So you bought an item at Mykke Hofmann?
That’s great! We’re happy to say that at the same time, you’ve also bought a piece of responsibility. Fashion is one of the biggest polluters of our planet. The industry faces a tremendous need for sustainable alternatives, which is good and necessary. But do not forget that: you are part of the game! You can help changing the status quo not only with your purchasing decisions, but also how you care for your garments after purchase. Maybe you didn’t know that a bigger part of a garments carbon footprint happens “at home”? We want to give you a little guidance and inspiration on how to properly care for your garment and what to take into consideration.
Fabrics & care
So you bought an item at Mykke Hofmann? That’s great! We’re happy to say that at the same time, you’ve also bought a piece of responsibility. Fashion is one of the biggest polluters of our planet. The industry faces a tremendous need for sustainable alternatives, which is good and necessary. But do not forget that: you are part of the game! You can help changing the status quo not only with your purchasing decisions, but also how you care for your garments after purchase. Maybe you didn’t know that a bigger part of a garments carbon footprint happens “at home”? We want to give you a little guidance and inspiration on how to properly care for your garment and what to take into consideration.
You've got the power!
JUST WASH LESS
Yes, it is that easy – think twice before you throw something into your laundry bag. One machine wash uses between 50 and 80 litres of water.
For little stains use a spot cleaner and then wash your pieces by Hand. It makes a lot of sence, especialy for the delicate pieces and uses so much less water than a washing machine load. If you do machine wash then do so at 30* to save electri- city, besides that you dont risk shrinkage and increase the longi- vity of your clothing - and that is also sustainable!
NO FABRIC SOFTENER
Fabric softener doesnt go well with the environment or the pieces that are washed with it. A major ingredient in fabric soften- ers is Quaternary ammonium compounds which are used to help combat static but can cause skin and respiratory irritation. QACs don’t easily biodegrade, especially in water, and can be toxic to aquatic organisms. This is obviously extra worrisome since as a laundry product they go directly into out water systems. Instead use 2-3 spoons of clear vinegar with a few drops of your favourite essential oil.
NO DRYER
The only thing you need to dry your clothes is a little bit of space and dry air. Why use so much energy to dry your clothes? Also, skipping the dryer will help pre- vent fiber degradation, did you know that microscopic damage occurs each time fabric is put in the dryer? Over time, these tears cause clothes to fall apart, and this is deffinately something we dont want.
USE ECO DETERGENT
You can either create your own detergent (there’s plenty recipes for making detergents with soap, natriumbicorbonate, aetheric oils and a bit of water) or at least shop a sustainable one at the next organic shop. Switching to a green laundry detergent is an easy way to be gentler on both the environment and your skin. These detergents tend to be free of—or at least contain less of—the chemicals that can irritate the skin, damage clothing over time, and pollute the environment.
DONT IRON
Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Let’s be honest – no one likes to iron. Also our nature doesn’t want you to iron. It’s an unnecessary waste of energy. Every person emits 190 kilogram of CO2 equi- valent in greenhouse gases each year by ironing clothes, so why don’t you just spend an extra 2 minutes on hanging your clothes more accurately after washing them. Also, the best traveller trick works really well: while taking a hot shower, hang your garment in the bathroom!
GREEN DRY CLEAN
Yes, a few garments are a little more demanding in care. If you really have to bring your stuff to the dry cleaner, why dont you check if there is a dry cleaner offering “green dry”. This type of cleaning can substantially reduce toxicity and CO2 emissions asso- ciated with garment care. The primary chemical solvent used in drycleaning, perchloroethylene (or perc), is a toxic chemical capable of causing liver damage and respiratory failure, it can also lead to groundwater contamination and air pollution.
USE A GUPPYFRIEND BAG
You probably might have heard of microplastic – that tiny tiny pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products, especially garments based on synthetic fibres. When you wash your clothes, those microplastics pass your washing machines filter and get into groundwater and into the sea. Microplastics then get into our foodchain, and into our belly. You dont want pla- stic in your belly, do you? Guppybags keep plastics out of the water.
SECOND HAND
Regularly cleanse your closet and pull out styles you don’t really wear. But du refrain from donating them to some third world charity. People there mostly need food, medicine and clean water, no de- signer dresses. Only 10-20% of your donated garments will make it into the hands of a new owner, most of it will be downcycled to insulation or rags. Or simply rot. (Council for Textile Recycling, 2018). Instead, look for a second hand shop in town or vintage apps or ebay.... and pass your treasures on!
