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Garment Care
Ninety Percent was founded in London in 2018 born of the friendship between Para Hamilton and Shafiq Hassan. Our label is established on their revolutionary spirit of care, and our business culture focused on profit sharing thus providing the tools of empowerment for everyone involved in the creation of our collections.
Care and consideration with your clothes are the best way to ensure longevity. While our pieces are designed to last, some simple steps are needed to keep them in good shape until they can be given a second life.
HOW TO: GARMENT CARE
You don’t need to wash an item every time you wear it. Spot clean marks or stains and hang your pieces to air them out before putting away at the end of the day. Pay attention to our care labels to see which temperature to wash at, whether to hand wash and if ironing is allowed. You can freshen garments between washes with a steamer or by hanging them in the bathroom whilst you shower.
Cold Washing
Washing with cold water is better for your garments and the planet. Turn your machine to 30° to reduce colour fading and use less energy. Always separate colours and wash similar shades together, turning dark, zipped or embellished clothing inside out. Invest in a delicate wash bag to protect your favourite pieces.
Air Drying
Instead of putting everything into the tumble dryer, gently reshape garments and dry flat. This maintains the integrity of your pieces and prevents fibre degradation.
Spot Cleaning
A quick response to stains makes it less likely to set. If necessary, scrape off any additional residue with a knife. Wet a cloth with cold water and place another cloth beneath the stain. Dab firmly all over the stain repeatedly – you’re trying to lift it out, not rub it in. Turn the garment inside out and repeat these steps on the reverse.
Steaming
Avoid the iron to embrace an easy, natural appearance. To remove wrinkles, use a steamer or hang your garment in the bathroom whilst you shower. If you use an iron, use a low heat setting, turn your garment inside out and iron on the reverse.
Dry Cleaning
While most of our designs are machine washable, dry cleaning is unavoidable to maintain a long life for some styles and fabrics. Wait to clean until absolutely necessary, ideally choosing an environmental-friendly dry cleaner – in London we suggest Oxwash or 1 Stop Watch – and try to skip the plastic cover when you collect.
Storing
If possible, invest in wooden or padded hangers and avoid overcrowding rails as this causes creasing and can harm delicate fabrics. Some items shouldn’t be hung, while knits, T-shirts and lightweight pieces are to be folded. Keep the latter pieces near the top of the stack.Deter moths with lavender sachets and if possible, place your knits in well-sealed storage bags during hotter months. If you do find moths or their eggs, put the garment in the freezer for at least 24 hours to kill them and prevent further damage.
How to: Preserve Garments
Over the years, accidents and ageing are inevitable. Mending your pieces as problems arise extends their life, while repairs and tailoring mean you can love your clothes for longer. Creative repurposing for those with their best days behind is another important way to keep clothes out of landfill.
Alteration & Repair
We’ve partnered with repair and alteration app SOJO, tailoring your clothes to have a bespoke fit and style. Book a wide range of alteration and tailoring services on your doorstep. Find out more here.
Maintain
Invest in a clothes shaver and de-bobble knits. If caught early and done often enough they can look brand new for a while.
Repurpose
Be creative with the pieces you feel have seen their heyday. Try customising or using dyes to update faded and stained pieces.
How to: Let Go of Garments
After much wear and potentially some tear, it might be time to say goodbye to your favourite pieces. Give them a chance at a second life by considering circular options such as resale and swapping or by responsibly donating them to someone in need.
Resell
Download resale apps such as Vinted or Vestiaire Collective to list your old items and find their new owners. If you live in London, you can reach out to Loop Generation who will resell your pieces for you – online and in store.
Swap
Get together with your friends to organise a clothing swap. On social media, you can follow Stories Behind Things to find out about their next Big Clothes Switch event.
Responsibly Donate
Only a small percentage of donated pieces find a new owner. Rather than being diverted to developing countries – becoming a burden to people who don’t need them or ending up directly in landfills – consider first donating your pieces to your friends and family. In the UK, we recommend donating to Traid, Oxfam, Crisis or Mind.
