How long clothes last

With these simple care instructions, you'll find that your favorite shirt and that perfect pair of pants can withstand longer wear. And with the money you'll save on not buying replacements, you can invest in finer fabrics and higher-end garb, knowing you'll get the most out of each item. Readers, what are your tips on how to keep black clothes from fading and make apparel last longer?

Let us know in the comments below! How to Keep Clothes From Fading. With proper care, your clothes can last 15 years or longer, compared to about three years if they're worn often and not maintained.

Published March 6, High heat fades and shrinks material, so use a dryer sparingly. Cheap plastic or wire hangers can stretch out the shoulder of a garment. Aaron Crowe. He has worked as a reporter and an editor for newspapers and websites. Follow him on Twitter at AaronCrowe. DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication unless otherwise specified.

Leave a comment! Sign In or Register. This is interesting data. I can surmise from my experience why middle-aged women are more likely to wear less of their wardrobes. From having done many wardrobe audits for clients in this demographic the reasons are:. A study of items disposed of in a 6 month period by 16 households in Norway found that the average lifespan of a garment was 5. Otherwise, they end up taking up valuable wardrobe space — this jacket is an inherited item in my wardrobe that will get worn.

What are the reasons people get rid of their clothing? Middle-aged adults over 51 kept their clothing for longer before disposing of it when it was 10 years old. Many of these year-old items had not been worn for some years but had been kept for some time before disposal letting go can be hard for many.

While teenagers kept theirs for only 3 years at most not unexpectedly, as this is both a period of changing body shapes and size, but also a time of self-discovery and trying out different fashions and following fashion fads, also garments made for this demographic are generally of poorer quality. What was interesting, was that if clothing was going to be disposed of and it was still in good condition — so it would be either sold or donated — it was let go of more quickly at around 3 years after purchase letting others get wear out of it while still in fashion than if it was going to be thrown in the bin then it was kept for 1.

Do You Hear That? Change of Seasons — Changing Your Wardrobe. I have found that since having my daughter I had little time or energy to devote to overhauling my wardrobe. Consequently, there has been loads and loads!

At the height I probably had well over items hmm.. Kids take so much time up! Well done! My oldest items are two winter ones. Boots bought in and a coat — the only thing I had sewn for me by a tailor, in I still wear them, the coat every winter on Sundays.

Boots only in a very cold weather. I regularly try to get rid of the things that are not good anymore, but still there are too many of them: Your posts are an inspiration. Interesting findings,thanks for sharing. What you can see is that, on the whole, natural fibres last longer than synthetics which is why purchasing clothing made from higher quality natural fibres or fibre blends is a good investment in the longer run, as they will last longer.

Cashmere — again, look for a higher quality — a four-ply cashmere will wear better than a thinner two-ply. Good kinds of cashmere may pill — but only once — as that pill is a sign of any shorter fibres being shed, once they have been removed the pilling should stop. Tightly spun fibres — whether cotton, linen, wool or cashmere — the tighter the fibre has been spun the less likely it is to pill. Fibre Blends of 3 or More Different Fibres even if they are all natural fibres should be avoided as they will pill more quickly.

Example of a 5 fibre blend fabric — this has pilled considerably — and not just in high friction areas — but all over — in less than a month. Acrylic — this has to be my number 1 waste of money fibre.

How do you know if a garment is going to wear well? This can be tricky — so here are some tips to help you. How does it feel? It should feel smooth, soft and substantial as this means there is more fibre in the knit, which makes it last longer. Look for fabrics that have tightly packed yarns rather than loosely knitted as these will also snag really easily.

With wool — put it against your neck — the less itchy it feels the longer the fibres are — so the better it will wear. Stretch it. Is it strengthened with interfacing? Are the collars and cuffs, the waistbands of woven shirts and trousers strengthened and stiffened with interfacing?

If not they will not wear well and will become misshapen quickly. Check the seams. The longer the stitch the more likely you are to get holes in the seams.