Clothing Care
We want you to enjoy the clothes you purchase from Brothers We Stand for a long time. Did you know that on average people are buying twice as many clothes and keeping them for half as long as they did fifteen years ago? (Greenpeace) But with a bit of care clothes often look better when they've been worn a bit and developed some character.
Here's a few tips to help you love your clothes well.
WASHING
Washing your clothes with care is one of the most effective ways to make your clothes last longer. From our experience, garments shrinking is one of the most common reasons why people stop wearing once loved clothes. The best way to avoid shrinking garments is to avoid unnecessary exposure to heat. (If you're interested you can read the science behind this here.)- Set the temperature on your washing machine to “cold” or at least no higher than 30°C. Most modern detergents will remove pretty much anything on a cool wash but you can buy detergents specifically designed for cold-water washing.
Some people find it helpful to have a separate basket for items that need to be washed hot. Only bed linens and towels need to be washed hot really.
- Try to remove clothes from the machine immediately after washing as this will reduce wrinkling. Doing this may even make ironing unnecessary. If you choose to iron use as low a heat as possible to avoid heat shrinkage.
- Air-dry clothes but avoid direct sunlight for items sensitive to shrinkage. You guessed it, the heat may lead to shrinkage. Find a warm space, with good airflow.
- We recommend washing denim cold and inside-out to minimise any loss of colour. You may like to consider washing indigo jeans alone to avoid the risk of dying other items blue. Some committed folk have been known to wash denim in the bath. This makes for a gentler experience for your jeans.
- Wash items neither no more or less than necessary. Wearing an undergarment can reduce the frequency which you need to wash other layers, preserving their longevity. Sometimes hanging an item such as jeans or a sweatshirt up to air in a location with good ventilation may freshen the item without the need to wash it.
REPAIRS & ALTERATIONS
The skill of a tailor can allow you to keep wearing items for longer. Wear and tear, accidents or the change of the body over time can leave once loved items at the back of your wardrobe. Your local tailor can help get these items back in action.
Click here to find your local tailor. It's amazing what they can do. Ask for local recommendations and read reviews to ensure a quality service.
COMMON ALTERATIONS
Take garment in/out
Trousers - shorten/lengthen, half pocket, full pocket, taper legs and take in/take out
Jackets - shorten sleeves
Coats - shorten length
COMMON REPAIRS
Broken Zip
Hole or Tear in Fabric
Replace buttons/poppers
Coat or Jacket Relining
Re-sew toe on socks
If you'd like some tips on carrying out repairs yourself, IFIXIT have some helpful 'how to' guides. For more technical repairs, including outerwear, we recommend Lancashire Sports Repairs.
If you have a question or would like our advice please email orders@brotherswestand.com.