Feb 13th, 2017, 02:46 AM

Fabric Care: The Secret Revolution of Fast Fashion

By Danielle Gregoire
Image Credit: goodonyou.com
How to make fast-fashion worth your while

 

Fashion is a revolving door - what’s fashionable today will inevitably be fashionable again. Fashion moves faster than the models strutting down the catwalk, by the time they reach the end you’re on to a new trend. These clothes weren’t made to keep. They were meant to be worn, seen, then tossed. But there is a way to make fast fashion last. My friends marvel at the fact I’ve worn the same Zara skirt for 8 years and it’s still in perfect condition.

The secret is that there is magic in the fabric. It is important to know which items will fall-apart and which you can keep forever. Even in fast fashion you have hidden gems - like my Zara skirt - that can last for many years. You don’t have to be a designer to know the shelf-life of your fabric. A few tips and tricks can help you get by and have your favorite items stand the test of time.

Know your fabrics 

Image Credit: unsplash.com

Luckily ready to wear fabrics aren't too complex. They usually consist of some sort of cotton blend, polyester, viscose, rayon and/or elastane. On the dry-cleaning slip, stitched on the inside of your garment, they have percentages for each fabric. Especially in fast-fashion try to stick with the highest percentage of cotton. 

Cotton is the most organic fabric out of the ones listed. The most unflattering looks comes from fabrics such as viscose and rayon. They tend to hug your body in all the wrong places. As for synthetic fabrics, better to just skip those all together, they don’t breathe and cause you to sweat - not cute!

Treat even your cheapest items like silk

Image Credit: unspalsh.com

Like the skin, clothes need to be treated with some TLC.  ALWAYS read the dry-cleaning slip that is stitched on the inside clothes, this provides you with instructions on how to care for a blend of materials. Hand-washing and air-drying are always my go-to when I am not sure how to properly care for a certain type of material (or when I don’t want to go to the dry cleaners).

This ensures that your garment will not be stretched, pulled, and tossed around roughly in the washing machine. This mechanical contraption is great on time but harsh on clothes. Even in the delicate cycle you can see your clothes spin and whirl around at great speed, inevitably weakening the material’s structure, which leads to damages.

Pro-tip: Do not put clothing with sequins, beading, or lace into the washing machine or dryer.

 Through these simple steps, I promise you and your bank account will thank me later.