Whether you bought it at a concert, at your favourite shop or made it yourself, there’s nothing worse than the design of your favourite printed T-shirt or hoodie starting to fade or crack. At AWDis, we understand that the foundation for a long-lasting print is a high-quality garment, as is practising responsible methods for washing, drying and storing your clothes.
In this guide, we will cover actionable steps for how to stop prints from coming off clothes and make your printed garments last for years to come.
The Golden Rules: Washing Your Printed Apparel
You might not want to think about it, but the day will come when your printed T-shirt needs to go in the wash. But fear not, because the AWDis golden rules for washing your apparel will keep your prints fresh and bright wash after wash.
- Rule 1 – Turn It Inside Out: This will prevent your prints from fading as a result of the friction between clothes and the washing machine drum.
- Rule 2 – Wash With Cold Water: Hot water can cause inks to break down and garments to shrink, resulting in cracked and faded prints over time. To prevent this, keep washes at 30°C or colder.
- Rule 3 – Pick Mild Detergents: Chemicals like bleach, fabric softeners, and harsh detergents can compromise inks and adhesives, so avoid using them for printed apparel washes.
- Rule 4 – Run a Gentle Cycle: Washing printed apparel at a slower spin cycle can reduce the abrasion on your clothing, protecting the print from friction.
- Rule 5 – Avoid Washing With Abrasive Materials: Always wash your printed apparel with similar clothing, avoiding items like jeans and towels that can rub away your designs with their abrasive materials.
The Definitive Guide to Drying Printed Clothing
Washing your printed hoodie is only half the battle, as finding a suitable way to dry it is also key to ensuring designs don’t fade over time. Remember: high heat is the sworn enemy of printed designs – so what options do you have available?
The safest method of drying your printed apparel is air-drying. Hanging or laying your clothing flat allows the moisture to evaporate without running the risk of heat damage or shrinking posed by tumble drying. If tumble drying is necessary, we suggest putting clothes inside out and using the lowest heat setting possible.
Ironing Without Wrecking the Print
When printed polo shirts or jumpers make their way into the ironing pile, it’s crucial to remember that heat is the enemy of your prints. Taking care to treat these garments differently from the rest of your clothes is therefore essential.
The golden rule when it comes to ironing is to never iron directly onto the print. The iron’s heat can melt its ink, so be sure to flip your garment inside out and iron its reverse side. Keep the iron on a low heat setting. For extra protection, we suggest placing a clean cloth or towel on the inside of your garment, covering the design area for an added layer of security.
Storing Your Apparel for Longevity
You’ve washed it, you’ve dried it, and you’ve ironed it – now it’s time to put your printed apparel away. This might seem like the simplest stage of all, but there are still good habits you can develop here to stop prints from coming off your clothes and help them last for as long as possible.
Remembering the golden rule about heat, find a cool and dry place to store your clothes. Fold them neatly or hang them to avoid altering the shape of the prints. Take care not to cram your clothes into drawers, as this can cause creases in your prints.
Top tip: When storing your printed hoodies, folding them can prevent the print from stretching, which often occurs when they are hung up.
Caring For Custom Clothes FAQs
Can You Put Embroidered Clothes in the Dryer?
We don’t recommend putting embroidered clothes in the dryer, as the heat and spin pose a risk of shrinking the threads, potentially causing them to fray and distort. Instead, we recommend air drying your clothes, as this will allow the embroidery to gently dry without risking damage.
How Should Custom Denim Be Washed?
Even the highest-quality, customised denim garments, like those from our So Denim range, require careful washing to prevent fading and shrinkage. We recommend handwashing wherever possible with lukewarm water or a cold, gentle washing machine cycle.
Does Bleach Ruin Prints on Clothes?
Yes – bleach is known to shrink, crack, or cause prints to yellow. Instead, we recommend using mild detergents to wash printed apparel or a dash of baking soda for whitening.
Protect Your Printed Apparel with AWDis
The days of fearing that your printed apparel will fade are over, thanks to these top tips for washing, drying, and storing your favourite garments. Cold washing, inside-out folding, and air-drying are all simple yet effective steps you can take to protect the investment you’ve made in your custom-printed apparel.
The first step to a long-lasting custom garment is choosing the right canvas, and at AWDis, we can help with that! Explore our ranges to find the perfect, durable blank apparel for your next project.
