Your clothing care guide

If you're conscious about making your clothes last a lifetime, to help the environment and save you money, taking good care of the clothes you buy is a great place to start. But what does ‘caring’ for your clothes actually mean?

Looking for clothes made from quality materials is a good starting point, but as a buyer, there’s also a responsibility to care for these clothing materials. 

To get started, read our guide on how to care for the most common clothing materials, from cotton and linen to leather and wool.

How to care for cotton

Cotton is the world's most extensively used natural fabric. As there are so many different types of cotton, you should always refer to the care label before washing. Caring for cotton is simple if you take a little bit of extra time in your washing routines. As cotton is prone to shrinking, try these simple steps to keep your clothes looking as good as new for longer:

• Whether using a washing machine or cleaning by hand, wash in cold (30°C or below) water.
• When you take your clothes out of the machine, give them a moderate stretch to get them back into shape.
• Always try to air dry your cotton clothes. Lay them flat and in direct sunlight if possible.

If you follow the above, cotton clothes often won’t need ironing. However, if you feel like ironing is necessary then you should refer to the care label to find out what temperature should be used on the garment. Try to iron just using the steam setting, or when your clothes are still slightly damp - this should reduce the possibility of any heat damage.

How to care for leather

Caring for leather clothes can be slightly trickier - it’s less about cleaning and more about preserving and storing correctly. Check your garment's care label to see what kind of leather it's made from, what finishes it has, and how the manufacturer suggests you wash it.

There are many sorts of leather cleaners for different types of leather, so be sure to use the right one. To make sure they're safe to use, run a patch test in a discreet spot (usually on the inside of the garment) and wait a few hours. Even though shoe polish is designed for leather shoes, never use it on leather apparel. If your leather garment gets wet, allow it to dry naturally and never in direct sunlight.  Never dry your leather garments on a radiator or in front of a heater or fire.

The best way to keep leather clean is to take it to a reputable and specialist cleaner, who will likely be experts in removing any stains without causing damage to the leather. Otherwise, you can wipe leather clean with a damp cloth, and store in a cool, dry and well ventilated area, preferably on a padded hanger. At THE-CØDED, we provide detailed care and washing instructions with all the leather garments that we sell.

How to care for linen

After each wash, linen becomes softer and more absorbent, which is an ideal perk. Linen should be washed at low temperatures in lukewarm or cold water. To maintain the fibres, use the gentle machine cycle and a moderate detergent. To be sure, always read the specific manufacturer's care recommendations. You can tumble dry linen garments on low temperatures, but make sure to remove them when the garments are still slightly damp so the material doesn’t become stiff. Hang up in a well ventilated area until fully dry.

How to care for wool

Wool garments are another difficult material to care for, as machine washing can often damage the fragile material. Wool coats and jackets should be brushed and put on a curved or padded hanger to air out after washing. We always recommend that wool coats and jackets are professionally dry cleaned where possible.

Other wool clothing can usually be hand washed in lukewarm water with a light soap or detergent. However, read the care labels before washing to see if there are any warnings about non-washable trimmings or blended fabrics. Wool clothing should be stored folded and flat, or for larger garments, hang them on a padded hanger in a dark wardrobe to prevent colour from fading. 

Clothing that lasts a lifetime at THE-CØDED

At THE-CØDED, we’re on a mission to source ethical materials of the highest standards, so that you can re-wear our pieces over and over again. Many of the items you see on our platform are made using natural fibres where possible.

You’ll also notice that we have no labels, just a cøde, meaning you can buy directly from our talented manufacturers and follow the journey of your garment. Browse our menswear and womenswear for all the latest trends in ethical fashion, and keep an eye out on our new arrivals for our newest collaborations.