It is not only the choice of shop, brand and material that has an impact on the sustainability of your wardrobe. Also the way you treat your clothes has a huge impact. We share our five most important tips to make your clothes last longer. 

1. Use a laundry bag

Using a laundry bag prevents garments leaving the washing machine with hooks or damage. By placing items such as bras in a laundry bag, they won't get caught in your favourite woolen jumper. Very convenient, and in many cases ecological too. Laundry bags prevent the microfibres that are released during the wash from ending up in the sewerage. The bag itself does not lose any microfibres and the holes are so small that the fibres coming from your clothes stay in the bag.

2. Use a lint remover

Woolen jackets or pullovers: after a few wintry weeks, you may notice that they gradually start to pill up. These little fluff pieces that hang onto your coat, jumper or scarf are easy to remove with a so-called lint remover. This tool removes the lint in no time, making your favourite garment look new again.

3. Don't wash your clothes too much

The more you wash a garment, the faster it will show signs of wear. To keep your clothes looking great for longer, put off washing them until you need to. If you have not sweated and your clothes still smell fresh, hang them up for a moment to air them out and wear them again. This will make your clothes last longer and save you energy and water.

4. Select the correct washer cycle

There is nothing more disappointing than folding laundry and finding that something went wrong during the wash. Shrunken garments, woolen items with hooks in them or even "melted" synthetic fibres are just some of the frustrating situations you may encounter in the laundry room. Try to be as familiar as possible with the different fabrics and their washing instructions and the 'capabilities' of your washing machine to avoid this kind of scenario.

5. Store your clothes in the right way

Open dressings with clothes racks, bathed in morning light: we know these Pinterest settings all too well, but they are not good for the survival of your garments. Sunlight is the enemy of your favourite outfit.Pale shades yellow and dark colours fade in places when they come into contact with sunlight. So a classic wardrobe with doors or a dark room are your wardrobe's best friends.

6. Wash your denim inside out 

Jeans trousers, denim jackets and shirts should be washed inside out. This way the colour of your jeans is preserved as much as possible and you make your clothes last longer.

7. Work with a summer and a winter wardrobe

By storing your clothes seasonally, your wardrobe is less cluttered. As a result, coat racks hang further apart and folded clothes are stacked less thickly. This allows your garments to breathe and to aerate, making them less likely to have a 'musty smell'.

8.Knitted clothes? Fold them up instead of hanging them up

Knitted jumpers, blouses and dresses should be folded rather than hung up. The fibres can stretch considerably, which changes the fitting and shape of your garment and you will no longer want to or be able to wear it.

Do you have more tips  to make your clothes last longer? Let us know via Facebook, Instagram or via info@etikl.com and we might add them to this list.