to as how long ‘stuff’ lasts for you and your family

[Merryoldgoat]

I’m doing to laundry after a week of sickness so we’re folding a mountain.

My towels are looking threadbare.

Underwear has developed holes

Stuff looks old even though it not.

I need new sheets even though the current ones are only about 2 years old.

I feel like I’m constantly replacing stuff. Am I the only one?

I don’t buy cheap stuff but it’s not the most expensive you can get. All 100% cotton etc.

Are we just hard on stuff or is this standard?

@NiceGerbil

@HelloDulling

You have both genuinely made me spit my tea over my phone.

Check your washing machine.

We went through a spell where stuff started looking scruffy and getting little holes. There was something that had come out a pocket that had broken and was stuck in a couple of the holes in the machine and catching stuff constantly.

I have plenty of 10 year old towels, bedding etc. I don't use a tumble dryer or wash above 40 (and usually a quickwash unless it's a big or really dirty load), that's probably the trick!

I'm constantly going through socks. I don't tumble dry them.

Towels we've had for 12 years now, and I've had to replace one set as they started fraying (after I ripped it!).
Kids bedding we've had for 9&7 years respectively. Two sets that are rotated. Ours is 7 years old, we changed because we changed duvet size not because it needed changing.
I still have the towels I bought when I left home 29 years ago, nothing wrong with them, they're our spare set so not used much any more.

I agree @ProfYaffle, I have towels & sheets that are ancient, from Asda and JL both wash up well

Most stuff bought in the last few years is already ready for the rag-bag.

Most stuff bought 10/20/30 years ago is still going strong.

And no, not crap bought from the cheap shops either. The stuff that's threadbare, discoloured, etc is typically from M&S, Debenhams, John Lewis, etc.

The quality of just about everything in the past few years has nose-dived. Shame they charge the same ridiculous prices for shoddy quality. No wonder so many High St stores are struggling.

Our towels, pillows and duvets are all at least 15 years old (and some, previously used by my parents, are considerably older). All fine.

Kids' bedding seems to last really well.

Our bedding seems to wear out, especially pillow cases and bottom sheets. I have to replace every couple of years.

My undies go on for years. Kids' undies are always coming apart at the edges, and have started to start to fray more quickly over the last couple of years - items from ten years ago were definitely sturdier.

My socks this year were of thinner fabric than before, and developed holes at the heel within a few months. Previously, my socks have lasted at least a year.

I wash at 40, or 60 (bedding and towels), line dry, and live in a hard water area but have a water softener.

Don’t bother dyeing towels.

If life’s too short too short to line dry (I agree) then it’s definitely too short to dye a bloody bath towel.

Relegate them to second tier and use them for swimming/beaches/ paddling pools/garden mucking about/ water fights/use by stinky teenagers etc if they’re mismatched or you’re bored or they look a bit thin.

Buy yourself a nice set of new ones just for you if you feel like it.

But don’t tit about dyeing a load of towels. Who's got time for that crap?! You’ll be stuffing mushrooms next!

I love an ancient scratchy old towel - they’re more absorbent! Kids’ swimming towels are some indestructible St Michael ones from about 35 years ago. Bath ones are from TK Maxx maybe 5 years ago and also excellent.

Bed linen on the other hand - have just been cursing the yellowing ones on the line that are only about a year old. Vile, and the elastic has gone on the fitted sheets. I want nice bed linen and can’t remember the last time we had any.

Line dry except in winter here.

Oh, and all of the above are John Lewis, except for my socks and undies which are Sainsburys.

I have a towel with an uncle's name tape on it which I think dates from 1949 when he became a merchant navy cadet. Its almost see through now but so soft and easy to pack (its so thin now that it takes up hardly any space) that I love it. Our other towels are between two and twenty years old, and I've got a few duvet covers that are between 30 and 40 years old. I don't use a tumble dryer but there's not really anything else I could point to. Some things seem to look good for years ; others look shabby after only a year. Luckily I don't mind shabby...

I still have towels that were bought in a sale before I went to uni, 20 years ago. I also have towels that we used to take on holiday as kids. They'd be 30 years old, although one does have a rip in it. I tumble dry everything, especially towels.

I do have socks that were bought at Christmas which have holes in and I've already chucked a couple of pairs away. I don't actually think I own a pair of knickers without holes. T-shirts always magically get tiny holes round my belly button and I only have one pair of jeans that haven't gone at the knee.

My son has chewed holes in his duvet covers.

Our towels are from Asda, they are about four years old.

Still look decent, reasonably new looking no pulls or fading or holes. They are a turquoise colour, not sure if that matters but perhaps it covers up any grubby-looking-ness that might age them more.

Are you perhaps putting too much in the machine in one go? Towels are probably one of the few things we don't overfill the machine with. But I have a few pyjama tops that look like moths have been at them, but apparently it's caused by being in an overfilled washing machine or dryer.

