Luminous and elegant in all circumstances, white doesn’t do things halfway. But this also means that it requires impeccable care. To maintain its precious radiance, here are some essential care tips that keep the planet in mind.
Spot cleaning for small stains
For small imperfections and delicate textiles, opt for hand-washing but only on the stained area. This allows you to avoid machine-washing and therefore save water. For more resilient white fabric or material that can withstand a stronger treatment, a drop of bleach will eliminate the most stubborn marks.
Lower the temperature
Less is often better. While washing in hot water (60°C) has long been recommended to restore pristine whiteness to your white cotton home linens, machine-washing warm (40°C) is all you need for your daily clothing. This is gentler on more delicate fibres, which can be damaged by high temperatures.
A laundry bag that captures microparticles from clothing
For more responsible machine-washing, use a special laundry bag, such as GUPPYFRIEND, that limits the loss of microfibres from ocean-polluting synthetic clothing. The cherry on the cake: it also reduces friction in the machine and therefore delays pilling and extends the life of your clothing.
Sodium percarbonate for a burst of radiance
Over time, white tends to fade and turn slightly yellow or grey. To restore its radiance, give your white clothing a nice sodium percarbonate bath. A natural biodegradable product that you can find in your organic food store. The recipe? Dilute two big tablespoons of powder in a bucket of 5 litres of very hot water. Soak your white laundry in it for 6 hours max. A brilliant result guaranteed.
AMV Journal is a space dedicated to encounters, discovery and travel. Every week, explore the musts, portraits and inspirations of American Vintage and its creation studio.