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garment care guide
garment care guide

At SOURCE, we are firm believers in buying less and investing in better quality items. Opting for fewer but better is half the job done, the other is taking care of them the right way. 'If you care for your things, they will last a long time' - this adage cannot be more true for garments than anything else.

Proper garment care does not actually take more time or effort. In fact, it will help save you time and money. All it requires is a little know-how, simple tricks and we're here to help you master it.

At SOURCE, we are firm believers in buying less and investing in better quality items. Opting for fewer but better is half the job done, the other is taking care of them the right way. 'If you care for your things, they will last a long time' - this adage cannot be more true for garments than anything else.

Proper garment care does not actually take more time or effort. In fact, it will help save you time and money. All it requires is a little know-how, simple tricks and we're here to help you master it.

WEAR MORE, WASH LESS

We understand the perpetual sweaty state living in countries like Singapore, leaves us wanting to wash our clothes after each use. Quite frankly, mostly isn't necessary after just one wear. This rings especially true for outerwear like jackets and cardigans that are rarely worn for long period of time.

Washing less significantly reduces tears and fading of your favourite garment. Even the denim jeans that you often wear should be spared of constant machine washing - it truly only needs a wash when they start to smell.

WASH AT LOWER TEMPERATURES

Thanks to modern day washing machines and detergents, we no longer need to wash at boiling temperatures. Not only modern washers are designed for lower temperatures, but many detergents have enzymes that will start working at 30C (cold).

Low temperature washing not only means that your clothes will last longer, less likely to shrink, fade and ruin clothes, it can also reduce wrinkles which will save you time and cost (associated with ironing). Some stains also does not respond well with warm temperatures, such as blood or sweats can actually set into fabric in hot water.

USE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS

Conventional laundry detergents contain synthetic surfactants, artificial dyes and fragrances which may cause allergic reactions to our skin and eyes. Switch to an environmentally friendly laundry detergent but don't use too much of it. Overdosing won't have any effect on making your clothes cleaner.

Whilst softeners helps to eliminate static and wrinkles making clothes feel softer and smell better by covering the fabric in a thin, lubricating film - they can interfere with moisture wicking and absorption properties of a garment.

STORAGE

Similar to washing, each garment also needs to be stored differently depending on how they're made. While some are better to be hanged, others should be folded. Contrary to popular opinion, knit sweaters and t-shirts should be folded to prevent gravity from doing it's work and stretching them out. Other natural or delicate fabrics like silk, cotton, linen - these should be best be hung after ironing to avoid wrinkles. Blazers, jackets, dresses, and pants should be hung vertically to avoid necessary sagging or stretching out of the width.

WASH MINDFULLY

Be mindful of the fabric of your clothes before putting them in the wash. Knowing the right way to care for each type of clothing will help in prolonging their lifespan. The care label instructions found on each piece of garment will give you advice on how best to care for your garment, making sure that they remain long-loved favourites for years to come.

Another general guideline is to turn your garment inside out to keep them looking newer longer. In this way, the wrong side of the garment takes all of the abuse and fading caused by the agitation when washing. For the same reasons, place delicates into a zippered garment mesh bag so they don't get pulled out of shape.

SORT AND OPTIMIZE

Different garments have different requirements and your laundry should be sorted accordingly. At least, you need to sort by colour but we recommend you also sort them by type (e.g. non-delicate vs more delicate garments) or by temperature (warm vs cold). A good tip is to make sure that the garments doesn’t hurt each other in the machine, empty pockets, close zippers and make sure to not wash coloured new garments for the first time together with lighter colours.

SKIP THE DRYER

Skipping the dryer maybe one of the most significant choice in reducing your carbon footprint, save costs (electricity usage) and leaving your garment in better condition and good shape longer. Tumble dry will not only increase wear and tear of the fabric, it may even cause your garment to shrink due to the high heat and tossing motion.

