Tips to make your camping clothes last longer

Give your down jacket and walking boots and little love with these tips and repairs and help them last for future seasons

Show your favourite jacket and walking boots some love with these tips and repairs

We’ve all had that favourite jumper we take on every camping holiday, frayed at the cuffs, worn at the hems and at the end of its lifespan but perfect for smokey evenings around a campfire. And, while the outdoor clothing industry is always marketing ‘the next best thing’, there’s a lot to be said for hanging on to your best threads and getting the most from what you wear.

Did you know, for example, that the UK produces over 200,000 tonnes of textile waste every year? And, with around £140 million worth of clothing sent to landfill sites each year, that the UK is the fourth biggest textile waster in Europe?

It’s time to give our old clothes a little bit of love and make them last longer. So, this month, we’re sharing the campaign of UK outdoor clothes specialist TOG24 to reduce clothing waste and enhance sustainability in the UK. TOG24 already donate clothing that doesn’t pass their exacting quality control process to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which helps the charity to raise money and prevents any clothing from going to landfill, as well as donating items to a number of homeless charities.

Repairing a Zipper

The perennial zipper problem. No, err, it’s not getting things stuck in the zipper. It’s that other problem, of the zipper just getting stuck and not sliding properly. We asked Mark Ward from TOG24 for his advice on what makes the zipper stick and whether it’s easy to sort. Do you have to replace the entire zip? Or is there a quick fix? You might need a small pair of pliers but here’s his quick guide on what to look out for…

Caring for a Down Jacket

Lightweight, soft, packing down small and owned by any self-respecting outdoors-person, the down jacket has become ubiquitous in the great outdoors. The only problem is, none of us really know how to wash them. Can you stick it in the washing machine without damaging the insulation? Do you need a special detergent? What setting should you wash it on? There are three simple steps to looking after your puffa…

Caring for a T-Shirt

T-shirts really can be worn until the have holes in them and investing in a high-quality T in the first place will always go some way to making it last longer. Often, the first thing to go is the collar, which sags and loses shape and generally indicates that your top is getting ancient. How to make it last longer? It turn’s out there’s a relatively easy fix. With some icy water and an iron, here’s how you can get back in shape for another camping season of wear…

Caring for Walking Boots

One of the most important bit of campers’ kit is invariably your hiking boots. For the third year in a row the Lake District has remained the most popular camping destination on our website, with the mountainous areas of Snowdonia and the Peak District also not far behind. If you’re going camping, chances are you’re going walking. And, chances are, you slip on the same old pair of walking boots year after year. The trick to looking after them is simple; the main thing is simply having the organisation to get ahead of the game and remember to give them a good buff and polish before you go on holiday (rather than grabbing them and stuffing them straight in the car). Thing ahead and show your boots a little care. It will keep them pounding the paths for years to come.

More clothing repairs and top tips can be found on the TOG24 website here.