Natural fabrics reward a little care. Treated well, linen and cotton soften and improve with age — the opposite of fast fashion.
Wash cool on a gentle cycle, and turn printed or coloured pieces inside out to protect them. Skip the bleach, which dulls colour over time, and lay flat or hang to dry rather than over-drying in the machine. A cool iron while very slightly damp brings linen back to life; a light steam is often all a shirt needs.
Store pieces folded and loosely, with room to breathe. Do this and your favourite warm-weather pieces will still be favourites many summers from now.
