The Tools I Use to Keep My Clothes Looking Their Best
How to limit fabric damage, cut down on washing, and more.
There’s a lot of chatter in fashion about how we make this industry less wasteful. Fast fashion is still rife, and we’ve got a long way to go before more responsible and ethical manufacturing practices are commonplace, but I welcome the shift in greater awareness around consumption and how our clothes are made.
Usage of resale sites such as Vinted and Vestiaire Collective is on the up (in a 2023 report, resale site ThredUP found that the global second-hand market is expected to reach $350 billion by 2027). There are loads of excellent, curated second-hand stores too—both physical and online.
But while we can analyse the materials on an item, dissect where it was made, and make a conscious decision about where we spend our hard-earned cash, what happens when we bring it home? If we’re not caring for that item properly - and then inevitably replacing it sooner than we should be - are we really consciously shopping?
I’ve got a few tools I use that help me cut down on washing, limit damage to fabrics, and keep my clothes looking and feeling their best for longer. I use them all almost daily and have seen first-hand how they’ve helped extend the life of what’s in my wardrobe—and zhush up any second-hand purchases that arrive less than perfect.
Steamer
I’ve got a bit of a reputation amongst my friends as being steamer-obsessed. On every girls’ weekend and the nights out that we’ve amassed over the years, a steamer has been the first thing I’ve whipped out. I even went to a baby shower recently and saw a woman I hadn’t seen in years who’s a friend of the mother-to-be, and one of the first things she commented on was how she rarely saw me in our 20s without a steamer.
The obsession isn’t unfounded. Steaming clothes is a gentler way to remove wrinkles from fabric than ironing, and helps lift any odours from your clothes, cutting down on washing and helping your pieces last longer. It works on every fabric and - if you’re anything like me - means you’re not ironing extra creases into your clothes. I’ve had this Steamery steamer for a good few years now and use it on everything—it’s even replaced my iron at home.
Fabric Freshener
Speaking of cutting down on washing, Another Day from byMATTER is a bio-active fabric freshener that contains probiotics that neutralise odour-causing bacteria (rather than merely masking them like other fabric fresheners). I use it at home on pieces that aren’t dirty but could do with a freshen-up, and when travelling to revive clothing that’s been worn a few times—or spent too long at the bottom of my suitcase.
It means I’m not over-washing unnecessarily but I’m not walking around in clothes that look, feel or smell worse for wear either. It’s the only freshener I’ve used that feels like it’s actually cleaning the fabric, rather than coating or covering it with synthetic fragrance.
Storage Bags (for moths!)
One downside to having clothes made from natural fibres like wool and cashmere is that clothes moths love them. It’s something I’ve become all too familiar with over the last few years, as I’ve grown older and gradually been able to afford to increase my cashmere collection—and been lucky enough to have been gifted items like this from various brands.
The number of times my jaw has dropped and heart has sunk when I’ve pulled out a much-loved jumper, only to find it riddled with holes, makes me too emotional to think about. So I’ve gone to town. Our wardrobes and drawers are packed with cedar blocks, rings and hangers but my cashmere gets extra-special treatment: each jumper is packed up in its very own cloth bag.
If you’re a frequent reader of The Jones Report, you will have seen me mention Rise & Fall. It’s a British brand that partners with the same luxury manufacturers that make clothes for the likes of Joseph and Paul Smith, only with a much lower markup, making them more affordable for us, the consumers. The quality and fits are excellent, and each piece arrives with a cloth bag, which is a win-win.
But if you want some bags for your current pieces, The White Company has some great options. These storage bags are large enough to fit two jumpers and come with label windows, so you can keep everything neat and organised too.
Fabric Shaver
To be honest, fabric shavers used to make me feel a little nervous. Razor blades on my soft cashmere? I couldn’t think of anything worse. Surely it would damage the fabric, cause holes or snag with one misstep? But then Steamery brought out its fabric shaver and given my unwavering love for my steamer, I bought one.
Reader, it’s excellent. It’s motor-powered and has three precision-made razor blades, collecting any lint, pilling or fuzz for you to then neatly throw away. You charge it up, press the button, and move it across the fabric that could do with a little de-fuzz. It’s gentle, yet effective, and removes any pilling on my big winter jumpers without a whiff of damage.
Lint Brush
Disclaimer: this newsletter is not sponsored by Steamery, I’ve just found that these are the best clothing tools I’ve tried, and they’re aesthetically pleasing.
Sometimes having a bit of lint, fluff or dirt clinging to an item of clothing can have a huge impact on an overall outfit, so I always have a lint brush to hand. I’ll give all of the clothes I’m wearing a quick once-over before I leave the house, freeing them of any pesky bits that shouldn’t be there, and leaving each piece looking fresh.
I used to use those tape rollers that, while effective, are hugely wasteful, so this one from Steamery is a more sustainable alternative. The brush picks up any lint, you then twist the handle 2–3 times to clean the brush and push the lid on top of the brush to empty the container—so no having to manually faff about to clean the brush.
Good Old Needle and Thread
I’ve got a little sewing kit that I believe was a stocking filler a good 15 (if not more) years ago. It’s got the essentials: spools of different coloured thread, sewing needles, a small pair of scissors, a tape measure, a thimble (never used) and a few safety pins. It’s moved with me to every new flat I’ve been a tenant in and every new city and country I’ve temporarily called home. I genuinely couldn’t live without it. I’ve used it to take up hems, secure loose threads and put ripped seams back together again—all of which have gone a long way in giving my clothes an extra burst of life. Here’s a similar and very economical sewing kit (with a great William Morris print).
That’s about as far as my sewing skills go so if I need a repair that’s a little more complex, I take them to the pros. I’ve sent moth hole-ridden jumpers off to The Seam who repaired every hole and sent them back in the post looking as good as new. They’re UK-based but I believe they take international orders too—a great option if you have an item of clothing, shoes or an accessory that needs repairing. If not, look out for your local dry cleaners, as they’ll often offer repairs too.
Any items marked with * have been kindly gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
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Thank you sooo much! Super helpful.
This is so useful, thank you!