top tips for keeping your clothes looking like new?

[mothersmilk]

iv always been maticulous about keeping my clothes looking good and lasting as long as poss. But just recently iv noticed holes appearing in relitivly new items also bobbling and other aging chareactoristics in other pretty new items and im not happy. is it something im doing or is the quality of clothes just deteriorating?
can anyone share thre best tips for keeping clothes in tip top condition?
thankyou

bump

Crap clothes, mostly. I reckon you have to buy Hobbs/whistles type stuff to get what used to be high street quality now.

Also, quality varies hugely within stores because they use so many factories - you need to really check the quality of everything you buy (I randomly have a superb quality H&M coat that has lasted 6 years, but frequently find myself chucking out, for example, Gap t-shirts after only a couple of washes).

My number one top tip is handwashing - everything I have that wants to be washed at below 40 degrees I hand wash, and it lasts much longer. I sometimes give it a quick spin, but otherwise it's mostly hand washed. Also handwash underwear and tights, or at least put it in a lingerie bag to go in the machine.

Pick bobbles off any bobbly clothes (good cashmere shouldn't particularly bobble unless you wear it under abrasive jackets etc, Brora is brilliant quality), dry clean coats etc once a year.

(Obv. I don't chuck them out, I recycle/turn them into rugs/polishing clothes etc.

I think a lot has to do with the quality of the fabrics they use, tbh. Having said that, one would think that a Jaeger cashmere sweater would last better than a cheapy Tesco one but that hasn't been my experience (sadly ).

I have one of those bobble-shaving things from John Lewis which instantly revamps knitwear.

Wash & press all dark items inside out.

Fold all knitwear (rather than hang)

Invest in some proper trouser hangers (so they clip at the hem and hang upside down rather than folded over a regular hanger, iyswim). Helps prevent creasing and wear of fabric around the mid-length of the trouser.

Handwash rather than risking a delicate cycle in the machine. I found this out the hard way: Having always handwashed a silk shirt from Jigsaw and been impressed with the fact that it still looked new after a year. Decided one day to bung it in machine on delicates.....cue much bobbling and fade of my gorgeous navy shirt

Invest in shoe creme for all your leather shoes (keeps the leather supple and prevents scuffing and wear). Use it regularly together with regular top ups of scotchguard type spray.

wash everything much less. Only wash things that are close to your body. Cardigans can go months without washing. Extend wear by always wearing camisoles.

Tumble drying shortens the life of clothes. I hang all my tops on hangers and hang over doorways upstairs - dry overnight.

I too have noticed that clothes don't last as well as they used to.

Regarding the holes in tops - do they happen just by the buttons on your jeans?

I have got through expensive and cheap tops this way and have no idea where the hole comes from, after much investigation I think it's the top of my jeans (above button, harder denim bit) that must rub and create a hole!

Dont have moths or wear belts

If anyone has any ideas much appreciated!

A good washing powder and not alot of conditioner is the key I think as well, invest is dark poweder for dark clothes and ms white washing poweder is the best for the whites.

Stay away from my puppy.

Buy new ones

wash things less and inside out, and do up buttons/zips

I keep finding little holes in our tshirts, but not where the top of the jeans would be rubbing....i wondered if it was our washing machine.

I hang everything up inside out - keeps them cleaner, stops them getting dusty

The holes could be because of moths. My two precious cashmere jumpers that I always handwash took a hit over summer. Shame the art of darning has died.

i put my good clothes in a pillow case to wash them

This is a bit of an obsession with me, and I agree with all of the above.

I more point - bear in mind that dry cleaning is also very damaging to clothes - so resist the temptation to dry clean things too often.

I also find that quality is incredibly varied. Knitwear is particularly annoying - I don't understand why some jumpers don't bobble or pill very much at all, while others do terribly - and price does not seem to be a guarantee of good quality.

To the person who said "buy new ones" - that's not terribly helpful or very economical or ethical to be honest !!!!!