Less is more. Repeated vigorous washing damages the fibres of clothing, increases your energy bill and has a negative impact on the environment. ¼ of the carbon footprint from the garment industry is from consumers washing and drying their clothes, which is easy to avoid.

• Spot clean or brush your garments to remove any stains or debris.
• Turn your pieces inside out to air dry between wears, or give them a quick steam to remove odours, and always air dry after washing.
• Wash at 30 degrees where possible, use gentle cycles or lightly hand-wash.
• Always hand-wash pre1960s vintage. If you’re concerned that the fabric is too delicate, don’t wash it at all! Never wash embroidered silks or satins.
• If you want to dry clean specialty vintage items, find an eco-friendly dry cleaner that you can build up a relationship of trust with to care for your garments.

Repair, repair, repair! From a small rip to a larger hole make sure you repair your clothing as soon as you see an issue to avoid them getting worse.

You can sew, crochet, cover with patches of material and more. Speak to your local tailor or use the Sojo app if you’re based in London for super easy fixes.

Lube your zipper. Old metal zippers should be carefully lubed with graphite pencil, vaseline or zipper lube to keep them gliding smoothly through your clothing.

Keep your vintage clothes in a dry, dust-free place away from direct sunlight. Humidity or damp will damage delicate fibers, and sunlight can fade prints and colours.

Keep vintage clothes stored where they can breathe, not in plastic covers.

Hang your vintage clothes on wooden hangers, or for best protection, cloth-covered padded hangers. Metal hangers can leave rust stains or stretch marks on your pieces.

If you feel some pieces no longer belong in your wardrobe, there are plenty of ways to make sure they continue their life.

Check out our Beyond Retro Exchange programme and Beyond Retro Marketplace to resell your pieces and help close the loop on fashion waste.

Redesign or Upcycle: Give your pieces a new look by cutting, cropping, reshaping, distressing and more.

Swap: Pass on preloved pieces to friends or family, or go to a clothes swap.

Sell: From car-boot sales to depop and eBay, there are plenty of ways to give garments a second home.

Donate: Give your clothing to charity shops and recycling organisations, where they can either find another life as a piece, or be recycled into something new.