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Airing the UK's Dirty Laundry

Living in a time of climate change concern, most people are starting to think more and more about how they can weave sustainability and environmental awareness into their everyday activities. Fast fashion is on its way out and people are looking to be more sustainable with their approach to their wardrobe. We wondered if this is filtering down to how often Brits are actually washing their clothes.

In general, do the public ever consider the impact of washing their clothes on the environment? And how many times do they wear different items before they get bunged in the washing machine?

If the aim is to wash things less for all of us, do people have any qualms about wearing things multiple times before they get washed? Do people feel self-conscious if they wear the same outfit two days in a row? Do the public secretly judge friends and colleagues who do?

We surveyed 2,000 Brits to air the UK's dirty laundry…

Repeat wear wardrobes – crime or passion?

Here at Bosch, we’re on a mission to encourage Brits to wash their clothes less often, taking more notice of how quickly (or slowly) clothes start to smell or look dirty.

According to our research half of people wouldn't mind wearing a top more than once without washing it whilst one in four would feel self-conscious about the same thing.

Interestingly, men are more likely than women to feel self-conscious, dirty or embarrassed about wearing a top more than once but when it comes to washing frequency, there were few differences.

How would you feel wearing something more than once?

Great dress-spectations – how does the UK measure up?

Do Brits hold themselves to higher hygiene standards than their peers?

Our research revealed most Brits (58%) have no problem with other people re-wearing items multiple days in a row, despite a quarter of people feeling dirty when they re-wear clothes themselves. Taking it one step further, however, one in ten women confessed to being worried about their peer’s welfare if seen re-wearing items too frequently, compared to only one in twenty men who would have the same thought. Men are more likely to be self-conscious about themselves but rarely view others negatively.

And to top it off, almost one in ten (8.6%) wouldn’t think anything at all so it’s highly likely that many of us wouldn’t even notice!

Judgement day – what’s causing Brits to feel self-conscious?

So, what drives Brits to feel this way?

For many it comes down to one thing; the perception that items are dirty after one use. Almost one quarter of people revealed they feel pressure from society to look presentable and many (16%) believe it might make a bad impression. Equally people stated that they judge repeat wearers so would expect to be viewed in a similar light.

The reality is that these washing hang-ups are causing us to wash clothes much more frequently than is necessary and in doing so we’re using more water, energy and detergents that could be largely reduced.

Making a conscious effort to check clothes for marks, stains or unpleasant smells could make a real difference to the number of items that actually make their way into the washing pile.

How often are Brits washing their clothes?

On average, t-shirts are considered dirty after two wears whilst trousers, jumpers and jeans are considered dirty after wear four.

That said, there were some noteworthy differences in the way men and women approach washing their clothes…

Men wash their socks after two wears on average whereas women opt for a clean pair every day. But don’t let that fool you, women’s hands (or in this case underwear) aren’t totally clean, as the average bra is only washed after eight wears, but men think they’re washed after two!

There’s no perfect answer for how often clothes should be washed, but so long as Brits are making a conscious effort to reduce the number of ‘almost fresh’ items that creep their way into the wash bin, everyone can limit their washing impact.

Sustainable fashion

We’ve partnered with sustainable fashion advocates, Lottie Woods from @intotheeco and Charlotte Moore from @girlonfilm__ to bring you some repeat wardrobe styling inspiration, showing how you can take a few staple items and rework them into completely new looks

“I'm currently wearing these wardrobe staples on repeat; these versatile garments are easy to mix 'n' match and creating a uniform for myself. When wearing pieces, I really love and enjoy wearing I never feel bored, in fact, I look forward to putting them on every day. Mixing them up enables me to still feel fresh. Lucky for me as a self-proclaimed outfit repeater, wearing your clothes more often and washing them only when needed is much better for the environment and helps to increase the life span of your clothes, keeping them looking their best for longer.

“I have always loved getting the full wear out of my clothes, so I'm very pleased that re-wearing our clothes frequently is one of the easiest ways of doing our bit daily for the planet and showing we care and challenging people perceptions, something which I relish.”

“About a year ago, I quit fast fashion. And, my wardrobe has never been better.

“I instead opted to reduce my carbon footprint and now, source vintage, pre-loved and second-hand clothing. My wardrobe is made up of prints, midi dresses and tailored pieces. I get a lot of my clothes altered (find your local seamstress!) and I find that I get a lot more use out of them. I also wash my clothes on a low heat cycle, steam instead of iron to protect them and ensure that they last longer.

“The problem with fast fashion (excluding its devastating environmental impact) is that it perpetuates this insane culture of buying. Designed to make you feel you feel like you’re always out of style. However, glance at some of the UK’s most famous fashion icons, and they all share a personal style that is uninfluenced by trends. Taking back control of your style and choosing pieces that really suit you and make you feel powerful, is the best possible way to really enjoy fashion.”

We have a view

Every drop of water is precious which is why our washing machines and tumble dryers are tested extensively for only one result; quality.

Or if you opt for both in one, Bosch washer dryers give you the convenience of both a washing machine and a tumble dryer in one appliance and they also use less water than a standard washer dryer.

We developed i-Dos, our intelligent dosing technology so that you can fill up just the once and it automatically measures the precise amount of detergent and water needed for each load. Giving perfect laundry, with less detergent and less water wasted.

Discover Bosch i-Dos

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