Guide: Washing and product care

Product care and sustainability

An important part of a textile product's total environmental impact is related to how long the product can be used before it is worn out, how well it has been taken care of and finally, what happens to it when it can no longer be used for its original purpose. A good place to start is to choose clothing that is durable, timeless in its design and made from recycled and/or recyclable fibers. Then, the way you take care of your clothes whilst you are wearing them also makes a big difference. Not only for the environment, but also for the performance of your products.

Cutting back on how frequently we use our washing machines is a huge win for our garments as well as for the environment.

There are a number of environmentally certified detergents and cleansers available that reduce the impact of washing on the environment. How full a washing machine or dryer is plays the greatest role on the consumption of energy, water and detergent. In small households it can be difficult to fill a machine, and the washing instructions of many garments recommend to “wash separately”.

Please contact us if you need more tips and advice on how to take care of your clothes in the best way for a long time. Visit our stores or reach out to us online to get help to repair garments, return them for recycling or purchase a washing bag and care products.

We usually wash our clothes too much. Clothing that is not very dirty can be aired out instead.

General washing advice

Avoid to use fabric softener. They have a negative impact on the garments performance and our environment. The fabric softener leaves a coating on the fibers of the garment, which affects the moisture transportation and breathability of the garment. Some of the substances in fabric softener are hard to break down for nature and harm water living organisms. They also contain perfumes and substances that can cause allergic reactions.

Make sure that zippers are zipped and velcro closures closed when washing. This will minimize the risk that fabrics get caught on sharp edges during the wash and begin to pill. A washing bag will protect all fabrics and garments from being torn or stretched out in the washing machine. It will also limit microfiber leakage in the washing process, which means preventing microplastics from entering into rivers and oceans. You can buy the washing bag GuppyFriend in our webshop here or in our stores.

Most outer garments, especially shell layers and insulation garments, have DWR treatments - durable water repellency. The purpose of these is to make the outer fabric water resistant. When it wears off after a few seasons, the outer fabric of your shell layer will start to get wet even though the membrane wiull still keep water from passing through the garment. When this happens, you can re-apply the DWR with a wash-in product or a spray. You can buy OrganoTex, organic DWR, in the webshop or in our stores.

Air out your clothes

We usually wash our clothes too much. Clothing that is not very dirty can be aired out instead. Fresh air is good for both people and clothing. It is often said that we spend more time doing laundry today than we did in the 1940s when washing machines were very rare.

Wool garments

Wool is a fantastic material with natural bacterial and dirt resistance. Therefore, wool does not need to be washed after every use. Frequent washing actually has a negative effect on the wool’s properties and unnecessarily wears down the garment. Instead, air your wool garments to reduce your water usage, save energy and make your garments last longer.

• Use a washing bag to protect your garments. We sell GuppyFriend washing bag both in our stores and here in the webshop. When cleaning the bag and filter in the machine, make sure to wipe it clean and throw the lint in your trash can.
• Machine gentle wash at max 30 degrees, preferably with a wool program.
• If you can, use wool detergents. Otherwise use mild, environmentally certified detergents and make sure to use the right dose. Select a detergent that has a neutral pH and no enzymes.
• Avoid bleach and alkaline substances that raise the pH value. Also avoid enzymes such as protease or amylase since these can break down wool, which give this material its natural performance properties. This also applies to silk.
• Avoid fabric softener. Besides being harmful for our environment, they have a negative impact on the garment performance, mainly moisture transportation and breathability.
• Do not dry in tumble dryer.
• Shape the garment after washing and lay flat to dry.
• Wool is a natural and living material that can relatively easily be formed. Therefore, please store your wool garments folded and not on a hanger to avoid your garments losing shape.

Wool is a fantastic material with natural bacterial and dirt resistance. Therefore, wool does not need to be washed after every use.

Base layers, everyday garments and fleece made of synthetic fabrics

When washing clothes made of synthetic fabrics, the use of a washing bag becomes even more important: it prevents microplastics from entering into rivers and oceans.

• Air clothes instead of washing them to save water, energy and to make the garments last longer.
• Use a washing bag to protect your garments and to prevent fibers from leaking. When cleaning the bag and filter in the machine, make sure to wipe it clean and throw the lint in your trash can. Never rinse it in water since we don’t want the fibers to end up in lakes or oceans.
• Machine wash cold.
• Use mild environmentally certified detergents and make sure to use the right dose.
• Avoid fabric softener. It is bad for the environment and weakens the performance of functional clothing.
• Do not dry in the tumble dryer. This exposes both the garment and the environment to unnecessary wear and tear. Most polyester garments dry quickly anyway.
• Hang dry.

