Practical Guide to Materials Products That Last Longer

This guide walks you through choosing, using and keeping items so you get full value from every purchase.

Check material notes on product pages

When you land on any product page, scroll past the photos first. Look for the material information box. Where the maker gives it, this will list every fibre, component and finish used in the item. You do not need to memorise long technical names. You just need to check that every part that matters to you is listed clearly. If you are buying clothing, check if there is note about how the fabric feels when worn, and how it behaves after washing. For home items, check if there are notes about scratch resistance, fading, or weight. All of this tells you more about how long the item will stay useful for you. You can also use Magic Mirror · Home to preview home items in your own space before buying, which helps you avoid buying things that will not fit or look right where you need them.

Get fit right first

One of a common reasons people stop using an item long before it wears out is bad fit. This is true for clothing, shoes, and even most home goods. A jacket that sits wrong on your shoulders will hang in the closet, even if it is well made. A shelf that is a few centimetres too wide for your wall will never get hung up. Always check measurements first. Do not rely only on size labels. Every maker uses different sizing. Use the size calculator for clothing and footwear. For home items, take the measurements given, mark them out on your floor or wall with tape first. This takes two minutes, and will save you bringing home something you will never use. When fit is right, you will reach for that item over and over. You will not look for a replacement after a few uses. That is the simplest way to get full value from everything you buy.

Plan what you actually need

Before you buy any item, take 30 seconds to ask yourself: when will I use this, and how many times? You do not need any complicated systems for this. For a shirt, you might say: I will wear this twice a month for work, for at least two years. That adds up to around 48 wears. You can do this simple sum for anything. A €60 coat worn 60 times costs €1 per wear. A €20 top worn 4 times costs €5 per wear. This is not about being cheap. It is about being honest with yourself about how much use you will actually get. You can also use the Virtual Closet to check what you already own, before you buy something similar. Many people own three almost identical plain tops, and forget they exist until they come home with a fourth.

Learn basic care

Almost every item will last far longer if you care for it correctly. Most damage does not happen from normal use, it happens from wrong washing, wrong storage or small breaks that are never fixed. Always read the care label first before you use an item for the first time. Do not guess. A small symbol that you ignore can ruin something permanently. Wash items on the coolest suitable setting. Hang things to dry instead of using heated drying where possible. Store things folded or hung correctly, not crammed at the back of a cupboard. For small repairs: a loose button, a pulled thread, a wobbly chair leg. You can fix almost all of these in 5 minutes with basic tools. Fixing one small problem stops it turning into a big one that means you stop using the item. We have a full fabric care guide for clothing and soft home items.

Understand independent label marks

You will see different independent labels printed on product pages and on items themselves. Each one means that an outside organisation has checked a specific claim about the materials or production process. You can look up the name of any label online. Every legitimate label has a public website that explains exactly what they check, what standards are used, and how they do audits. Never assume a label means something just from the name. Always check for yourself what that specific mark guarantees. No label means an item is bad. No label also means it is good. Labels are just extra information you can use if it matters to you. You are always free to ignore them and choose based on fit, feel and what you need.

Mix and match what you own

New items work well when they fit with what you already have. A nice dress will sit unworn if you have nothing to wear it with. A good lamp will not get used if it does not work with the rest of the room. Before you buy, use the Mix & Match Studio to test new items against clothes you already have saved in your Virtual Closet. For home items, you can save existing items you own and see how new pieces work next to them. This does not mean everything has to match well. It means you will not end up with items that only work in one very specific situation. Items that work with many other things you own get used far more often. 5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose.

Where to start in the store: Everyday Clothing, Sweaters & Cardigans, Jackets & Coats and Women's Accessories.

A note on labels: WowStore does not hold any of the certificates named in this guide today, and we do not use them to describe our products. We explain them so you can read a label with confidence wherever you shop.

How giving works when you shop with us

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. After your order you pick one of three causes: CARE International, Cool Earth or Project Zero. The donation is paid out through PayPal Giving Fund UK. Those three causes, together with how we run our own store (honest product data, fair prices), are matched to 11 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

That is the heart of the 1% Movement: small choices × millions of us = change. It is a giving promise we can show you, and it is the only promise we make on this page.