Despite my life-long love for clothing, I’m definitely one of the laziest people out there when it comes its care. Well, to be fair, I, of course, care about my clothing, but, for me, they need to be easy to love and take care of. While I know some people out there look forward to a trip to the dry cleaners on an almost daily basis, it’s a chore I rarely make time to complete in my hectic schedule.
For this reason alone, I always check the label of everything I buy to see if it is machine washable; seriously, a hang dry is normally the biggest inconvenience I’ll allow for something I truly love, because at least it doesn’t involve me leaving the house. While most designer items always suggest dry cleaning for the care of their garments, many times items can be machine washed on a delicate cycle even when not “officially” recommended.
Recently I was introduced to an extremely easy way to take caring for your clothing to the next level without any added effort. This is even something that sparked my interest as something feasible I could incorporate into my everyday laundering routine. For whatever reason, when I step in front of my washing machine, my brain shuts down and is unable to compute anything except the very basics of turning the machine on. Figuring out fancy detergent techniques and bleaches along with it? You’ve got to be kidding! Personally the use of fabric softener has always confused me, but the whole thing was quickly put into perspective for me when I heard of the term “fabric conditioning” from my friends at Downy. I mean, obviously conditioning my hair is something I do every time I wash my hair, so why wouldn’t it be the same for when washing my clothes?
And apparently I’m not alone. According to Downy, most women out there believe the trusty fabric softener to be a detergent – yikes! Just like conditioning your hair, ‘fabric conditioning‘ can help keep your clothes fresh, soft, and smelling great. It all makes sense now, doesn’t it? I mean, when you think of your detergent as the shampoo for your laundry, how could you NOT add in a conditioner too? Do you even know what my hair looks and feels like without conditioning? A royal disaster, that’s what. How my clothing will ever forgive me for my (lack of) actions until now, I’m really not sure.
I think it’s pretty safe to say that we all want our favourite pieces of clothing to last as long as possible, and while we do often go the extra mile to protect them – following tag instructions like a legal contract, line drying, or even wearing them less – (yes, even I do all of these things too, sometimes), we can do ourselves a favour by regularly fabric conditioning to proactively protect our most cherished items against stretching, fading and fuzz… all unfortunate things that can occur from laundry damage. Ugh.
Now that winter has finally hit in Toronto, many of you, like me, are likely pulling out some of your heaviest knits and pieces to help you stay warm (while still looking stylish) over the next few months. Because of the severe weather we endure in Canada, I know everything from my sweaters to my toques need regular care to withstand the elements and constant wear. Some of the many benefits of fabric conditioning with Downy include reducing abrasion, helping fibres hold their original form and fighting stretching. Reducing friction also means less dye is lost (aka less fading), and fibres are less likely to break, which decreases pilling and helps retain your clothes’ original je ne sais quoi. This is of course great for clothing at this time of year, but also all year-round too.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to wash and condition my Drake-In-The-Hotline-Bling-Video turtleneck sweater back to perfection.
xo
What I Wore: coat by EMANUEL Emanuel Ungaro, toque from OVO Toronto, turtleneck by LINE from Mendocino, skirt from Joe Fresh, shoes from Le Chateau.
*Please note this post has been sponsored by Downy, all thoughts and opinions my own*
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