JUST WASH LESS
Yes, it is that easy – think twice before you throw something into your laundry bag. One machine wash uses between 50 and 80 litres of water. For little stains use a spot cleaner and then wash your pieces by Hand. It makes a lot of sence, especialy for the delicate pieces and uses so much less water than a washing machine load. If you do machine wash then do so at 30* to save electricity, besides that you don't risk shrinkage and increase the longi- vity of your clothing - and that is also sustainable!
NO FABRIC SOFTENER
Fabric softener doesnt go well with the environment or the pieces that are washed with it. A major ingredient in fabric softeners is Quaternary ammonium compounds which are used to help combat static but can cause skin and respiratory irritation. QACs don’t easily biodegrade, especially in water, and can be toxic to aquatic organisms. This is obviously extra worrisome since as a laundry product they go directly into out water systems. Instead use 2-3 spoons of clear vinegar with a few drops of your favourite essential oil.
NO DRYER
The only thing you need to dry your clothes is a little bit of space and dry air. Why use so much energy to dry your clothes? Also, skipping the dryer will help pre- vent fiber degradation, did you know that microscopic damage occurs each time fabric is put in the dryer? Over time, these tears cause clothes to fall apart, and this is deffinately something we dont want.
USE ECO DETERGENT
You can either create your own detergent (there’s plenty recipes for making detergents with soap, natriumbicorbonate, aetheric oils and a bit of water) or at least shop a sustainable one at the next organic shop. Switching to a green laundry detergent is an easy way to be gentler on both the environment and your skin. These detergents tend to be free of—or at least contain less of—the chemicals that can irritate the skin, damage clothing over time, and pollute the environment.
DONT IRON
Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Let’s be honest – no one likes to iron. Also our nature doesn’t want you to iron. It’s an unnecessary waste of energy. Every person emits 190 kilogram of CO2 equivalent in greenhouse gases each year by ironing clothes, so why don’t you just spend an extra 2 minutes on hanging your clothes more accurately after washing them. Also, the best traveller trick works really well: while taking a hot shower, hang your garment in the bathroom!
GREEN DRY CLEAN
Yes, a few garments are a little more demanding in care. If you really have to bring your stuff to the dry cleaner, why dont you check if there is a dry cleaner offering “green dry”. This type of cleaning can substantially reduce toxicity and CO2 emissions associated with garment care. The primary chemical solvent used in drycleaning, perchloroethylene (or perc), is a toxic chemical capable of causing liver damage and respiratory failure, it can also lead to groundwater contamination and air pollution.
USE A GUPPYFRIEND BAG
You probably might have heard of microplastic – that tiny tiny pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products, especially garments based on synthetic fibres. When you wash your clothes, those microplastics pass your washing machines filter and get into groundwater and into the sea. Microplastics then get into our foodchain, and into our belly. You don't want plastic in your belly, do you? Guppybags keep plastics out of the water.
SECOND HAND
Regularly cleanse your closet and pull out styles you don’t really wear. But du refrain from donating them to some third world charity. People there mostly need food, medicine and clean water, no designer dresses. Only 10-20% of your donated garments will make it into the hands of a new owner, most of it will be downcycled to insulation or rags. Or simply rot. (Council for Textile Recycling, 2018). Instead, look for a second hand shop in town or vintage apps or ebay.... and pass your treasures on!
Last but not least:
Be careful with your garments & embrace change
It is important to know that a few fabrics – especially natural ones age quicker than others. They are more delicate than their synthetic brothers. Sometimes there are a few anti-ageing strategies, sometimes there are none.
In a nutshell: being a sustainable fashion-consumer is pretty much about acting like people would have 100 years ago, before globalization and mass production kicked in. It is very much based on knowing a garment’s worth and not treating it as a commodity. Knowledge is power so educate yourself on the impact your decisions have and be ready to take an extra effort sometimes.
It is important to know that a few fabrics – especially natural ones- age quicker than others. They are more deli- cate than their synthetic brothers. Sometimes there are a few anti-ageing strategies, sometimes there are none.
In a nutshell: being a sustainable fashion-consumer is pretty much about acting like people would have 100 years ago, before globalization and mass production kicked in. It is very much based on knowing a garment’s worth and not treating it as a commodity. Knowledge is power so educate yourself on the impact your decisions have and be ready to take an extra effort sometimes.
