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How To Make Kids’ Clothes Last Longer

Expert Advice

How To Make Kids’ Clothes Last Longer

Sep 9, 2026

Laundry keeps clothes clean, but it rarely keeps them in great condition. Washers, dryers and strong detergents can all wear down clothes, causing stretching, fading, cracking and degradation. If you want to know how to make clothes last longer, start by assessing your laundry habits and follow our tips below.

Young kid in a pink graphic tee, gray jeans, and pink sneakers posing in front of a colorful graffiti mural.

Master the Laundry Room Routine for Staples

First, turn all your clothes inside out before washing them. This protects the outer fabric from friction and fading, preserving colors and graphic prints. The inside-out trick also prevents pilling, while ensuring the dirtiest part of the clothing (the inside) gets fully cleaned. 

 

We know turning every single item inside out before loading the washer is annoying. But you don’t have to. Start putting clothes in the hamper already inside out, and ask your family to do the same. This way, everything will already be inside out when you load the washer. 

 

It’s also important to sort your clothes into different loads. Most people know that you should separate by color, especially whites. But did you also know you should separate by fabric weight? Separate heavier fabrics, like denim, from lighter fabrics, such as silk. Heavy fabrics can rough up lighter ones and wear them down faster. 

 

Denim can be tricky. Try to wash denim as little as possible. The fabric doesn’t generally pick up dirt, oil and odor the way more porous fabrics do. So, barring an unfortunate spill or similar situation, you can wear jeans five or more times before washing them. Understanding how to wash jeans and care for denim can make those precious staple pieces last for years longer.

 

When in doubt, always read the care instruction labels and look up what the different symbols mean. Following the manufacturer's instructions will make clothes last exponentially longer, so don’t ignore those labels.

Keep Your Fleece and Graphic Tees Out of the Heat

Heat may be quick and convenient when doing laundry, but it can ruin a lot of different clothes. It degrades clothes in countless ways: shrinking, stretching, fading, cracking, matting, pilling and more. Keep them away from heat whenever possible. 

 

The best way to make your hoodies last longer is to avoid heat. Hot water and warm dryers shrink and misshape hoodies and sweatpants. Keep those matching sets chic and cozy by washing them in cold water and hanging them out to dry.

 

Fleece and graphic tees are also super sensitive to heat. Graphic tees fade, and the designs crack. Fleece clothes may start pilling, shedding or matting, losing their softness. That means you should wash graphic tees and fleece (and most clothes) on a cold cycle, and either air-dry or tumble dry on low or no-heat settings. This helps prevent graphic tees from cracking, keeps them colorful and crisp, while your fleece stays soft and fluffy.

Kid in a black Nike tracksuit and black-and-white sneakers sitting on a concrete ledge against a brick wall.

Combat Stains and Wear With Proactive Fabric Care

Beyond changing your laundry habits, you can also make your clothes last longer by shopping smartly and being proactive. When buying clothes, opt for durable fabrics like denim and cotton blends. The more flexible a garment is, the more likely it is to wear out quickly, so keep that in mind when shopping. We love spandex, but it’s not the toughest fabric out there. 

 

When storing your clothes, focus on preserving the intended shape and protecting any vulnerable elements. For example, hang structured jackets on wooden hangers, but fold soft hoodies so they don’t stretch out. 

 

Fold vulnerable elements like graphics or buttons so they’re inside the fabric. If you have a button-down, fold it so the buttons are not visible. This way, they won’t be accidentally torn off. Store all your clothes in cool, dry, dark places away from direct sunlight.

 

When dealing with stains, time is of the essence. Don’t let them sit. Address them immediately, usually by rinsing thoroughly in cold water. However, the best way to remove a stain depends on the fabric and the substance. For example, the best way to remove deodorant stains from cotton is with hot water. To remove gasoline stains, you need baking soda. Believe it or not, Dawn dish soap is a decent catch-all for stains. Research how to remedy the specific combination before you do anything by looking up "how to remove [substance type] from [fabric type]." 

 

And our final tip for making your child’s clothes last longer is to wear them less. If they have a favorite hoodie, that’s great, but they shouldn’t wear it every day if they want it to last. Make sure you rotate their favorites. You also don’t need to wash it after every wear! Try to wash your clothes less, and they’ll last much longer. 

If everything in your kid’s closet looks worse for wear, it’s time to go shopping. Find fresh threads for kids at Hibbett, then apply what you've learned to make clothes last longer!

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