When Lending Clothes, What's the Right Thing to Do?

The Situation

• A friend borrowed an expensive sweater and ruined it after washing it.
• The friend offered to pay for it, but the owner feels bad because the friend isn't used to spending that much on clothes.
• The owner is upset and doesn't know what to do.

Key Considerations

Who is at Fault?

• The owner didn't tell the friend not to wash it.
• The friend didn't ask if she should wash it or how.

Owner's Dilemma

• Should the owner have told the friend to return the sweater unwashed?
• Should the friend have asked how to return it?
• Should the owner take the money or just let it go?

The Tricky Balance

• The friend ruined something expensive, but didn't know it was expensive.
• The owner doesn't want to lose the friendship over this.
• However, the owner is feeling resentful, which is a bad sign.

Lessons Learned

• The owner should have thought about this before lending the sweater.
• Expensive, delicate, or irreplaceable items can cause problems.
• Next time, the owner should think twice before lending such items.
• It's not worth risking a friendship over a sweater.