You finally found that perfect blazer. Or maybe it’s a cashmere sweater you saved up for months to buy. Either way, you want it to stick around. Not just for one season, but for years. The good news? High-quality clothing is built to last. The bad news? Only if you treat it right.

Here’s how to keep your best pieces looking sharp without turning your laundry routine into a second job.

Wash Less Than You Think

Most garments don’t need a full wash after every wear. Unless something is visibly dirty, stained, or smells, you can usually air it out and wear it again. Jeans, wool sweaters, and blazers especially benefit from a break between washes. Over-washing breaks down fibers faster than anything else. The smell test and a quick visual check are your best friends here.

For items worn close to your skin—undershirts, socks, workout gear—that’s a different story. Those should hit the laundry basket after one use. But your outer layers? They can go longer than you think.

Turn Everything Inside Out

This one takes two seconds and makes a real difference. Turning clothes inside out before washing protects the outer surface from friction, fading, and pilling. It also keeps zippers and buttons from snagging other items in the load. Denim, knits, and anything with a print or texture should always get the inside-out treatment.

While you’re at it, close zippers and fasten buttons or hooks. A loose zipper can chew up a delicate blouse in the same load.

Wash Cold, Rinse Cold

Hot water is the enemy of color and fiber. It shrinks wool, fades dark denim, and weakens cotton over time. Cold water gets clothes clean just fine for everyday wear, and it’s gentler on everything from silk to spandex. Save the hot cycle for towels, sheets, and grimy workout clothes—things that don’t need to look good for a decade.

If you’re dealing with grease or heavy stains, pretreat with a gentle stain remover and still wash cold. Heat sets stains more often than it removes them.

Skip the Dryer When You Can

The dryer is convenient. It’s also brutal on high-quality fabrics. The heat and tumbling break down elastic, shrink natural fibers, and create lint (which is literally your clothes disintegrating). Whenever possible, hang dry your nice pieces. A folding drying rack or a shower rod works fine.

For sweaters and knits, lay them flat to dry on a towel. Hanging them wet stretches them out of shape. For jeans, hang them by the waistband or lay them over a chair. T-shirts and cotton button-downs can usually handle a low-heat tumble if you’re in a rush, but take them out while they’re still slightly damp and hang them immediately.

Learn Basic Repairs

A loose button or a small seam rip doesn’t mean the garment is done. It means it needs five minutes of attention. Keep a small sewing kit with matching thread colors, extra buttons, and a needle. Sewing on a button is a life skill worth having. Same with fixing a hem that’s started to come undone.

For bigger issues—a broken zipper, a moth hole in cashmere—find a good tailor. A $15 repair can save a $200 jacket. It’s almost always worth it.

Store Things Properly

How you store clothes matters as much as how you wash them. Knits should be folded, not hung. Hanging a heavy sweater stretches the shoulders and distorts the shape over time. Use shelf space or stack them in drawers.

Invest in proper hangers for everything else. Velvet or wooden hangers keep blazers and coats in shape. Wire hangers are fine for the dry cleaner but not for long-term storage—they can leave creases and rust stains.

For seasonal storage, make sure everything is clean before it goes into a bin or garment bag. Stains you can’t see now can set and attract pests later. Cedar blocks or lavender sachets help keep moths away from wool and cashmere.

Rotate Your Wardrobe

Wearing the same three shirts on repeat wears them out faster. Give your favorites a breather between wears. This is especially important for shoes (yes, shoes count as clothing here), but it applies to everything. A larger rotation means each piece gets less abuse and lasts longer.

If you notice you’re reaching for the same items over and over, that’s useful information. It tells you what you actually wear—and what you can stop buying.

Deal With Pills and Fuzz

Pilling doesn’t mean your sweater is cheap. It happens to the best of them, especially natural fibers like wool and cashmere. A fabric shaver or a simple sweater comb removes pills without damaging the garment. Just go gently and don’t press too hard.

For lint and pet hair, a reusable lint brush or a slightly damp rubber glove works better than tape. Keep one in your closet or by the door.

Watch for Moths (and Other Pests)

Moths love cashmere, wool, and silk. They also love dark, undisturbed closets. If you spot small holes or webbing, act fast. Wash or dry clean everything in the area, vacuum the closet thoroughly, and consider storing vulnerable pieces in airtight bags or bins with cedar. Mothballs work but smell terrible—cedar and lavender are gentler alternatives.

Silverfish and carpet beetles also nibble on natural fibers. Keeping your closet dry and occasionally airing things out helps discourage them.

Read the Label (At Least Once)

Not every high-quality garment is dry-clean only, and not every dry-clean-only label is mandatory. Some wools can be hand-washed cold with a gentle detergent. Some silks can be rinsed in cool water. But if you’re not sure, follow the label. It exists for a reason.

That said, dry cleaning too often can be harsh on fabrics. If a piece doesn’t smell or have visible stains, sometimes a good steam is enough to freshen it up between cleanings.