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I just burned $400 on 'eco-friendly' fabric that fell apart in the wash
I was really excited about this new bamboo-based knit I found online (it was supposed to be the future, you know?). I bought a whole bolt for a small collection I was working on. After I made three sample tops and washed them once, the seams just pulled and the fabric got this weird, fuzzy texture that looked awful. The whole project is scrap now. Has anyone found a truly durable sustainable fabric that doesn't cost a fortune?
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emerychen1mo agoMost Upvoted
Ugh, same thing happened with some hemp-blend jersey last year. Spent a ton on it for some simple tees. Washed them once and the color faded so bad, looked ten years old. Total waste.
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baker.ben1mo ago
Yeah, that fading is the worst, @emerychen. I had a few shirts do that and it drove me crazy. What finally worked for me was turning them inside out before washing and only using cold water. I also skip the dryer now and just let them air dry flat. It takes a bit longer but the color stays so much better. Makes those expensive basics actually last.
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hannaho5225d ago
Oh man, I know exactly what you mean! @baker.ben is right about the inside-out and cold water trick, I've been doing that for years on my darker clothes. What really helped me was adding a splash of white vinegar to the rinse cycle on new stuff. It sounds weird but it sets the dye like nothing else. I had a navy blue sweater that bled all over my light stuff the first wash, and after a vinegar soak it never faded again. Also, I cut out the dryer completely for anything I want to keep looking nice. It's a pain but worth it.
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