Here at tentree, the Brand Team loves to start meetings with an icebreaker question, and a recent one revealed laundry is one of the team’s least favourite chores. If it’s at the bottom of your to-do list too, you may be happy to hear that doing this chore less often is actually better for the planet.
A study by the Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences estimates that residential laundry in the US emits a staggering 179 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year. That’s equal to the total annual energy use of more than 21 million homes. Add to that gallons of water guzzled and chemicals lurking in detergents, and it becomes clear that the environmental impact of this household chore is anything but clean.
The good news is that there are easy ways you make this task more eco-friendly. One of the simplest ways is to do it less often. Cutting down the number of times you send your clothes for a spin requires no investment, saves resources, and helps reduce your carbon footprint.
As an added bonus, doing fewer loads of laundry keeps your clothes in better condition meaning you can enjoy them for longer. And last but certainly not least, less laundry means you have more time on your hands, and we can’t complain about that in the summer.
Check out our five sustainable tips for doing less laundry.
1. Take the time to fold
We’ve all been there — instead of folding our clothes, we throw them over a chair or into a pile for later. By the time later comes, the pile has grown, and it’s easier to throw it all in the wash instead of sorting out what’s clean and what’s dirty.
By taking time to put away your clothes, you can keep them in better condition and wear them more than once before washing them. Getting more wear out of your clothes is one of the simplest ways to do less laundry. The exception to this rule is, of course, socks, underwear, and gym wear, which you should wash after each use.
To cut down on the number of loads you’re doing, make it a habit to only do laundry when the hamper is full. This also saves energy, since washing machines use roughly the same amount of energy regardless of whether they’re full or half loads.
2. Buy natural fabrics
Organic and natural fabrics are the way to go if you want to cut down your laundry time. Unlike synthetic fabrics, which trap moisture, fabrics like hemp, linen, and organic cotton wick moisture away from the skin, keeping odours at bay. Investing in these breathable natural fabrics will help you get more wear out of your clothes, reducing the amount of laundry that needs to be done.
Featured: Hemp Stretch Straight Leg Pant
3. Protect your clothes
Aprons may seem retro, but they’re perfect for shielding your clothes from those hard-to-remove grease stains, splattering sauces, and other kitchen mishaps that make more laundry inevitable. Before diving into dinner prep or Sunday brunch, throw on an apron to keep your outfit stain-free and out of the laundry pile.
4. Spot clean
If you do have a cooking mishap or spill coffee on your shirt, resist the urge to toss your clothes in the hamper. Do a quick spot wash instead of washing the entire garment so you can wear it again.
If a little soap and water doesn’t get the job done, we recommend checking out this article by The Spruce shares seven natural products that will effectively help remove stains and odour from your clothes while keeping your laundry routine green.
5. Dress with less
It might seem counterintuitive, but the more clothes you have, the more laundry you’ll likely generate. When your closet’s full of options, there’s no need to wear things more than once. Consider exploring a capsule wardrobe to keep your weekly laundry pile under control. This minimalist style of dressing relies on a small number of high-quality items that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of outfits. Check out our top tips for creating a capsule wardrobe.
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