Inside the Modern Wardrobe

What 507 UK women told us about what really happens between wearing and washing.

We wanted to understand what people actually do with clothes once they’ve been worn, but before they’re ready for the wash. The answers were more consistent than we expected.

We asked a friend. 507 of them, actually.

  • 94%

    smell their clothes to decide whether they can wear them again

  • 90%

    have washed something because they weren’t sure it was still fresh

  • 75%

    have a dedicated place for clothes that are neither clean nor dirty

Inside the report

  • Between wears

    How people decide whether something is fresh enough to wear again.

  • Care confidence

    Where uncertainty starts to change behaviour.

  • Clothing longevity

    How care decisions affect what stays in the wardrobe.

About the research

Inside the Modern Wardrobe is based on a survey of 507 UK women aged 25 to 55.
The full report includes the methodology, sample details and complete findings.

The wardrobe has a middle state.

Most garment care advice starts at the laundry basket. But a huge amount happens before clothes get there. We rewear them. Air them. Smell them. Put them over a chair. Wash them because we’re unsure. Avoid washing them because we’re worried.

Inside the Modern Wardrobe looks at that overlooked space between wearing and washing, and what it tells us about the way we live with our clothes.

Research by luur

luur is fashion care, not laundry. We make the products, tools and knowledge that give people the confidence to care for the clothes they love.

About luur