AT THYME

Whether it be a ravishing dress or a one-of-a-kind table linen, we long to keep these treasured pieces in our lives for eternity. Our Bertioli silks are designed to be as soft for morning lounging as they are sleek for evening dancing, so they will doubtless get a lot of wear. It is with a sense of gleeful inevitability that we splurge on new table linens, only to soil them with red wine or salsa verde a few weeks later. When we discovered Clothes Doctor, a solution to resurrect our silks and linens from an over-exuberant dance move or a near-death spillage was very welcome.

In an effort to reduce waste and limit the habitual visit to the dry cleaners Clothes Doctor have created a magic solution to at-home washing, and their travel washbag holds everything you need to avoid using travel-sized plastic. With secret ingredients in handy recyclable bottles, Lulu O’Connor, Clothes Doctor’s founder, is transforming our clothes-washing habits. She shares her tips on a more mindful approach to shopping for clothes that will live for longer.

The Clothes Doctor wash kits are sold in the Shop and online in our Washcare Collection. A perfect pairing with a Bertioli silk piece!

**What was the driving realisation or discovery that sparked Clothes Doctor?**
Clothes Doctor started as an online mending and alterations service in 2017 - I became interested in the repair industry after discovering just how damaging large parts of the fashion industry is to the environment - much of it is an entirely linear system with no recycling at all, creating vast amounts of waste. Some of this comes from the production side but a lot of it also comes from the consumption side, due to how our generation views clothing as a throwaway product. I realised that traditional repairs services that you might find in a little shop on the corner were not very convenient and not providing the best service possible so I became interested in finding a way of creating a repairs service that would actually encourage people to change their consumption habits, and extend the life of their clothes.

How has this mindful ethos disseminated into other areas of the business?

When we launched our first clothing care products, a range which is growing and growing, I was very concerned that all packaging should be plastic-free, all the products must be cruelty-free, palm-oil free etc, not only because it’s what’s right, but because that is what consumers these days are demanding, which is fantastic. To keep up with the modern world we must embrace this mindful ethos and it’s something we have continued across all aspects of our production.

What environmental issues are you trying to solve and how?

Well as mentioned, I believe that tackling fashion waste is a huge concern of ours and should be a huge concern of everyones really. For example, on average in the UK we only wear garments seven times before discarding them leading to absolutely huge numbers of perfectly good garments being dumped in landfills. If we mended each garment that got a small tear in, or if we washed and took care of our garments so they’re less likely to tear, then that’s already fewer clothes in landfill, so we’re hoping to encourage this mindset of more conscious fashion habits so fewer clothes end up being wasted.

Obviously there are other environmental factors we aim to tackle as well. For example, we advise people generally to wash their clothing less, or to only wash garments when they’re really dirty - this will save water, save the longevity of our garments and reduce the number of microfibres being released back into the water systems. Similarly, fewer clothes thrown away means fewer carbon emissions from transporting and incinerating clothing, so we advise that, if you do want to part with a garment, to consider re-selling it, donating it or recycling the fabric so that it can have a second life and thus carbon emissions are reduced.

There are so many environmental and ethical issues that taking care of your clothing can help, so all reasons why we should be nurturing our clothing, and this is what I am so eager to show people.

What materials can Clothes Doctor products be used on, and which is your most-used?

The wonderful thing about Clothes Doctor products is that there is something for every material. Our Basil & Mandarin Leaf Detergent is a great all-rounder for your laundry, but we also have specialist washes for different fabrics so you can have the confidence to wash your clothes with a powerful cleaning product that will also nurture and nourish the garment. These specialist washes include our Eco Wash for Cashmere and Wool, perfect for knitwear, our Eco Wash for Silk and Delicates and our Eco Wash for Sportswear. We also have a range of clothing care tools from de-pilling combs for your sweaters, to a clothes brush for your outerwear - we’ve got something for every type of material.

What three tips would you give to a shopaholic trying to turn minimalist?

If I’m out and about and I see a garment I like the look of, I ask myself these three questions. Will I wear it more than 30 times? Is this piece timeless? Will it work with other stuff in my wardrobe? Because I ask myself these, and answer honestly, I know that in 10 years or so, my wardrobe will consist of items that I love, need, and will never go out of style.

What are the favourite items of clothing in your wardrobe right now?

I’ve been getting my Autumn/Winter wardrobe ready and at the moment I am absolutely loving cashmere. It’s just so breathable but simultaneously incredibly cosy, and it makes me feel luxurious every time I wear it! I have an Olivia von Halle cashmere tracksuit that I’m practically living in, I love it so much.

What is your favourite fix-it piece and what’s its story?

I have a floral summer dress which was a favourite of mine at university - it wasn’t an expensive piece and is simple cotton but I just love it - the shape and pattern just really suit me, and a few years ago I was climbing over a fence (as you do!) and tore it 3 or 4 inches up the back from the hem. Because of the pattern I wasn’t sure if anything could be done, but the Clothes Doctor seamstresses fixed it up a treat. I still wear it and the repair really doesn’t show at all.

Does your approach to sustainable fashion transfer to other elements of your lifestyle?

I really believe in low waste as a lifestyle. It’s definitely true that the infrastructure and product range just isn’t there yet for us consumers to nail this totally, but I think that quite a lot of the things we can do are mostly about learning new habits and pushing ourselves to make small tweaks to our usual routine. For example, I’ve recently switched to shampoo and conditioner bars - I was a bit sceptical to be honest but I’m now a convert. I’ve stopped buying packs of individual yogurts, and just buy big pots and use a bowl! I make my own compost at home, rather than buying peat compost which is unsustainable. I grow vegetables and this summer we ate garden tomatoes all summer long. I never buy plastic water bottles, I carry an aluminium one, and I put all our recycling through the dishwasher before it goes in the recycling bin to make sure that it doesn’t get rejected.