Hasta La Ideas

It’s well-known that the manufacturing process of clothing isn’t exactly environmentally friendly. But few consider how just owning and maintaining clothes continues to drain resources.

“Repeated washing and drying cause the lion’s share of a garment’s environmental impact,” reveals Rachel G. Clark, Managing Editor of Patagonia’s Brand Storytelling & Impact division. “This is even more true for denim; soaked jeans can take a lot of energy to dry. As such, you have a big say in how green your blue jeans are.”

Even the open-minded Clark was shocked to learn that co-worker Mark Little, Patagonia’s Product Line Director for Men’s Sportswear & Surf Apparel, wore the same pair of jeans almost every day for 2.5 years—and only washed them five times. Little explains why in this article by Clark, which resulted in the tips below:

“Here are five ways Mark helps his jeans last longer, while using less electricity, natural gas and water. You can, too.”

– Don’t Wash: Air out, spot clean or place in the freezer overnight

– Wash Better: If you must, use cold water and wash by hand rather than machine washing

– Line Dry: If that’s not an option, avoid a hot dryer (stick to low heat)

– Repair: Before replacing, customize. Jorts, anyone?

– Pass Along: When done with a pair, let a friend write their next chapter

I’d never heard of the freezing thing before. I assume it doesn’t raise the electricity bill by much, and I’d try it–if we had the room in our freezer.