1) Wear an apron. When cooking, cleaning, or doing anything messy, wear an apron to protect your clothes from getting dirty so you don't have to wash them as often. Washing and drying use lots of energy and resources, as well as slowly destroy your clothes. The less you wash them, the longer they will last, as well as drastically reducing your environmental impact through energy and water use. Also wear underwear, an undershirt, and/or a slip under your clothes to protect them from the other side too.
2) Wear clothes until they are really dirty. Clothes and household textiles such as napkins can be used several times before washing. If clothes are not stained, hang them on a hook, hanger, valet stand, or chair overnight to air out, and generally they can be worn again before washing, perhaps several times. On the other hand, always wash an item before storing it for a period of time, such as its off-season, since even invisible dirt and oils will potentially discolor the fabric over time or attract pests such as moths.
3) Green your wash. Switch to phosphate-free, all-natural, biodegradable laundry soap and additive-free oxygen-based bleach. A clean-rinsing soap will avoid build-up, and eliminate the need for dryer sheets, fabric softener, and other additives. Adjust water level to the size of each load, and use the coolest water needed for your items.
4) Dry laundry on a line. Sunshine will bleach whites, remove stains, disinfect fabrics, and give the freshest ozone smell! Air drying inside will humidify your house. Air drying anywhere will eliminate wrinkles, prolong the life of your clothes, and cut energy consumption by up to 75%. Tumble air-dried laundry in your dryer on no heat for 5 minutes to soften clothes if needed, or just shake out. If you must machine-dry on occasion, use low heat and wool dryer balls to cut drying time, static, and wrinkles.
5) Develop a personal style. Determine the types of clothing you need for the activities you do, and the shapes, colors, and styles that look best on you. Likewise, determine a style for your home furnishings appropriate to your daily activities, the architecture of your house, and your taste. Then only buy garments and textiles that meet your criteria. You will have fewer clothes, but you will love everything in your closet and always feel confident in your clothes. Unsubscribe from all clothing store email lists so you are not tempted to impulse buy things you don't need or that don't look best on you just because "It's such a bargain!"
6) Buy quality. Buy the best quality clothing and furnishings you can afford, so they will last a long time. Buy organic natural fibers whenever possible; the cost will help you think twice about whether the item is truly necessary! Linen, hemp, wool and silk have the least environmental impact in production, then cotton. Look for quality construction, including strong seams and buttons, linings, and substantial fabrics.
7) Buy used. Check consignment shops, thrift stores, ebay and other sources for second-hand and vintage clothing and household textiles before buying new. Check Etsy for interesting recycled and upcycled items.
8) Learn simple sewing. Sewing on a button, catching up a hem, and repairing seams allows you to keep wearing the clothes you love instead of throwing a garment away and buying a new one. You can make your clothes last longer by mending any small issues right away. Many fabric stores offer beginner sewing and mending classes to get you started. You can even learn to do basic alterations such as taking in seams to adjust the fit of clothes.
9) Go cloth instead of disposable. As you run out of disposable paper and plastic products, switch to long-wearing, biodegradable, natual-fiber cloth versions: napkins, placemats, cleaning and wiping rags, kitchen towels, handkerchiefs, washcloths, even potty wipes and menstrual pads. You can buy these items or cut cleaning rags from old clothes and furnishing textiles that are no longer useable. T-shirts, sweatshirts, towels, and sheets make excellent cleaning rags.
10) Donate, don't trash. When disposing of clothing and textiles, give everything to a charity such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Items in good condition will be sold or used in their charity shops or programs, and stained, torn, or unusable items will be sold to recyclers and kept out of landfills.
