How do you make you clothes last longer than a season?

[heartbroken22]

I tend to wear the same things regularly and have a small amount. But I tend to wear the same 5-7 items that get worn out after a season. How to make them last longer? I bought a sweatshirt last winter and it feels very thin this winter. Might do for layering but yeah it's not giving the same warmth as last year.

How often do you wash things? After every wash or less frequently?

That should say after every wear!

I mostly buy primark, George, TU and H&m and my things last me years and years and I wear them on a small rotation too.

That’s surprising I have clothes I wear for years. I do buy good quality usually secondhand, and am strict about not washing things like jumpers and trousers very often.

That doesn't sound normal to me. I have hoodies that are 12+ years old, tshirts that are 9 years old etc. I have a clear out every year as well.

I shop in all sorts of places - Primark, Next, M&S, charity shops and these days almost everything comes off Vinted except underwear.

I think it’s just dependent on how often you wash and wear. So you might get 200 wears/50 washes out if something. If you wear it every day then it will last for a season, if you wear it every 4th day then it will last for 4 seasons/4 years.

5-7 items is a very small capsule wardrobe, so you are wearing through things relatively quickly. I have things I wear “regularly” but still only once per fortnight, so they last me for years.

I buy decent quality items, often second hand from eBay, and only wash when needed. I find that materials like cashmere and wool need much less washing than cotton or viscose. I’d have to wash my cotton jumpers after every wear but can get multiple wears from cashmere.

My winter jumpers are now all wool or cashmere and have lasted years.

Do you tumble dry? That’s meant to be harsh on clothes. Also perhaps try washing at cooler temps when you can. Eco cycles are longer but more gentle and use less energy + water.

Assuming you buy at least average standard clothes and you’re not unusually hard in your wearing of them, it sounds as if your laundry process is to blame.

Most people don’t ruin clothes by washing too often but:

Is you washing powder very harsh?
Is your washing machine very rough with clothes?
Are you washing on an appropriate cycle at an appropriate temperature?
How are you drying things?
Do you iron at too high a temperature?

All that said, wear and tear is a thing and you may simply have to accept that you need more clothes in your regular wear cycle.

I'm wearing a top I bought from Next 12 years ago for work today. And Next quality is generally rubbish. I don't think I've ever owned anything that's lasted less than a year. I do only wash things when they need it and I don't use the tumble dryer.

The only things I wear out that regularly are sandals. I buy a new pair of Birkenstocks every Spring and pretty much live in them until late October.

Then that pair is relegated to house/putting out the bin shoes over winter and I get a new pair in May/June.

In terms of clothes, today I am wearing a dress that is 6 years old and a cotton cardigan that is 10 yeara old.

Have to say, even for people who don’t wear 7 things on rotation, fabric quality has noticeably deteriorated over the past few years. I once had a cotton and leather top from Cos, that could be put in the washing machine; it lasted me years. Over lockdown I bought a linen t shirt there - that shredded itself and fell apart within months. 🤷🏽‍♀️

It depends heavily on quality of the item, and materials used. 100% wool should last many years if washed gently and only occasionally? Quality across the board has declined though.

And how - temperature, cycle, type of powder? How do you dry?

It sounds like you wear your same clothes a lot so probably get the same amount of wear as someone like me that wears lots of different things for several years, it just seems like my clothes last longer rather than they actually do last longer.

I only wear natual fabrics, cotton, linen, and merino, and my clothes last for years.

This. I also mend stuff if it gets a hole or starts fraying or a button comes off. I wash and iron everything, but it all gets to dry naturally (no choice there - no tumble dryer.) I only do a wool wash two or three times a year. I've clothes that are years old, even decades old in some cases.

My clothes last for years! I’ve got some Primark socks that are 20 years old and still fine (bit faded but no holes) - and they are worn and washed regularly (40c, line dried). Quite a lot of second hand/vintage stuff.

Overdyeing faded things is a good tip, as is bobble shaving and mending holes/loose buttons etc.

Be poor and have no choice? I'm not even being facetious either. I don't have much money to spare for clothes and wear the same things year after year. I pack my summer clothes away each year in those vacuum storage bags and haul them out each year. They still look pretty good and I sometimes get compliments especially on some summer dresses bought years ago that obviously can no longer be purchased.

Yes, I also mend clothing and everything dries naturally. You do have to look after clothes if you want them to last.

Same here. I don't think I've ever worn anything out except knickers and socks.

Decent quality fabrics, all my tops and blouses are BNWT or VGC from Vinted anyway.
I turn everything inside out before washing( except underwear!)
Use lesser amount of Persil liquid on a 40 wash and never tumble dry
I also dry on hangers which helps keep things in shape I think, then put straight back in wardrobe

Generally my clothes last for years, at least 5, I have quite a few that have lasted 10+. Not all of it is top quality - quite a few pieces from Primark and H&M. And they are honestly just fine. I tend to have to get rid of them because I've changed size or unfashionable rather than the fabric not lasting. I tend to wash after each use for clothing next to the skin (not sweaters), and always hang up to dry, we don't have a dryer.

Some polyester clothes seem to last forever, DH's sportswear and fleeces do, probably because it's like plastic so it might nor necessarily be natural fabrics that last the longest

I have a larger wardrobe I shop from thrifts (I get high quality stuff) and cheaper online retailers where I read the reviews carefully to make sure it won't fall apart easily. So I spend less money but have more so I rarely wear anything out.

I only wash if it's actually dirty or sweated in. I wear a thin shirt under winter tops so only the shirt will need washing.

I never use a dryer- only line dry. The dryer is the worst culprit- the lint you throw away is bits of your clothes.

Always wash delicates in a lingerie bag.

Most of my wardrobe is at least 5 years old, nothing fancy at all, High Street stuff. My most recent purchase was a knitted jumper from New Look but it's threadbare after just a few wears.

Never had a hoodie that fell apart - I've got a I love NY one I've had for 10 years and it's still going very strong.

Lots of my younger colleagues seem obsessed with buying new clothes for each season and then getting rid claiming they've worn out (but many are unworn hmm), are your clothes really getting worn out op or are you looking for an excuse to buy new?