May in Fashion, Condensed.
Let's talk laundry habits and why fast fashion is struggling, plus it's time for the 90-Day No New clothes Challenge.
Hello there,
How often do you wash your clothes? Are you a wear-once-and-wash kinda person? Or do you wait until your trousers basically walk themselves to the machine before you do a load?
Often, we talk a lot about the big systemic issues facing fashion without acknowledging a huge factor in our relationship to clothing: how, when, (and whether) we wash our clothes. It’s a dying art, in my opinion. A friend recently complained to me that her flatmate, upon offering to restock the laundry, only bought fabric softener. (Side note: You don’t need fabric softener at all, let alone it being the only product in your laundry cupboard).
The fact is, washing your clothes wears them out. This is especially true if you use a dryer or often forget to separate your white and coloured clothes. The more you wash, the quicker things will shrink, dyes will fade, and seams will unravel.
Culturally, we’re conditioned to think that the more softeners, stain removers, sickly sweet smells and triple-action, ultra-whitening detergents we add, the more hygienic and clean our clothes will be. But really, we’re piling a tonne of toxic chemicals onto the clothes that sit against our skin, the body’s largest organ, 24/7. What impact is that having on our health and on the environment when it gets washed away?
Common laundry chemicals include bleach, formaldehyde, ammonium sulfate — the list goes on. I’m very excited to read my editor Alden Wicker’s upcoming book on chemicals in our clothing — To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick — which comes out at the end of June. I’m sure it will start a necessary conversation and hopefully bring about stricter regulation when it comes to chemical use in fashion.
I think times are changing. According to a BBC story below, there is a whole movement behind not washing your clothes. The story starts a little gross (jeans you can smell from a distance? Fowl) but persevere because it gets fascinating — detailing the types of fabrics and old-school cleaning hacks that no-wash advocates stand by.
A few years ago, Stella McCartney made headlines for discussing her laundry habits (slow news day) saying: “If you don’t absolutely have to clean anything, don’t clean it." I remember people being appalled. But perhaps a growing awareness of water scarcity, toxic chemicals and their health implications, plus the zillions of microplastics in the oceans will convert the non-believers. Finally, vindication for McCartney!
Whatever your laundry habits, we could all spend a bit more time looking after what we own. After all, you can’t slow down your clothing consumption without knowing how to keep the things you have for longer. A few quick things to keep in mind:
White vinegar gets out most stains and a spray of vodka neutralises odours
Wash with cold water 30 degrees or less
Look at the label, get to know the laundry symbols and wash accordingly
A clothes steamer isn’t just for wrinkles: it’s a gentle way to clean delicate fabrics
Think of your dryer as a last-resort option - airdrying is the way to go
Drycleaning is also toxic AF - look for eco-friendly companies like Oxwash
As ever, I love to hear from you. Feel free to share your laundry tips too! Hit reply at the end of the email to get in touch.
Until next month,
Meg X
Things I Didn’t Write
Selfridges, Hermès Quietly Exit Fashion Pact Amid Slow Progress by Sarah Kent for Business of Fashion
Slowing Down Growth and Reimagining Value Creation by Rachel Arthur for Textile Exchange
Missguided is Back a Year After it Went Bust, But Fast Fashion is Struggling Badly by Rob Hastings for iNews
When It Comes To Sustainable Cotton, Fashion’s Focused On 1% at the Expense Of The Other 99. Why? by Brooke Roberts-Islam for Forbes
Boohoo Imposes 'Mandatory' Reduction on Local Supplier Invoices Amid £91m Loss by Asha Patel for Leicestershire Live
It’s Not You, It’s ‘Re’: Why Some Circular Fashion Businesses Struggle To Succeed by Marcus Jaye for the Industry
The Rise Of The 'No-Wash' Movement by Matilda Welin for BBC
The To-Do List
Remake’s No New Clothes challenge starts today! Can you go three months without buying anything new? I’ve done the challenge for a few years now and I find I’m much more intentional when I do buy new things post-challenge. In the paid-subscriber section of today’s newsletter, you’ll hear from Emily Stochl, advocacy manager at Remake, who shared some great advice for surviving the three months sans shopping.
Panel Discussion: Unpicked — The True Cost of Being Sustainable at Westfield Good Festival
Rebecca Morter from Lone Design Club and I are hosting a panel discussion during the Westfield Good Festival tonight! Together with Andrea Cheong, JD Shadel, and Priscillia Okpan, we will discuss the true cost of sustainability when it comes to our wardrobes. It’s a free event, so if you’re in London, join us in the main atrium of Westfield, White City for what is sure to be an interesting conversation.
Film Screening and Q&A: Mother of Pearl Designer Amy Powney and Becky Hutner, director of Fashion Reimagined
During Graduate Fashion Week (June 12-15) I’ll be interviewing Amy Powney, the creative director of sustainable womenswear brand Mother of Pearl, and Becky Hutner, director of Fashion Reimagined. It’s a documentary that follows Amy’s journey to create a fully traceable collection. If you haven’t already seen this fascinating documentary, it will be screened after our conversation!
Thank you for reading the Titian Thread Newsletter! This is where the free content ends. To continue reading paid subscriber-only content below, hit the button below.
🚨FREE SUBSCRIBERS🚨: If you don’t see the rest of the newsletter above this line, click “Open in browser” at the top of the email or the three little dots above the “Upgrade to paid” section to read the full free section!
This month, paid subscribers can listen to my conversation with Emily Stochl, advocacy manager at Remake, who discusses the 90-Day No New Clothes Challenge and shares her advice for surviving a shopping break. Plus, discover three of my favourite apps to support your fashion detox.