Padded garments

Our padded garments are made with synthetic insulation from Primaloft. There are many advantages to a synthetic padding compared to down: you don’t have to tumble dry the garment with balls to regain the shape, it dries faster and it doesn’t smell when it’s damp.

• Air clothes instead of washing them to save water, energy and to make the garments last longer.
• Use a washing bag to protect your garments and to prevent fibers from leaking. When cleaning the bag and filter in the machine, make sure to wipe it clean and throw the lint in your trash can. Never rinse it in water since we don’t want the fibers to end up in lakes or oceans.
• Machine wash cold.
• Use mild environmentally certified detergents and make sure to use the right dose.
• Avoid fabric softener. It is bad for the environment and weakens the performance of functional clothing.
• Hang dry. Just remember to introduce heat to the garment after washing to reactivate the water resistant surface of the outer fabric. Use a drying cabinet, dryer or iron. Make sure you monitor the heat so the garment does not melt.

Remember to introduce heat to the garment after washing to reactivate the water resistant surface of the fabric.

Softshell

Softshell or single layer shells are garments with a water repellent surface, but without a membrane.

• Air clothes instead of washing to save water, energy and to make the garments last longer. Do make sure to wash your shell if it has been used in salt water or has gotten very sweaty or dirty as this weakens the performance of the garment. They can reduce the fabric’s breathability and damage the water repellent surface. The dirt can even allow for moisture to leak though the fabric.

• Use our washing bag to protect your garments and to prevent fibers from leaking. When cleaning the bag and filter in the machine, make sure to wipe it clean and throw the lint in your trash can. Never rinse it in water since we don’t want the fibers to end up in lakes or oceans.
• Machine wash cold.
• Use mild environmentally certified detergents and make sure to use the right dose.
• Avoid fabric softener. It is bad for the environment as it doesn’t break down and weakens the performance of functional clothing.
• Hang dry. Just remember to introduce heat to the garment after washing to reactivate the water resistant surface of the outer fabric. Use a drying cabinet, dryer or iron. Make sure you monitor the heat so the garment does not melt.
• You can reapply or enforce the water repellent treatment with a wash-in or spray when needed. Always use an organic DWR: you can find both a spray and a wash-in in the webshop or in our stores.

Shell garment with membrane

Our shells with a membrane are made in 2, 2.5 or 3 layers. The construction of the garment differs depending on how many layers it has. Let us break it down for you: A 2 layer shell always has a separate lining on the inside to protect the membrane. A 2.5 layer shell is a lighter shell that has an outer fabric, which is laminated with a membrane. Then, a protective print is added over the membrane, forming the last layer closest to the skin. 3 layer shells have an outer fabric laminated with a membrane and a thin knitted or woven lining on the inside. This makes the 3 layer shell more durable than a 2.5 layer shell, but it is also a bit heavier.

• Air clothes instead of washing to save water, energy and to make the garments last longer. Do make sure to wash your shell if it has been used in salt water or has gotten very sweaty or dirty as this weakens the performance of the garment. They can reduce the fabric’s breathability and damage the water repellent surface. The dirt can even allow for moisture to leak though the fabric.
• Use a washing bag to protect your garments and to prevent fibers from leaking. When cleaning the bag and filter in the machine, make sure to wipe it clean and throw the lint in your trash can. Never rinse it in water since we don’t want the fibers to end up in lakes or oceans.
• Machine wash cold.
• There are special detergents for shells, but mild, environmentally certified detergents work just as fine. Make sure to use the right dose.
• Avoid fabric softener. It is bad for the environment as it doesn’t break down and weakens the performance of functional clothing.
• Hang dry. Just remember to introduce heat to the garment after washing to reactivate the water resistant surface of the outer fabric. Use a drying cabinet, dryer or iron. Make sure you monitor the heat so the garment does not melt.
• You can reapply or enforce the water repellent treatment with a wash-in or spray when needed. Always use an organic DWR: You can find both a spray and a wash-in in the webshop or in our stores.

Warranty

Our design philosophy is about providing you with products that last. Products that, by their quality, style and functionality, simply don’t need to be replaced.

This is why we offer a product lifetime warranty. Every part of a Houdini product is designed to last its entire lifetime. Should any part fail at an earlier stage, we will repair or replace it. If you happen to damage a Houdini product, we are happy to provide the same repair service at a reasonable price.

The idea is to extend product lifetime in every way possible and to make sure your Houdini companion travels with you for as long as possible. Once your product eventually wears out, please remember to hand it in so that we can recycle it into another great Houdini product!