Even the best made clothing will, over a period of time, begin to show the classic signs of wear and tear. It is just the nature of the fabric that makes up the clothing to wear out over a period of time. However, there are certain African fabric care tips that you can put into place to stretch out the lifespan of your favourite ethnic clothing just a little bit longer.

• The first step to proper African fabric care is to get rid of the bleach. Bleaching clothing can wear down the fibers of the African fabric and cause them to tear, fade and fall apart quicker.  There are some brands of bleach that claim to be safe for use on coloured  fabric, but many these products  are only slightly milder than regular bleach.  Instead of bleach try using baking soda or some other alternative that is not as harsh as bleach.

• Mending and repairing any rips, tears and holes right away is the second African fabric care tip that often does the most to extend the life of ethnic clothing.  Rips and tears that are left untreated can quickly grow in size, ruining the clothing faster. By taking the time to mend the holes and rips as soon as you notice them you will be able to prolong the life of your favourite ethnic clothing.

• The last thing to remember when caring for African fabric is to only launder the clothing when it is absolutely necessary. Washing machines and dryers can be extremely rough on the clothing that you put inside it. If you can try hand washing the clothing or only spot treating the areas that need to be cleaned, and let the clothing air dry, this will increase the life of the clothing.

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