Think Before You Buy

General guidelines to follow when purchasing new clothes

Washing requirements are usually the last thing on our minds when shopping for news clothes. All we care about is how good it looks and how much it costs. But, how good it looks and how much it costs won’t matter if the garment fades or deteriorates over time because it hasn’t been properly cared for.
If you are diligent in your laundry regime and follow care instructions for each piece of clothing, then being strategic in the types of clothes you buy probably isn’t a concern. However, if you are among a lot of people who lump clothes into “close enough” pile, you might consider the types of fabric before you make the purchase.
Here are some general guidelines.

• Machine washable fabrics: Cotton, fleece, lycra, nylon, polyester

• Hand wash or dry clean: Suede, silk, rayon, linen

Clothes made from 100% or organic cotton are the easiest to care for. It is also comfortable, hypoallergenic, and breathable.

Fun Fabric Fact:
Natural fabrics, including flax (linen), cotton, wool and silk, have been in use for 3,000 to 5,000 years. Linen was used for pharaoh's burial shrouds in ancient Egypt. Rayon, invented in 1920, was the first manmade fabric. Others include nylon, polyester, spandex, and microfibres. Lyocell was first manufactured under the Tencel® brand in 1993.