We're all washing our clothes too much. That's according to a report by the Society of Chemical Industry, which says laundry has a “huge environmental impact,” and that people should do less of it, except where underwear is concerned.
Orsola De Castro is the co-founder of Fashion Revolution, a charity which campaigns for more sustainable clothing. She's also written a book called "Loved Clothes Last"...
100% I am a sniffer of clothes, it's completely human - these are the type of tricks and thinking we need to attach to modern technology in order to be efficient.
When I sort out my washing piles, I do the sniff test to see if anything can be worn again, then I split items into those that can take a lower temperature wash, those that might be still good enough for a good thorough steam rather than a full wash and those that can be sponge cleaned and de-stained without any harmful ingredients.
7 comments:
There is the old student versions.
1) Throw your clothing one by one hard at a wall. If any stick they need washing. Unless they can be worn tuned inside out, like pants - try them again next week.
2) If your clothing can stand on the floor without support maybe wash it, but try beating it against a table leg first.
"Don't use as much stuff", say the Stuff Manufacturers' Association. "Stuff is really bad for the environment, and even though our members' livelihood is dependent on selling lots of stuff, we are now asking consumers to cut down on the amount of stuff they use". Many independent studies have shown that stuff contributes to global warming, and also involves the exploitation of workers - especially disabled and ethnic minority workers - when it is produced. See our article "A Stuffless Lifestyle?" for ways in which you can painlessly cut out stuff and help save the planet.
When my washing machine is full I always wash the laundry at 60 degC, Cotton, two rinses, fastest spin at 1400. I tried 3 rinses once but didn't notice any benefit in it, didn't get a rash or anything.
I did some work with a potty - but harmless architect, who'd done work on some commercial laundries. He maintained that the soaps and bleaches which came out the other end were a real problem and warned that Environmental Health Knobs could get very worried about the consequences!
But as there are hardly any laundries around for normal citizens, just for restaurants, NHS etc, I'm sure they're dealt with responsibly, but I wouldn't really want to sniff the bedsheets of someone with typhoid...
Slightly off-topic, but if you want to see real chemical pollution in action, watch any video on how paper is recycled, and made into 'nice' stuff, like writing paper, (the other stuff goes to Amazon boxes etc).
It's horrifying how many chemicals get sloshed around those places!
(AK, if you want to see waste paper covered in cement slop, just check out the piles of the stuff in Hulland Ward! I suggested in 1978, that they could recycle it into building blocks, but they didn't use the idea! But they might now - just tell them Scrobs asked you to...)!
Our cat sorts ours, raids the laundry basket for the most interesting smells and runs off with various items which are then hidden around the house to be chewed at leisure. Unfortunately I now have rather a lot of odd socks - but it does save on washing.
She sniffs knickers. Nuff said.
Doonhamer - reminds me of a camping holiday with my brother and cousin. Change of clothes? What for?
Sam - incineration could be an answer to the stuff problem, but we end up with stuff carbon dioxide leading to stuff climate change.
Anon - I just use the Daily Wash setting on our washing machine. Don't know what it does but it seems to work okay.
Scrobs - the next time we are Hulland Ward way I'll look out for waste paper covered in cement slop. I bet somebody used it though, because there have been plenty of houses built since 1978.
Woodsy - every now and then I throw out all my socks and buy plain black socks to replace them. Means I never have odd socks.
James - that's what I thought. Not quite the thing.
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