Black outfit, an essential of everyone’s wardrobe is the ultimate resort for us on our way out. At times nothing works in a dress- the colour doesn’t look suitable for an occasion, you may not have complementary accessories or you are just not in a mood to don a particular shade but black saves us all in those difficult times. It can never go wrong and hence has always been there silently occupying a space in our closet.

These edgy clothes however lose their charm very easily due to fading. Well, who has not bought the perfect pair of black jeans or a dress or a T-shirt, only to see them fade in just a few washes? Not only does it break our hearts but also makes us question if we should buy a black outfit again.

As we all have faced the ultimate crisis of black outfits, we are sharing some tips to increase their life and be our saviour in future:

1. Read The Garment Label:

Whenever you are putting your black outfit for a wash, do read the garment label. Every fabric has a different wash requirement. While washing your black clothes do cross-check and follow the instructions, it will eventually prohibit premature fading of the black outfit.

Always Wash Inside Out:

While washing your dark coloured or black clothes, always flip them inside out. During the wash, friction develops in the fibres of your outfit and the dye comes out. When the garment is inside out, the exterior fibres stay protected and agitation reduces, helping the outfit to retain the colour for longer times. Moreover, there are times when fibres from the different outfits stick on the surface of the black dress and can be vividly noticed. Lint roller does its work but with coarse fabric, fibres stick and impart a dull look.

2. Use Specific Detergent:

Always use good and mild detergent for your black piece of clothing. There are specific detergents available in the market especially curated for dark coloured clothes. Moreover, it is always suggested to use liquid detergent instead of powder to avoid the sticking of the particle over the outfit surface that gives a dull look to the clothes.

3. Cold Water And Short Cycle:

Always go for a cold water wash with your black clothes. Also, keep the washing cycle short so that agitation is less in the fibres of the outfit. Also if possible, go for low-speed spin and wash that helps in reducing the general wear and tear.

4. No To Dryer:

Do not let your black outfit go through the dryer. A quick blow of heat also causes fading in colour. Moreover, the spin speed of the dryer is also high, which causes loosening of the fibres, giving your dress a fuzzy and dull look.

5. Keep It Out Of Sun:

Opt for air-drying your outfit in a warm and breezy area rather than hanging them under direct sunlight. Colour fades because the fibres start oozing the dye. Direct sunlight breaks the dye used on fabrics and makes them look dull and faded.

Black clothes hold an essential space in our life. You can never go wrong with a black outfit. Following a few steps that we mentioned above will definitely increase the life of your black dress with minimum effort. A fashion design student gets to learn these intricacies during the time of their course. The various programmes focused on the fashion industry at JD Institute of Fashion Technology, teaches the students about fibres, dyes and more along with elaborately explaining to them the maintenance of various fabrics.

Maintaining The Black Outfit