STEAMING / IRONING

Depending on the fabric construction, some fabrics can be more or less prone to creasing and wrinkles. If needed, we recommend steaming over ironing, as it's gentler to the fabric fibers. Most garments don't need ironing if you wash on lower cycle and gently stretch them (line dry or lay flat) when they come out of the washing machine and hang the garment to dry. By reducing the reduce the wash cycle would also help to reduce the number of creases (but the garments will come out more wet). If the garments do need ironing, then it is best to refer to the garment care label to know what temperature setting is safe. When ironing cotton and linen items, we recommend to use a damp function or use the steam setting on the iron. Giving the cotton or linen a little moisture before ironing will make the fibres smoother and the garment will flatten quicker.

WEAR MORE, WASH LESS

We understand the perpetual sweaty state living in countries like Singapore, leaves us wanting to wash our clothes after each use. Quite frankly, mostly isn't necessary after just one wear. This rings especially true for outerwear like jackets and cardigans that are rarely worn for long period of time.

Washing less significantly reduces tears and fading of your favourite garment. Even the denim jeans that you often wear should be spared of constant machine washing - it truly only needs a wash when they start to smell.

WASH MINDFULLY

Be mindful of the fabric of your clothes before putting them in the wash. Knowing the right way to care for each type of clothing will help in prolonging their lifespan. The care label instructions found on each piece of garment will give you advice on how best to care for your garment, making sure that they remain long-loved favourites for years to come.

Another general guideline is to turn your garment inside out to keep them looking newer longer. In this way, the wrong side of the garment takes all of the abuse and fading caused by the agitation when washing. For the same reasons, place delicates into a zippered garment mesh bag so they don't get pulled out of shape.

WASH AT LOWER TEMPERATURES

Thanks to modern day washing machines and detergents, we no longer need to wash at boiling temperatures. Not only modern washers are designed for lower temperatures, but many detergents have enzymes that will start working at 30C (cold).

Low temperature washing not only means that your clothes will last longer, less likely to shrink, fade and ruin clothes, it can also reduce wrinkles which will save you time and cost (associated with ironing). Some stains also does not respond well with warm temperatures, such as blood or sweats can actually set into fabric in hot water.

SORT AND OPTIMIZE

Different garments have different requirements and your laundry should be sorted accordingly. At least, you need to sort by colour but we recommend you also sort them by type (e.g. non-delicate vs more delicate garments) or by temperature (warm vs cold). A good tip is to make sure that the garments doesn’t hurt each other in the machine, empty pockets, close zippers and make sure to not wash coloured new garments for the first time together with lighter colours.

USE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS

Conventional laundry detergents contain synthetic surfactants, artificial dyes and fragrances which may cause allergic reactions to our skin and eyes. Switch to an environmentally friendly laundry detergent but don't use too much of it. Overdosing won't have any effect on making your clothes cleaner.

Whilst softeners helps to eliminate static and wrinkles making clothes feel softer and smell better by covering the fabric in a thin, lubricating film - they can interfere with moisture wicking and absorption properties of a garment.

SKIP THE DRYER

Skipping the dryer maybe one of the most significant choice in reducing your carbon footprint, save costs (electricity usage) and leaving your garment in better condition and good shape longer. Tumble dry will not only increase wear and tear of the fabric, it may even cause your garment to shrink due to the high heat and tossing motion.

STEAMING / IRONING

Depending on the fabric construction, some fabrics can be more or less prone to creasing and wrinkles. If needed, we recommend steaming over ironing, as it's gentler to the fabric fibers. Most garments don't need ironing if you wash on lower cycle and gently stretch them (line dry or lay flat) when they come out of the washing machine and hang the garment to dry. By reducing the reduce the wash cycle would also help to reduce the number of creases (but the garments will come out more wet). If the garments do need ironing, then it is best to refer to the garment care label to know what temperature setting is safe. When ironing cotton and linen items, we recommend to use a damp function or use the steam setting on the iron. Giving the cotton or linen a little moisture before ironing will make the fibres smoother and the garment will flatten quicker.

STORAGE

Similar to washing, each garment also needs to be stored differently depending on how they're made. While some are better to be hanged, others should be folded. Contrary to popular opinion, knit sweaters and t-shirts should be folded to prevent gravity from doing it's work and stretching them out. Other natural or delicate fabrics like silk, cotton, linen - these should be best be hung after ironing to avoid wrinkles. Blazers, jackets, dresses, and pants should be hung vertically to avoid necessary sagging or stretching out of the width.

garment care guide
garment care guide