The cats don't help either, they like to be held like babies and do that kneading thing with their paws. So my brand new dressing gown already looks like I've fought an array of hedgehogs for fun.

Do you use fabric conditioner? The same process that softens the fibres and makes your laundry soft tends to break down the fibres (particularly natural fibres like cotton) over time, causing holes etc.

I wash our bedding once a week at least, we get a new set every year and have plenty of spares so difficult to tell how long it lasts but less than 2 years I suppose- I find they get very bobbly and misshapen. We replace towels every 2+ years but that could be due to our hard water.

Tumble drying definitely wears things out more- I use the washing line and inside airers for clothes now (especially elasticated) to avoid having to tie knots in the sides of my knickers to stop them falling down

DS is currently using my swimming towel from M&S from the mid-90s (Snoopy with a diving mask on) which still has my name label in and is still going strong!

However, the school socks I bought him in September, and didn't get worn for a term, have gone threadbare at the heels and toes. So have some socks I bought DD at the same time. Awful quality.

I grew up with slightly scratchy towels as well and they don't bother me - you just need to dry yourself for the first time and they soften up nicely. I prefer them to the super soft ones that don't actually absorb any water.

I'd say it's either washing frequency or the tumble drying (or both).

I've one two that's done what you describe but it's ancient!! Think DH had it at school 🤔 then there's one that's about 30 years old - which u randomly recall buying (probably because it is a "bath sheet" and I'd never come across a towel.as big. Other than those two I couldn't say how old, but they are all in fine condition bar the ancient one.

I'm in a soft water area, wash towels once a week and don't tumble dry then that often. (Well at all in recent years, tumble dryer broke about 5 years ago.)

Also, my sheets last years! The last set I bought was about 5 years ago, and they are still going strong. I do have a couple of pillowcases that are going in places that I bought when I got married (so 15 years ago) but I blame DH's stubble.

Life is too busy for washing lines I find, no need to justify! (I have been using mine through this hot spell but normally I tumble 90% of laundry)

Which is in part why we're screwing the planet over. We have our priorities all wrong and cannot be bothered, or believe we don't have the time, to make ecologically sound decisions. By the time we do bother to get our priorities right, it may all be too late.

And yes, I know full well that tumble drying is one small thing. But it's all those many one small things that have got us into this state, that and our attitude.

My stuff is always wrecked and I think I'm probably doing everything identified as wrong on this thread, and perhaps more! I've discovered since starting to only buy things second hand (new year's resolution for eco reasons) that I'm unusually shit at laundry. I thought modern things just didn't last well but everything I buy arrives clearly worn but still pristine and within a few washes I've wrecked it - colours faded, fabric bobbled, often tiny holes. This stuff has sometimes clearly been through multiple homes but we're always end of the line! I can't even blame DH as laundry is the one task that I alone do. I suspect I'm overly lazy about it - don't sort enough or use the correct cycles - and tumble dry too much (I can't bear a line-dried towel!).

I've got 3 towels I emergency bought in Primark 14 years ago and they are still brilliant! Thick, kept their colour, still towelly.
Some expensive ones my grandma got me less than 2 years ago - look thin and old. I do think quality varies immensely and not in line with cost.

@Resilience

Do you use fabric conditioner? The same process that softens the fibres and makes your laundry soft tends to break down the fibres (particularly natural fibres like cotton) over time, causing holes etc.

That's interesting. I stopped using fabric conditioner in 2004. I was having problems with my washing machine. Not using fabric conditioner was part of the fault finding.

I've since discovered that you shouldn't use it for bedding, towels (or anything absorbent) and anything with Lycra/elastane/etc.

Better for the environment and my wallet too!

I also make my own laundry powder.

@BertramLacey

Maybe my expectations are unrealistic then? Reading these posts it sounds like my towels are normal ‘used’ towels.

I use towels whilst they still function as towels. When they're really scruffy they go to the yard to use on my horse. But of course I use things that look older rather than new. Why wouldn't you?

I don't work hard to have to dry myself with a frayed rag of a towel which doesn't feel soft. So I suppose that's why you wouldn't. I use them for cleaning rags or for my parents dogs. But no way am I keeping a towel 20 years.

But then I'm not having kids to I feel I can justify the environmental impact of my 3 to 5 year towels. I don't tumble dry either.

@BertramLacey

Life is too busy for washing lines I find, no need to justify! (I have been using mine through this hot spell but normally I tumble 90% of laundry)

Which is in part why we're screwing the planet over. We have our priorities all wrong and cannot be bothered, or believe we don't have the time, to make ecologically sound decisions. By the time we do bother to get our priorities right, it may all be too late.

And yes, I know full well that tumble drying is one small thing. But it's all those many one small things that have got us into this state, that and our attitude.

You need to think about our social and economic system which means people feel they don't have time to air dry. Rather than putting the responsibility with individuals.