No Wash Club

Just kidding, we REALLY want you to talk about the hidden secret that is wool does not need to be washed, it just needs fresh air.

The truth about washing clothes?

The truth is we have all washed clothes too much, but you don’t know what you don’t know, we were the same until we started Prickly Thistle. Apart from things like underwear and sportswear, most clothes don’t need to be put through the washing machine after every single wear. It’s one of those strange behaviours that has been a bit of cultural conditioning. Maybe the perception is that if we don’t wash our clothes, we are dirty, less hygienic, or perhaps those detergent companies have been so good at marketing they simply have us all thinking we must wash more, see where we are going with that one?  But those days are done, we are here to share how cool wool is and how our clothes are wash-free solutions!

Why do you not need to wash wool?

It’s all down to the amazing wool fibre make-up, the science bit, but really its mother nature at her best. Wool fibres have a list of properties that make it less likely to get dirty in the first place.  Wool is naturally breathable and moisture-wicking, which means that when you sweat the perspiration evaporates from your skin into the air, rather than getting trapped inside the fabric.  The added-bonus with this is that wool clothes are temperature regulating too.

Another magic property is the natural lanolin coating of wool that the sheep themselves give to it.  This waxy substance protects it against heavy water penetration and stains essentially.  No stains, no need to wash.   

Would this be the same for all clothes?

No, this wash-free benefit does not come with clothes made from synthetics.  Bacteria from perspiration thrives in these fabrics.  The fabric traps the bacteria in the spaces between the fibre, and these synthetic fibres are not able to breakdown the bacteria nor the sweat moisture.  This combination results in odour.  But there is more, even when you wash these synthetic fibre clothes thoroughly, the bacteria is not removed completely and the smell build up begins over time.

The No Wash Club Rules & Benefits

1. You should always talk about the No Wash Club
2. Fresh air is your friend, literally after a few wears, just let your woolly friend hang out in some fresh air space. That’s what freshen-up really means.
3. Save money – on detergent, on energy bills for the washing machine and energy used for heating water for handwashing.
4. Save time – hang or lay flat your wool pieces in an open space and leave them to it. Go spend that time you’d have taken to do washing to do something fun.
5. Save energy – clothing that doesn’t need washed doesn’t need dried, on top of that, your clothes will last longer and look newer for longer. Drying actually wears your clothes out.
6. Save water – less washing means less energy used and less contaminated water. Washing machines can count for 17% of your home water usage and a quarter of a garment’s carbon footprint over the course of its lifetime, i.e. washing when you don’t need to.
7. If this is your first time at the No Wash Club, you HAVE to give it a go. Obviously we’re not forcing this one, but honestly give it a try and trust us you will not find any reason to go back to washing….

Looking for more info in this area, listen to our ‘You Can’t Say That’ podcast Ep 6/2022 and read our Rebel Diaries to learn about microplastics coming from synthetic fabric.