A former retail worker has urged shoppers to always wash their new clothes before wearing them. She also revealed the "really gross" reason why.
When shopping for a new look, many people like to wear their new purchases as soon as possible, sometimes even out of the shop. When new, clothes also have a fresh feeling that fades every time they go in the washing machine.
But Dana, who used to work in a clothing store, has warned against this, as her experience in the industry has revealed some harsh truths. Taking to social media, she recalled how she and her colleagues "weren't allowed to wear clothes from other brands or other stores."
Dana explained that her manager preferred them to wear clothes from the store's new collection, as a way of promoting the latest stock. As employees did not really shop at the store, or very few would have the latest stock, most of the time they'd simply choose something that wasn’t sold yet, remove the tag, and wear it for the duration of their shift, the Mirror reports.
Dana, who goes by the username @octagonglasses, recently uploaded a video to TikTok giving an eye-opening behind-the-scenes insight. She revealed: "We would work all day. We were sweating. And at the end of our shift, we would take off the clothes, put the tags back on, and then put them back into the store.
“I always thought this was really gross. I did not know that some [other] stores also did this. So, I guess this is my PSA to please wash your clothes after buying them. Because they are not as clean as you think.”
It's unclear exactly which store Dana worked at. However, a number of others have since come forward with similar experiences from their own days in retail. One person recalled: "The store I worked for steamed the clothes before putting them back. Which is nice. I did tell the customer once.. wasn't supposed to do that.. whoops."
Another said: "Customer asked for the size I was wearing. I 'checked' in the back just to change in a bigger size for me so she could try mine without her knowing."
For others, this was brand new information, with one person remarking: "I always wash them because many people will have tried them on. But this is also now a new factor." Another shuddered: "Imagine that where those clothes being made - they might do the same, or make it without washing their hands after using the toilet. Always wash after buying."
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