About washing
Growing, manufacturing and shipping are only the beginning of the effects that clothing has on Global Warming. A study by the Institute For Manufacturing at Cambridge University on sustainable clothing discovered that 60% of the greenhouse gases generated over the life of a simple tee shirt come from producing the electricity needed for the typical 25 washings and machine dryings. And this doesn’t even include ironing!
There are simple steps to help reduce the washing footprint: set washing machine temperatures on warm (40º) or cold with a cold rinse, and if you absolutely can not live without a clothes tumble dryer (and we all know who we are), set the temperature at a lower setting and remove clothes from the dryer while they are still slightly damp.
You can download the full Well Dressed Report from the University of Cambridge website.
Alternative products
EcoBalls® are a great alternative to washing powder. They will last for 1000 washes so it cost you only 3p per wash.
And if you can’t live without tumble dryer,you can use Dryerballs® to reduce drying time thus softening the fabric at the same time.
Both products can be easily found at a number of online stores.