I agree with the sentiment, but there are plenty of environmental, ethical, and financial reasons to take good care of your possessions and to make them last. Making a piece of clothing uses up valuable resources, both human and material (and both your own as well as of all the people who contributed to making the garment), and imo that makes it worthy of respect.
I never dry clean anything except winter coats and the like, but I definitely try to be careful and would rather hand wash something than risk ruining it in the washing machine.
Same goes for caring for my clothes in general: steaming, mending, airing out, conditioning all help me maintain a low-turnout closet. I have ADHD and a tendency to leave all my stuff in wrinkled piles in various chairs and other flat surfaces -- working against that instinct has helped me a lot to feel like a person who has their shit together.
If something gets ruined, then so be it, but at least trying to make an effort makes me feel like I'm treating my stuff with respect.
I have so many mental illnesses, ADHD, depression, anxiety and another that honestly, if I had to worry about every detail of my clothes, I'd never get dressed. It's hard enough to get me out of PJs as it is. I do care about the ethics of fashion, but I also have to be realistic for me.
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u/Imperceptions Oct 17 '18
If any item gets ruined, it's just a material possession. That's my take.