in landfill quicker.”
There is also the issue of microplastics—tiny plastic particles—which are released into our waterways when synthetic clothing (such as polyester and nylon) is washed, creating a major concern when it comes to laundry. Investing in a microplastics filter, such as a Guppyfriend bag or a Cora ball, can help tackle the issue, while purchasing synthetic clothing should be avoided where possible.
How to wash clothes sustainably
As well as reducing the frequency of our laundry loads, washing at low temperatures (68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the recommendation), air drying instead of tumble-drying, and using eco-friendly detergent is also better for the planet. “Many laundry detergents contain chemicals, such as phosphates, surfactants, and optical brighteners, which can be harmful to aquatic life when they enter waterways through wastewater discharge,” Dr. Kyle Grant, CEO of Oxwash, an eco-friendly laundry company and dry cleaning alternative, says.
How often should you wash your clothes?
In terms of how often we should actually be washing our clothes, in most cases, it’s really not necessary to wash an item after every wear if the item is not stained, smelly, or otherwise obviously soiled.
Dresses, for example, should only be washed after every one to three wears, while shirts can be washed after every one to two wears. Similarly, dress pants and casual pants can be washed after every two to three wears; blazers, suit jackets, and other jackets, after every four to five wears. Sleepwear, after every two to three wears. Coats and other outerwear can be cleaned just once a season.
How often should you wash T-shirts?
T-shirts and tank tops are actually among the few items that should be washed after every wear. “Some fibres such as cotton should be washed with stronger detergents and higher heat for the dirt to release, [although] most of us rarely get our clothes dirty enough to need higher temperatures,” Grant continues.
How often to wash workout clothes and swimwear
Likewise, athleticwear and swimsuits should be washed after every use as well. Some fabrics, like stretchy elastane and nylon, can retain bacteria and sweat—and, thus, need to be laundered more frequently to prevent odors and preserve the integrity of the material. To that end, most experts recommend washing leggings, sports bras, and other high-performance wear inside-out in a mixture of white vinegar and detergent, and then air drying after each use.
How often to wash jeans
Meanwhile, Levi’s recommends that its customers wash their jeans after every 10 wears. “The average Chinese consumer washes their jeans after about four wears. In the UK and France, the average drops to 2.5 wears between washing. In the United States, it’s about a 2.3 wear/wash ratio,” Dillinger continues. Shifting from washing your jeans every 2.5 wears to every 10 wears would reduce the carbon footprint of the consumer phase by 75 per cent.
How often to wash wool sweaters
It’s not just our jeans that we’re over-washing. “Wool garments are probably most frequently over-washed,”Grant says. “Wool has some unique characteristics that contribute to its ability to resist dirt and odour–it can be spot cleaned, aired and/or steamed with an iron to get the shape back.” Oxwash recommends washing wool jumpers after every five wears, while some knitwear experts say that we can actually get away with washing our sweaters just at the end of every season.
How often to wash bras
This may be surprising, but bras don’t need to be washed as often as you’d expect; bras are actually among the most over-laundered. To that end, Grant suggests hand-washing them after every two or three wears. Of course, if you sweat a lot or are prone to skin irritation, you may want to consider washing them a bit more often.