October 4, 2021

Caring for your organic hoodies and sweaters

How to care for your organic hoodies and sweaters 

Caring for your organic hoodie or organic sweaters properly can help you keep your clothes looking and feeling great, so you can wear them again and again. Durable and long-lasting, sustainable and organic clothing can last a lifetime, as long as it is cared for. We’ve made it easy and created this organic hoodie care guide, so you can keep your collection in fantastic condition, year in year out.

 

How do you wash organic clothes?

It’s easy to care for your organic sweaters and hoodies so you can keep them super soft and comfy. It mainly involves avoiding using harsh irritants, and avoiding too much heat when you wash them. Read our top tips for organic clothing care below.

 

Avoid tumble drying

You can shrink clothes by up to 10% on a hot tumble dry cycle, so it’s best to air dry your organic hoodies if possible. It’s best to avoid tumble drying on high heat with all organic clothing, because of the lack of chemicals in the garment. Non-organic processes involve treatments and chemicals to avoid shrinkage, but organically sourced cotton avoids these, which is why it’s better to air dry organic hoodies. Using a tumble dryer also uses valuable energy that can be saved and not wasted, simply by hanging up the garments. It’s no wonder many people are opting to avoid tumble dryers altogether, and reduce their carbon footprint by air drying only.

 

Only wash when necessary

It’s not good to over-wash any garment, and that doesn’t stop with organic materials!. Organic hoodies are just the same, as overwashing the garment can result in the clothing becoming misshapen or losing its colour. Regular washing isn’t a problem but wherever possible try to avoid too many cycles. It’s bad for the environment to unnecessarily wash your clothes, too, so it’s another way to easily reduce your carbon footprint. 

Featured: Carlton Black Organic Cotton Sweater

 

 

  

Use a gentle cycle or cold water

A gentler cycle is always better for hoodies and sweaters made from organic cotton as it prevents the fibres from being compromised by the heat. Washing at 30 degrees saves a lot of energy, too, so you can continue to give back to the planet even after you’ve bought your ethical clothing. If you can, hand washing with cold water and a mild detergent is another way to easily wash your hoodies without damaging the super soft natural fibres.

 

Avoid hanging up your organic hoodies and sweaters

Organic hoodies and sweaters should be air dried, and put away by folding instead of using a hanger. Using a hanger can result in the fabric being stretched, especially as organic cotton is of premium quality and weight. Gently folding your hoodies before putting them away in a drawer can keep them free from dust and stretching. 

Featured: Elm Burgundy Organic Cotton Hoodie

 

Read our guide: How to fold hoodies for more tips on hoodie care  

 

  

Use a natural detergent

Just as the cotton was farmed organically, it’s best to avoid manmade detergents that use strong chemicals. These can also cause irritation to the skin, leaving you feeling uncomfortably and itchy.

 

Avoid non-organic fabric softeners

Organically produced cotton is naturally soft, and you can keep the fibres in optimum condition without using manmade softeners that could compromise the integrity of the ethically sourced material.

 

 

 

 

 

Featured: Atlas Navy Organic Cotton Hoodie

 

 

 

 

Merino wool care

If you’re wondering how you can care for your organic merino wool jumper, read our guide to merino wool for care and washing instructions.

Top tip: It’s best to use natural detergents wherever possible when washing and caring for merino knitwear, as they use gentle, natural ingredients that don’t harm the fabric over time. Naturally-derived detergents will also be better for your skin, and won’t expose it to harsh irritants.  The fibres of merino knitwear can also be affected by non-organic fabric softeners too, as they can cling to the fibres, so try to use fabric softeners with all-natural ingredients.

Organic cotton care guidelines

 

Do colour fade on organic cotton garments?

You should not see any faster fading from eco dyes, as the dye is as long-lasting as normal dyes. Like all garments, colours can fade if powerful detergents are used on a repetitive basis. If bleaching agents are used, this can impact the colour too and result in the garment fading considerably.

 

How durable is organic cotton?

The process of growing organic cotton deliberately takes a holistic approach to growing the garments. Non-organic methods involve using chemicals that quicken the growing process, resulting in manufactured crops that’s natural growing cycle has been tampered with. The result is fast-growing cotton which doesn’t possess the natural qualities of organically cotton. That is to say, non-organic clothes just won’t last as long. Organic cotton is durable and long-lasting, but is also much softer, as the cotton fibres have not been interfered with harsh irritants to quicken the growing process. This is why organic cotton clothing often costs more than non- ethical clothing; the quality is simply not the same standard.

You can read about merino wool here, and explore our range of men’s ethical hoodies and ethical sweatshirts to get you inspired for your next sustainable shop!

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