5 Eco-Friendly Tips For Laundry

How to Do Laundry Sustainably 

Sustainability has become a more important focus for individuals, companies, and families in recent decades. As we place increasing emphasis on sustainability, one fantastic way to live more sustainably is to care for the things we have--especially our clothing. One simple change is to incorporate earth friendly washing into our daily routine. 

While waste is a major issue in the fashion industry, the use of sustainable practices (such as using recycled materials) is growing. Still, there’s more work to be done! It takes people making changes on an individual basis, as well as large corporations shifting their practices to become greener. Some of these changes are major, and others seem small.

Changing the way we do laundry can make a lasting positive impact on the environment. It may seem like a small change, but you might be surprised how much of a difference it can make! Doing the laundry has multiple environmental impacts we may not consciously think about, including: 

• Using electricity to run the washer and dryer 
• Washing loads of clothes with a high volume of water
• Releasing cleaning chemicals and microplastics into the water supply through laundry detergents, fabric softeners, synthetic fragrances, and other toxins 

Sounds like a lot, right? Luckily, there are things we can do to reduce our impact and take better care of the planet! Today, we’ve gathered some eco-friendly laundry tips to help make the switch to more environmental cleaning habits easy. Ready to learn more? Let’s go! 

Wash Fuller Loads, Less Often 

When you simply reduce the amount of times you run your washer and dryer, that’s going to save both water and energy. Even when your loads are larger, you’re still using less water and power than you would if you ran multiple small loads. This also helps you avoid over-washing your clothes. Ultimately, that will help you take better care of them and prevent them from wearing out so quickly. 

Consider which articles of clothing you can easily wash less often. What about jeans, hoodies, sweatshirts, or other pieces of layering outerwear? Start there, then take baby steps to determine what other changes you might be able to make over time. 

(Bonus: washing larger loads actually reduces microfiber shedding. Combine that with the benefits we’ve already discussed, and it’s an obvious win-win!)

Use Environmentally Friendly Laundry Detergent 

Switching to a sustainable laundry detergent is a simple and straightforward way to reduce your impact on the environment. You might not realize it, but conventional laundry detergents are often full of chemicals, including chlorine, phosphates, synthetic fragrances, chemical dyes, and other harsh ingredients that are (at best!) questionable both for your clothes, and for the environment. 

Instead, choose an eco-friendly alternative that’s gentler on the earth and better for your body. After all, you’re wearing the clothes you wash in all those chemicals! Why not make the easy switch to sustainable laundry detergent? 

Implement Practices That Prevent Microfiber Shedding 

Microfibers are a type of microplastic that pollute water supplies and bodies of water due to their heavy use in fabrics today. Materials like polyester and nylon, which are made from materials that utilize plastic, have led to an increase in this issue. 

We touched on the fact that washing large laundry loads can help reduce microfiber shedding, and that’s great. But what else can you do to reduce or prevent that shedding? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), here are a few more earth friendly washing tips: 

• Wash loads of laundry less often
• Select a device, such as a filter, that help trap loose microfibers 
• Stick to cold water and shorter wash cycles
• Choose a front-loading washing machine rather than a top-loader 

Use a Cold Water Cycle

Washing with cold water will help dramatically reduce energy consumption when you run a laundry load. Using cold water is also effective at removing dirt and stains. Next time you wash a typical load, why not try out a cold wash instead? Among our many eco-friendly laundry tips and environmental cleaning habits, this is one of the easiest to try right away. 

Air Dry Your Garments 

Air drying your garments is another fantastic way to reduce energy use, especially during the warmer months. If you have a backyard large enough for a laundry line, drying clothes in the fresh air can be a pleasant way to make this change. If not, you can purchase special racks to help your clothes dry gently indoors. As an added bonus, air-drying is another practice that helps to reduce wear and tear on your clothing. 

Shop Sustainable Clothing at Merchology! 

Here at Merchology, we don’t just share green laundry tips; we also offer a wide range of sustainable clothing and logo-branded merch. Want to know all about the brands we carry? Check out our Sustainable Apparel and Accessories Buyers Guide! You’ll find a great selection of gifting options that help protect the environment while delighting your employees and potential customers, too.

  

Contact Us 

Ready to add sustainable gifting options to your business plan or team-building strategy this year? We can help you out! Contact us at Merchology to learn more about the sustainable gifting options available to you.