Wash & Care
When we select materials for our styles, we place particular emphasis on them being comfortable, responsibly produced and easy to wear. But we also consider whether they are easy to wash and care for, so they can work in a busy everyday life. And although we have already tried to make it easy, we would like to make it even easier - many of us follow, if we may be so direct, some slightly outdated rules when it comes to washing clothes.
We wash too often
Do you automatically put your clothes in the wash after wearing them 1-2 times? You are not alone, but in many cases it is not necessary at all.
On the contrary, clothes are exposed to unnecessary wear from washing too frequently. Of course, there is a difference in how close to the body we wear different garments, and therefore also in how much washing they need, but in many cases you can start by refreshing your clothes with something as simple as airing them out.
Natural fibres such as cotton and wool generally develop less odour than synthetic materials. In addition, they (especially wool) have some quite brilliant self-cleaning properties that you can make good use of. For example, you can hang your clothes close to an open window or outside. In fact, a trip to the freezer can also work. And if you do not feel like wearing the same thing the next day, there is no shame in hanging it back in the wardrobe.
If you get a stain on your clothes, a trip to the washing machine may not necessarily be the first and best solution either. Most stains can be removed with a little clear washing-up liquid, as long as it is applied quickly after the damage has occurred.
We wash too hot (and incorrectly)
Are you about to do laundry? The temperatures many of us wash at originate from a time when detergents and washing machines were far from having the same properties. Today, there is a wide range of products that effectively wash clean at 15-30 degrees. When the care label in your clothing recommends 40 degrees, it should therefore be understood as a maximum temperature. In addition to the temperature, the dosage of your detergent is actually also quite crucial for both washing effectively and gently.
Here, it is important to follow the dosage recommendations on the packaging, and although it may take a little practice to measure it out at first, it quickly becomes easier. When washing wool (and silk), we recommend that you only use a detergent specifically intended for these materials, as otherwise you risk your detergent containing the enzyme protease, which breaks down the proteins the materials are made of. When washing synthetic materials, we recommend, in addition to a Guppyfriend, that you avoid any fabric softeners, as they make it harder for synthetic materials to release any odour. A Gubbyfriend is a laundry bag designed to catch microplastics from clothing made of synthetic materials.
Washing
When you see the washing symbol (the small wash tub), it is first and foremost important to note that the numbers indicate a maximum temperature.
If the washing symbol is crossed out, it means that the garment should not be washed at all, and if a hand is shown, it means that the garment should be hand washed. If there are no lines under the icon, it means that you can wash on a normal programme, while one line means that you should choose a gentle programme with fewer spins, and two lines mean that you should choose an extra gentle programme, for example intended for wool or silk.
Bleaching: The symbol for bleaching is a triangle. A cross over the triangle means that you should avoid bleaching, while the letters CL in the triangle mean that the garment can withstand chlorine bleaching
Ironing
The symbol for ironing is an iron. If the iron is crossed out, it means that you should not iron the garment in question. If, on the other hand, there are dots in the iron, these indicate the maximum temperature you may iron at (1 is low temperature, 3 is high). To protect your clothes as much as possible, you can steam them instead.
Dry cleaning: The symbol for dry cleaning is a circle. If the circle is crossed out, dry cleaning should be avoided. An F means that the garment can only be dry cleaned, a P means that the garment can withstand all types of dry cleaning (except trichloroethylene), and a P with a line underneath means, as with washing, that it should be done gently.
Tumble drying
The symbol for tumble drying is a square with a circle inside. If the circle is empty, it means that you can tumble dry as normal. If there are dots in the circle, these indicate the maximum temperature you can tumble dry at (1 is low temperature, 3 is high). If, on the other hand, the symbol is crossed out, it means that you should not tumble dry the garment.
Drying: The symbol for drying is a square. If there is an arc at the top of the square, it means that you can dry the garment on, for example, your clothesline. A horizontal line in the square means that the garment should be dried flat (for example, to avoid it stretching out of shape), diagonal lines mean that it should be dried in the shade, and three vertical lines mean that the garment should be drip dried while hanging.
