Mending in the Time of Fast Fashion
MENDING IN THE TIME
OF FAST FASHION
How to keep your tyke's clothing and shoes in top condition for resale and beyond
We’ve all been there: your child’s go-to garment has a stain, a tear, a missing button and it feels overwhelming to tackle. We have some simple tips to ensure you can keep your items in great condition so that when they have outgrown them, they are ready to Retykle.
When we mend our clothes instead of discarding them, we are doing a favor for the environment. Every year, households around the world are discarded hundreds of tonnes of fabric and textiles due to imperfections like shrinkage, stains, and snags. By taking a few moments to understand what an item needs to be kept at its best, you are giving it a second (third, or fourth) life, so that we can not only preserve items you've come to love but also help keep textiles out of landfills.
According to WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), an estimated £149m worth of clothing goes into landfill each year in the UK, with the average lifetime of a garment estimated at 2.2 years. The following tips are some simple yet helpful things you can do if your child’s items need a little extra love if they are sticking around for a while or before sending them off to a new home.
MENDING
Replacing a missing button or broken zipper, darning a hole, or closing a ripped seam are all ways we can save garments from going to the landfill!
You can give it a go yourself or for only a few dollars have a local seamstress help keep your tyke clothes in tip-top shape.
Pro Seller Tip: Alterations in any way that would change the integrity of the item (e.g. hemming pant legs, shortening straps on tops and dress) will not be accepted by Retykle but can be passed on to another home.
STAIN REMOVAL
The golden rule for stains: always treat them as soon as possible as they are much easier to remove. Many of the ingredients needed can readily found around your home or in your pantry and do not contain harmful chemicals.
For textiles and fabric, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. You need to make sure that the ingredients you are using for stain removal are the right ones for the job.
Just like items of clothing, there are lots of different materials shoes are made out of will eventually get dirty. If the shoes do not come out clean the first try, simply repeat the cleaning process. Make sure before your child wears the shoes again that they are completely dry as they can develop an odor if not dried properly before wearing.
There are countless blogs and Youtube videos online that can help you with any trouble you find yourself in. However, if you’ve got a problem that is a little more complex, check out the Stain Solution search engine for greater detail on the types of products you should be using.
WASHING PROPERLY
When it comes to washing clothes, always follow the care label directions! One bad wash could spell the end of that item’s life.
See our previous blog about how to properly wash, dry, and iron your tyke's clothing to help keep it in top condition for resale.
REMOVING PILLING
Equally important as washing our clothes is how we dry them! When items we love start to show signs of wear, it can create pilling on the fabric. However, before pilling does appear, prevent it with these obvious but garment-saving tips:
1
Turn garments inside out when washing.
2
Use liquid detergent as well as the gentle cycle.
3
When possible, hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer. The dryer is the big pilling culprit.
4
Make sure not to overload your washer. Cramming too many garments in prevents them from moving around and causes damage to the surface.
If possible, dry sensitive materials (wool, cashmere, angora, silk) on a flat surface to ensure that the item dries without any unwanted stretching or bulging of the fabric.
Pro Seller Tip: Hanging clothes to dry not only saves energy but is good for the environment as it emits much lower carbon emissions than an electric dryer.
Being a seller with Retykle means taking the responsibility to ensure that any pre-loved items that arrive at our office meet the ABC Guidelines.
Each repair has a teaching moment - take this opportunity to get your children involved in taking ownership of what they have and drive home why it is important to maintain the things we love. Give your children’s clothes you love a new lease on life!
Ready to Retykle?
If you have pre-loved treasures that meet our ABC Guidelines, you can book a pickup here.
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