Meet our Fabrics
EcoVeroTM
Ecovero Viscose by Lenzing is produced using pulp which is derived from wood, sourced from responsibly managed forests. The manufacturing of ECOVEROTM fibers generates up to 50% lower emissions and water impact compared to generic viscose. CO2 emissions and fossil resource usage are approximately half that of the industry average. So ECOVEROTM is a more sustainable alternative to conventional viscose. That said, we are currently using material blends of ECOVEROTM with regular Viscose. Why? Because 100% ECOVEROTM will start to pill tremendously very soon and at the moment, there is still little acceptance for such “quality” issues within our customer group. We are nevertheless eager to change this and believe that either through product innovation or customer awareness, we will soon be able to offer you even more sustainable products. View our ECOVEROTM pieces here.
TencelTM
TENCELTM (by Lenzing) is a regenerated cellulose fiber that can be used as an alternative to silk, regular viscose and cottons. It is part of the Rayon family, made from renewable wood materials (Eucalyptus). Cotton needs much more land to grow than Eucalyptus. TENCELTM is also produced without the use of pesticides or insecticides. It is also much more water efficient than many other fabrics and has a closed loop production process – meaning over 99% of the non-toxic solvent is recycled and pushed back into the system instead of flushing it out as wastewater. View our Tencel pieces here.
Organic Cotton & Denim
We work with Organic Cottons certified by GOTS or OCS. What’s so good about this? It doesn’t allow the use of genetically modified seeds and restricts the use of many chemicals. It still uses water and land but it helps sus- tain the land it is grown on through crop rotations, natural ways of controlling pesticides, and it is usually rain fed. For more details, feel free to dig into the operating principles of GOTS and OCS. View our Organic Cotton pieces here.
Vegan Leather & Recycled Polyester blends
We have banned leather from our collection and work with polyester alternatives. We are aiming to achieve the biggest portion of recycled material for all our polyester programs, at the moment, this is still only 30%
Why not a 100%? Because polyester gets very firm in the recycling process, and the bigger the portion of recycled polyester, the stiffer the garment. It is possible to use a higher portion of recycled polyester and to use chemicals to soften it. But this again requires the use of toxic elements in processing that end up in ground water. Yet, (partially) recycled polyester is a good alternative to conventional leather as well as other materials like silk, as the latter have a higher negative impact on water scarcity, global warming and eutrophication. View our Vegan Leather pieces here.
EcoVeroTM
Ecovero Viscose by Lenzing is produced using pulp which is derived from wood, sourced from responsibly managed forests. The manufacturing of ECOVEROTM fibers generates up to 50% lower emissions and water impact compared to generic viscose. CO2 emissions and fossil resource usage are approximately half that of the industry average. So ECOVEROTM is a more sustainable alternative to conventional viscose. That said, we are currently using material blends of ECOVEROTM with regular Viscose. Why? Because 100% ECOVEROTM will start to pill tremendously very soon and at the moment, there is still little acceptance for such “quality” issues within our customer group. We are nevertheless eager to change this and believe that either through product innovation or customer awareness, we will soon be able to offer you even more sustainable products. View our ECOVEROTM pieces here.
TencelTM
TENCELTM (by Lenzing) is a regenerated cellulose fiber that can be used as an alternative to silk, regular viscose and cottons. It is part of the Rayon family, made from renewable wood materials (Eucalyptus). Cotton needs much more land to grow than Eucalyptus. TENCELTM is also produced without the use of pesticides or insecticides. It is also much more water efficient than many other fabrics and has a closed loop production process – meaning over 99% of the non-toxic solvent is recycled and pushed back into the system instead of flushing it out as wastewater. View our Tencel pieces here.
Organic Cotton & Denim
We work with Organic Cottons certified by GOTS or OCS. What’s so good about this? It doesn’t allow the use of genetically modified seeds and restricts the use of many chemicals. It still uses water and land but it helps sustain the land it is grown on through crop rotations, natural ways of controlling pesticides, and it is usually rain fed. For more details, feel free to dig into the operating principles of GOTS and OCS. View our Organic Cotton pieces here.
Vegan Leather & Recycled Polyester blends
We have banned leather from our collection and work with polyester alternatives. We are aiming to achieve the biggest portion of recycled material for all our polyester programs, at the moment, this is still only 30%
Why not a 100%? Because polyester gets very firm in the recycling process, and the bigger the portion of recy- cled polyester, the stiffer the garment. It is possible to use a higher portion of recycled polyester and to use chemicals to soften it. But this again requires the use of toxic elements in processing that end up in ground water. Yet, (partially) recycled polyester is a good alternative to conventional leather as well as other materials like silk, as the latter have a higher negative impact on water scarcity, global warming and eutrophication. View our Vegan Leather pieces here.