How to care for vintage clothing

Have you fallen in love with your new vintage piece and wonder how to take care for it so it would last forever? We totally understand. Vintage clothing has been through a lot - some pieces show it more, some less, but they all deserve your care and love to keep their condition as long as possible.

 

Before cleaning..

 

• less is more - if the clothing is not visibly dirty or does not smell, do not wash it - even if it has been worn two or three times
• always make sure your hands are clean before putting on or touching your clothing
• put on jewelry (especially on your hands) as the last thing on your body and take it off first - this will prevent unwanted tearing of the material, etc.
• if you find a stain on your clothing, try to clean it locally first, e.g. sponge and hand washing detergent or stain remover
  repair minor defects in time - a small hole can become a major defect if you don't fix it in time
• we also recommend maintaining metal zippers - lubricating them with Vaseline or graphite from a regular pencil will extend their lifespan

 

Storage

 

• we do not recommend storing clothes in plastic airtight bags or similar packaging - textile materials need to breathe
• we do not recommend using cheap wire hangers - they pull out the fibers of the clothes and may also rust, which will dirty the material
• we recommend storing clothes in the dark - light or sunlight will shrink and damage its fibers
• we recommend storing clothes in neutral climate conditions - extremes such as high humidity promote the formation of mold and provide an environment for pests
• lavender near clothes repels unwanted pests and has a pleasant smell
• heavy clothes should not be hanging for a long time, but should be laid

 

Washing

 

• find out if the piece is washable (according to the manufacturer's instructions on the label), the following materials are safe for machine washing in most cases: cotton, polyester, spandex, nylon
• materials such as leather, silk, fur, linen, satin, velvet, vinyl, cashmere require special cleaning, so we recommend leaving it to professionals
• wool can be washed by hand with special products, in lukewarm water up to 30 degrees, but if you are not sure, leave its cleaning to professionals
• hand washing is always gentler than washing in a washing machine
• when washing in a washing machine, avoid washing at high temperatures, we recommend washing clothes at 30 (max 40) degrees
  
• use gentle detergents
• after washing, hang the clothes to dry as soon as possible, we recommend hanging them inside out to protect the outside

 

Although these tips can significantly slow down the aging of vintage clothing, it can't be stopped.

 

But don't throw them away, think about upcycling, recycling, reselling or donating them.