Wash & Care
When selecting materials for our styles, we particularly prioritize them being luxurious, responsible, and easy to use. But we also actually look at whether they are easy to wash and care for, so they can function in a busy everyday life. And even though we have already tried to make it easy, we want to make it even easier – many of us, if we may be so direct, still adhere to some somewhat outdated dogmas regarding laundry.
We wash too frequently
Do you automatically throw your clothes in the wash after 1-2 uses? You're not alone, but in many cases, it's not at all necessary.
On the contrary, clothes are subjected to unnecessary wear and tear from overly frequent washing. Of course, there is a difference in how close we wear different clothes to our bodies, and thus also in how great the need for washing is, but in many cases, it is beneficial to start by freshening up clothes with something as simple as airing them out.
Natural fibers like cotton and wool generally develop less odor than synthetic materials. In addition, they (especially wool) have some quite brilliant self-cleaning properties that you can take advantage of. For example, you can hang your clothes near an open window or outside. Yes, a trip to the freezer can also work. And if you don't want to wear the same thing the next day, there's no shame in hanging it back in the closet.
If you've gotten a stain on your clothes, it's not certain that a trip to the washing machine is the first and best solution. The vast majority of stains can be saved with a little clear dish soap, provided it is applied quickly after the damage has occurred.
We wash too hot (and incorrectly)
Are you about to do laundry? The temperatures many of us wash at originate from a time when detergents and washing machines were far from having the same properties. Today, there is a plethora of detergents that effectively clean at 15-30 degrees. When the care label in your clothes recommends 40 degrees, it should therefore be understood as a maximum temperature. Besides the temperature, the dosage of your detergent is actually also quite crucial for both washing clean and gently.
Here, it is important to follow the dosing recommendations on the packaging, and although it may take some practice to measure initially, it quickly becomes easier. When washing wool (and silk), we recommend that you only use a detergent specifically designed for these materials, as you otherwise risk your detergent containing the enzyme protease, which breaks down the proteins these materials consist of. When washing synthetic materials, in addition to a Guppyfriend, we recommend that you refrain from using any fabric softeners, as they make it harder for the synthetic materials to release any odor. A Guppyfriend is a wash bag designed to catch microplastics from clothes made of synthetic materials.
Wash
When you see the wash symbol (the small tub), it's important to note that the numbers indicate a maximum temperature.
If the washing symbol is crossed out, it means the garment should not be washed at all, and if a hand is indicated, it means the garment should be hand-washed. If there are no lines under the icon, it means you can wash on a normal cycle, while one line means you should choose a gentle cycle with fewer revolutions, and two lines mean you should choose an extra gentle cycle, for example, one designed for wool or silk.
Bleaching: The symbol for bleaching is a triangle. A cross over the triangle means you should avoid bleaching, while the letters CL in the triangle mean the garment can be chlorine bleached
Ironing
The symbol for ironing is an iron. If there is a cross through the iron, it means you should not iron the garment. If there are dots inside the iron, these indicate the maximum temperature you can iron at (1 is low temperature, 3 is high). To best protect your clothes, you can steam them instead.
Dry Cleaning: The symbol for dry cleaning is a circle. If there is a cross over the circle, dry cleaning should be avoided. An F means that the garment can only be dry cleaned chemically, a P means that the garment can withstand all types of dry cleaning (except trichloroethylene), and a P with a line underneath means, as with washing, that it should be done gently.
Tumble drying
The tumble dry symbol is a square with a circle inside. If the circle is empty, it means you can tumble dry as usual. If there are dots in the circle, these indicate the temperature at which you can tumble dry (1 is low temperature, 3 is high). If, however, there is a cross over the symbol, it means you should not tumble dry the garment.
Drying: The symbol for drying is a square. If there is an arc at the top of the square, it means you can dry the garment, for example, on your clothesline. A horizontal line in the square means that the garment should dry flat (e.g., to prevent it from stretching out of shape), diagonal lines mean it should dry in the shade, and three vertical lines mean that the garment should drip-dry hanging.
