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Vintage and second-hand clothing is almost guaranteed to last you quite a long time but what if you could support its lifespan by taking proper care of it?
Leather
Cleaning
Firstly, leather is highly absorbent which means that any oil or dust will stick to it, so make sure to keep your hands clean while handling it.
Next use a soft brush (horse hair or a soft cloth) to remove any oil or dust. This should be done regularly to refresh your leather pieces.
Another thing you can do is use a leather soap. Choose the right one for your leather type (genuine, treated or untreated, suede) and read the instructions carefully. Usually washing it with soap includes gently wiping and cleaning in circular motions with a damp cloth. Then wipe the leather dry with a clean cloth to remove all soap and water residue. Finally, let your leather air-dry, since any other way would dry out and damage the leather.
Some leathers can be gently washed in the washing machine using little soap but vintage leather is advised to be kept out of it, since it could easily dry out.
Conditioning
Using a leather conditioner regularly is important because leather dries out over time. After dusting of the leather, apply some conditioner on a damp cloth and apply it to your leather. If there are damaged areas make sure to put conditioner on them as well.
Storing
During off seasons, store your leather in a dark and cool place as hot temperatures and sun exposure can dry and fade it out. Some items should not be hanged for long period as well as they can stretch out and lose shape from its weight.
Fur
Any kind of natural fur gathers odors, dust and oils overtime so it is necessary to have it professionally cleaned at least once a year.
Caring for and Storing a Fur Coat
Fur should be hanged on a broad-shouldered coat hanger with a long neck to keep the collar in the correct position.
Fur coats can really benefit from being stored in a cotton garment bag to prevent it from dusting.
Body perfume, make-up and products can penetrate the fur and cause unpleasant odours. All the products should be applied before wearing the fur.
Avoid crushing the fur while sitting down of draping the coat on chairs and hooks.
Ideally fur should be kept out of water, but if you get it soaked rush it down to professional cleaning. Light rains or a bit of water can be shaken out and the fur should be air-dried. After drying, brush out the fur down with your finger.
Off-season, fur should be stored in a cool (10C), dark and semi-humid (50%) environment. With natural fur always check for insects damaging your coat
Cashmere
Washing
If you have not stained it during a wear keep off from washing it at least for three wears. You can air it out in between wears.
Wash it inside out and use cold or lukewarm water with a mild detergent. Some of our colleagues recommend washing cashmere with shampoo and rinsing it in cold water with hair conditioner. This guarantees that your cashmere garments stay fuzzy and very soft to the touch. Fabric softener is unnecessary since cashmere becomes softer overtime and over-softening can result in faster deterioration of the garment.
When storing cashmere and wool sweaters avoid hanging them on hangers for a long period of time as this can result in unnecessary stretching out of the garment.
Another important tip for drying cashmere and other wool garments is to dry them lying flat. Before doing hat press with a towel to soak up excess water.
Wool
Washing and storing
Surprisingly, wool does not require washing often. Wool fibers regulate themselves and are odour and wrinkle resistant. However, try to air out wool after every wear to prolong the non-washing period. Also, you can spot-clean small stains with water and mild soap. Avoid hanging your wool garments as they tend to stretch out and lose their shape. When preparing to store wool after the season wash it and put into a sealed clothing bag or box to avoid moths. You can also add in some eco-friendly bug deterrent or throw in some Levander.
Wool is supposed to be either handwashed or with a gentle wash washing machine function. Either way, the water temperature should be low to avoid shrinkage. It is usually recommended to use a mild or wool detergent. He choice of the detergent can also be very impactful to the environment and your health, try to research and find environment and health friendly options.
The same as cashmere wool requires to be laid flat when drying. This rule applies to many types of garments and fabrics as well.
Denim
It is estimated that making a pair of jeans can cost up to 8 liters of water a pair. The process has huge ecological and human health impacts so it is worth trying to sustain the ones you already have in your closet.
Washing and Drying
Washing your jeans once a month can save a lot of water and prolong their life. Spot-clean in between washes and air them out between wears. Wash turned inside out and fasten the zippers. Temperature should be at 30 (C) and the spinning settings should be gentle. When handwashing soak them about 30 minutes before and continue with a mild detergent and lukewarm water.
Vintage Jeans
Vintage denim, however, requires extra care. You should always handwash vintage jeans because this does the least damage to the fabric. If there are some stains soak them in water with detergent, then use a scrub brush or a toothbrush and scrub the fabric in circular motions, lastly, soap them in water.
Some older denim fabrics can pick up smells and even mold - bacteria loves to live in denim. A good tip is disinfecting your older denim items. This can be done by soaking them for 10 minutes in a baking soda mixture (1 tablespoon to 2 cups of water). For stubborn stains it is recommended to rub a mixture of equal parts vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
Jewelry
Similar guidelines apply to both vintage and new jewelry. The most important tip is to put it on after using perfumes, skincare cremes, body lotions, sunscreen and make up. All of these products can interact and damage the metals as well as build up residue.
Cleaning
Mix gentle agent like soap or dish cleaner with lukewarm water and gently rub your jewelry with a cloth. Harder to clean place like clasps or beneath the stones can be brushed with a small brush. Afterwards dry everything with a dry cloth.
