Clothing Life Expectancy

Nothing lasts forever, including your clothes, but how long should you expect a garment to last?

According to the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumers Textiles Products, assuming normal wear, you can expect most of your clothes to last somewhere between two and three years. Here is a list of garments and their life expectancy (in Years).

The Guide was developed by consensus, similar to the process used by formal standards-making bodies. Participating were: Drycleaning Institute of Australia Ltd, Federal Bureau of Consumer Affairs, International Fabricare Institute, Neighbourhood Cleaners Association, Guild of Cleaners & Launderers, School of Textiles, Private and Government Consumer organisations. The guide is based on the work of Norman Oehlke and Sheila Garred of International Fabricare Institute Consumer Relations. In 1988 it was approved as an American National Standard. It has been up-dated to include articles that are more appropriately Australasian.

The Guide's criteria on textile performance questions has achieved international acceptance. To ensure its continued success critical review is invited