How to Wash and Care for Your One-of-a-Kind Vintage and Handmade Clothing. 2023

You’ve scoured flea markets and vintage shops, you’ve discovered a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind pieces, and now you want to make sure they stay in good condition. But you have no idea how to wash the clothing you just got! Handmade and Upcycled Clothing require that little bit of extra care. Buying into fashion that isn’t mass produced means that the designer/maker has less availability to testing out your garments. But with a little bit of extra care and attention on your behalf- these items will become a staple in your wardrobe forever. 

Personally, As a lover of fashion, I am always hunting out the BEST one-of-a-kind items, whether it be from The Sustainable Fashion Week Marketplace or maybe a little treat to myself from Swan Vintage in Bruton. It is so important to me to know how to care for these items properly as I know I will never find them again!

we’ve updated our most popular blog post on ‘How to Wash Handmade Clothing’ to ensure that we still give you the best advice possible.

Handmade items have special care requirements.

Handmade items are often made of natural fibres, which means they absorb dye, and can be damaged by heat. They are more likely to be one-of-a-kind and unique. This can be great for you because it means your piece is special, but it also means that there aren’t any standards for how to care for handmade items like there would be with something from a big brand you’d typically see on the high-street.

Upcycled clothing requires special care because it’s made from recycled materials like vintage fabrics and upholstery materials–all of which are easily damaged by excessive handling or harsh cleaning products.

Handcrafted goods should always be washed separately from other clothing so as not to cause fading or damage from mixing colors or whites together in the wash cycle. It’s important to check for stains on the inside before putting them in with other clothing; if there is anything present on an inside seam, make sure you treat it before washing! These are just a few different ways you can care for your clothing.

How to wash your handmade or up-cycled clothing:

1. Use cold water 

When it comes to how you should wash your handmade pieces, there are some rules of thumb. First, use cold water instead of warm or hot. This helps prevent color fading and damage to the fibers in your garment. It’s also better for the environment: cold water requires less energy than hot water does, so you’re saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time! Hot water can shrink, fade and wrinkle fabrics. As well as being be economical and kinder to the planet, it ensures the durability of your clothing

2. Do not use bleach

Next, make sure that if you have any stains on your clothes that they are removed before hand washing them (or putting them in a machine). Bleach is not a cleaner, but it can be used as a disinfectant. Bleach is damaging to fabrics and should not be used on any hand-washables or upcycled clothing. If you have an item that has stains that need removal, use laundry stain remover instead of bleach.

3. Hand-washing

If possible try hand washing each item individually rather than throwing everything into one pile; this will allow each item its own space so nothing gets tangled up together while being washed! Hand washing also reduces residue buildup and prevents colour fading.

You can also use a delicate cycle in the washer if you need to clean something quickly or don’t have time for hand washing.

4. Use a Mesh Bag 

You may also want to use a mesh bag for delicate hand-washables. This will protect your item from lint and other residue buildup, as well as keep it from tangling with other items in the wash.

5. Do not use Fabric Softener

Fabric softener is not recommended for any of your hand-washables or upcycled clothing. It can cause residue buildup and make your clothes feel stiff, and it’s not necessary for either type of garment. It will also cause the garment to become less absorbent in the future.

6. Wash inside-out

Wash inside out, on cold and air dry. This causes less damage to the outside of the garment and protects any embellishment or colours.

7. Air dry you garments

The best way to dry handmade garments is by laying them flat on a towel and allowing them to air dry. Alternatively, you can hang them to dry. By using this method you’re allowing the garment to naturally hang and the creases to fall. Even though this is a great method, sometimes not all of the creases will fall.

8. Fix Fraying with Steam

If you have a piece of clothing that’s fraying, you can fix it by steaming the fraying ends. This will help them stay together and keep your garment from falling apart. If possible, steam the fraying ends while they’re still on your body or garment form. If this isn’t possible, try steaming them on another piece of fabric instead (like an old towel). Don’t use a dryer to fix fraying because it can damage the fibers in your fabric!

It’s important to be aware of the care instructions for the products you buy, but it’s also important to take care of them the right way so they last longer!

It’s important to be aware of the care instructions for the products you buy, but it’s also important to take care of them the right way so they last longer!

• Follow Care Instructions: If your item has specific washing instructions, follow those. Most clothing items can be machine washed on cold and air dried or hung dry with no problem. However, if your item says do not put in a dryer or hand wash only (which is something you might see on vintage clothing), then you should heed that advice or risk damaging your garment.
• Use the Right Detergent: Some detergents are made specifically for certain fabrics; read labels carefully when buying new detergent so that you’re using one appropriate for whatever fabric type your garment is made from (egyptian cotton vs polyester). Also make sure there aren’t any added dyes or fragrances since these can stain lighter colored clothes over time!

Repairing clothing is possible! Learn how to do it here.

There are many reasons why you might want to repair your clothing, but here are just a few:

• It’s cheaper than buying new clothes all the time.
• It helps keep items that are unique and special in your life longer by not throwing them away when they get damaged or worn out.
• The satisfaction of seeing something that was once broken become whole again is priceless!
• Hand-made and vintage clothing is always delicate, so these skills are so important to improving the longevity of a garment.

The most important thing to remember is that your vintage and handmade items are one-of-a-kind. You can’t replace them with anything else, so it’s worth taking good care of them. If you’re going to spend money on something, make sure it lasts!