You’ve probably heard the words ‘moth-eaten’ used to describe old clothes, maybe the antique garments that your great aunt left in her attic.

But many of us haven’t actually experienced the phenomenon itself, in which – quite literally – our clothes have been eaten by moths.

However, it is absolutely not a thing of the past.

How do you know if a moth has eaten your clothes – or anything else for that matter? Let’s find out.

According to a guide from the Natural History Museum in London there are only certain types of moth that actually commonly damage clothing and other fabrics – and those moths are quite appropriately named the ‘common clothes moth’ (Tineola bisselliella) and the ‘case-bearing clothes moth’ (Tinea pellionella).

But counter to what you might expect, it isn’t actually the moths that you might find have had a nibble of your clothes or your carpets – in fact, it is their larvae that love a good munch of some natural fabrics.

Household infestations of the larvae of these moths is not uncommon, especially if your home is full of the kinds of fabrics that they like to eat.

For many people though, these creatures aren’t really a problem – and if you’ve never found a moth-derived hole in your clothing, there’s probably a good reason why.

To grow, clothes moths need to ingest a kind of protein called keratin (this is also the stuff that keeps your nails and hair strong).

Where can they find keratin? In animal-based sources, of course. So if your clothing or upholstery contains keratin – wool, silk, fur, or feathers – they’re far more prone to being munched on by the larvae that need keratin to survive.

Synthetic fabrics are usually pretty unattractive to the larvae because it is not a source of keratin. The exception? If your synthetic clothing is heavily soiled with sweat or other oils, they may have a munch, mistaking it for their favorite foods.

To avoid moth-eaten clothing? How about wearing ethical, non-animal derived clothing instead?

Oh – and do your laundry!

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