Second-hand clothes have made a strong comeback in the modern fashion industry. Not only are they budget-friendly, but they also embrace sustainable shopping by extending the lifecycle of your clothing items and reducing the amount of textile waste generated each year.
However, it's also true that pre-loved items may not always come in 10/10 condition. Here are the top tips and tricks to restore second-hand clothes at home. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Detergent wash
When you get secondhand clothes online or from a store, the first step is to wash them thoroughly. This will help in removing unwanted stains, odours, and bacteria from your clothing.
Make sure to check the care label before tossing your second-hand finds into the washing machine. You can find all guidelines related to washing, drying, and ironing of the garment on the care label attached to it.
Before washing, pay extra attention to any stains or areas of high wear-and-tear such as elbows, knees, and insides of collars that might need some TLC.
In case of stubborn stains, you can try commercially available stain removal solutions. Once the clothes are clean, you are ready for the next step.
Step 2: Re-Tergent wash
There is a high chance that you will find pilling and lint on secondhand clothes. They usually appear as pesky little balls of fibre on the surface of your clothing, making them look worn-out and dull.
Washing second-hand clothes with BIORESTORE Re-Tergent will remove even the deepest level of pilling in only one home laundry wash. By removing the pilling, any faded prints and colours will be renewed and the original texture and hand feel of your clothing will be restored.
Each box of BIORESTORE Cotton has 3 laundry powder sachets. One box is enough to exfoliate and renew 6-8 items of clothing. Just put the laundry powder in the washer and run a 40ºC wash for 2 hours. Your clothes will be renewed without any extra hassle.
Step 3: Tumble Dry
The final step in restoring vintage clothing is tumble dry. While it is advisable to ditch high heat drying for laundering your brand-new clothes, the same is not true for restoring your second-hand finds. No matter how heavily soldered a piece of clothing is, the final step will make sure that every last fibre of debris is removed from the surface of the fabric.
Step 4: Mend, Sew, Repair
It is common to find loose stitching, missing button, or even a small hole in second-hand apparel. Fixing these issues takes no more than a DIY Video from YouTube and some daily supplies.
The supplies to have in your sewing kit include needles, threads of different colours and weights, scissors, sewing pins, and some patching fabrics. If you don’t know how to hand sew, you can also use a sewing machine to get the job done. Here we have explained the in-detail process for repairing a missing/loose button.
Loose Button
If you observe a loose or missing button in second-hand apparel, chances are that you may not have the original button at hand. Follow these steps to fix this minor issue.
- Go to a fabric store and get the closest match possible for the missing button.
- Thread the needle and ensure that both of its ends are on an equal length. Tie the two ends in a strong knot that is large enough to avoid slipping.
- Create an “X” shape anchor point for the button. Push the needle via the back of the fabric and through the front. Once you have created a diagonal line, repeat the process to create an “X”.
- Slide a straight pin on top of the anchor point and underneath the button to elevate button from the surface of the fabric. Starting from the back, start sewing as many stiches as you need to secure the button. It is better to sew in two different loops than a crisscross pattern to avoid fraying.
- When you come to the last stitch, push the needle up from the fabric but not through the button. Now, remove the pin and wrap your thread around the threads in between the button and the fabric to make a “shank”. Pull tight push the needle to the back and tie the button off.
For loose stitching and other minor issues, you can find DIY Videos on YouTube. Just a simple thread and sews are more than enough to give a new life to your second-hand clothes.
Additional Tips
There are many retailers who sell second-hand clothes online and in-store. But before making a purchase, it’s important to inspect their source, condition, and any visible faults. Some common issues are loose buttons, pilling, stains, and colour fading.
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Is the stain strong or mild?
One of the most commonly faced challenges by second-hand cloth shoppers is not knowing the origin of stains i.e., are these stains water-based or oil-based? Can they be removed or not?
As these clothes have been passed on from their original owner to the retailer and then to you, it might be challenging to know what kind of stain you are dealing with, and can you remove it or not.
While there is no scientific method to know what your stain is made of, you can always do a scratch test. Use the back of a spoon or pen to gently scrape the surface of the stain, while ensuring that the fabric doesn’t get damaged. Now closely look at the removed material and see if there is any color transfer, texture change, or minimal change.
In case the colour of the stain comes off on the scratching tool, it might be a dyeing transfer or makeup stain. If the scratched area feels different after rubbing off onto the stretching tool, it might be oil or grease. Finally, if there is no texture change or colour transfer, it may be a water-based stain.
Based on the results, you can decide which clothing item to buy or not. For instance, makeup and oil stains both are stubborn and may not get completely removed from the fabric so it’s best to steer clear of the clothes with these stains on them.
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How much is the fibre damaged?
To assess the fibre damage, check the visual appearance of the fabric. If there is lint, pilling, or bobbles (small balls of fabric) on cotton clothing, don’t worry, it can be easily removed in only one home laundry wash with BIORESTORE. But in case of holes, tears, or visible wear-and-tear, the fabric may have reached the end of its life, so it’s better to not spend your money on that piece of clothing.
Another way of checking fabric thinning is to hold the garment up to direct sunlight. Look for areas where the fabric appears noticeably thinner or shows excessive wear. This can give you an idea about the overall health of the clothing item.
Wrapping Up
Second-hand clothes offer budget-friendly fashion choice and a sustainable way to refresh your wardrobe. This guide has equipped you with the knowledge and tools to transform pre-loved pieces into go-to clothing items.
From tackling common issues like pilling and loose buttons to identifying stains and assessing fiber damage, you've learned how to effectively restore second-hand clothes. Remember, a little TLC can go a long way in extending the life of your garments and giving them a new lease on life.
So, the next time you browse second-hand clothes online or in a physical store, use these tips and tricks to get the best finds that will stay in your wardrobe for years to come.
Happy Shopping (and Restoring)!
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