Up to 25% of your garment's carbon footprint comes from the way we care for them. If we learn to care for our clothes more efficiently, we can extend their lifespan by 9 months of active use and reduce carbon, water & waste footprints 4 to 10%. Many garments end up in the trash much earlier than necessary because of harsh over-washing. Here at OhSevenDays we want to promote a circular economy of clothing, and therefore encourage you to wash you garments in the most sustainable way possible! Here's our top tips for how to do so...

1. Wash less

These days many households have cultivated a one-wear-then-wash strategy when it comes to laundry. In many cases this is necessary, especially after a sweaty treadmill sesh! But generally, if you aren't someone who sweats profusely, you should be able to wear most pieces several times before chucking it into the laundry basket. And no, this does not include underwear!

For most tops you should get at least 2-3 wears, jeans/trouser 5 to 6, and jackets can be left to once or twice a season. This will not only reduce unnecessary water wastage, but it will keep your clothing in better condition for longer. Win Win!

2. Ditch the machine

I know I know, hand washing sounds like a major pain in the butt, but it doesn't have to be! Some of your garments can even be washed while you shower. Just keep some bio degradable and eco-friendly washing detergent in your shower and give your pieces a little stomp while you're sudding yourself. 

3. Air Dry

Try to minimise the use of the dryer not only to keep your clothes in tip top condition, but also have a more sustainable and energy efficient household. If you have a backyard, we suggest the good ol' aussie Hills Hoist!. If you're a city slicker and space isn't plentiful, we recommend a sexy little retractable line that can stealthily mounted. 

4. Use eco-friendly detergents.

There is a growing range of eco-friendly laundry detergents that actually work and don't cost a fortune. We love Ecover and Meliora Cleaning Products and if you're in New York, why not check out the coolest laundromat ever Celsious. 

Also don't forget the classics - using baking soda and vinegar to remove stains is an old trusty method that you won't feel guilty pouring down the sink! 

5. Wash it Cold

90% of the power your washing machine uses is actually from heating the water. So you can feel less guilty about using a cool cycle! And bonus - it won't hurt your power bills. 

6. Full Loads Only

When you do run that machine, try to make sure it's full! Remember your machine uses the same amount of power regardless the size of the load, so why not use it to it's capacity. Also it'll lower your work load, reducing the number of times you need to run and hang out the laundry! Excellent.