A good printed tee is made to last, and a little care in the wash helps it look new for longer. Heat and friction are what wear prints down, and the tumble dryer is the worst offender. Here's how to wash a printed t-shirt so the print stays sharp and the cotton stays soft.
The short version
- Turn it inside out before it goes in the machine.
- Wash cold or at 30°C on a gentle cycle, with similar colours.
- Use a mild detergent. Skip fabric softener and chlorine bleach.
- Hang it to dry, or tumble dry on low if you have to.
- Iron inside out on a cool setting, and never directly on the print.
- Don't dry clean it.
Why prints fade in the first place
Our designs are printed with water-based inks in one of two ways: DTG, where the ink goes straight into the cotton, or DTFlex, where the design is transferred from a film and sits on the surface of the fabric. (More on how that works.) Both are made to last, and both are worn down by the same things. There are three main culprits:
- Heat. Hot washes and hot dryers are the biggest enemy of both the print and the fabric. Heat also makes cotton shrink.
- Friction. The print rubbing against zips, jeans and towels in the drum slowly wears it down. Washing inside out puts the plain side on the outside.
- Harsh chemicals. Chlorine bleach and strong stain removers can lift colour out of the ink as well as the stain.
Washing
Turn the tee inside out and wash it cold or at 30°C on a gentle or delicate cycle. Wash it with similar colours: dark tees with darks, white tees with whites and lights. A mild, everyday detergent is all you need, and you don't need much of it.
Leave out the fabric softener. It coats the fibres with a waxy film, which can dull the print over time and makes cotton less absorbent. A good organic cotton tee is soft enough on its own.
No chlorine bleach. If a white tee really needs brightening, use an oxygen-based (non-chlorine) bleach, only now and then, and keep it off the print where you can.
Tip: Don't overload the machine. A half-full drum means less rubbing and a gentler wash for everything in it.
Drying
This is where most tees get ruined. A hot tumble dryer shrinks cotton and is hard on prints, so hang it to dry whenever you can. Shake it out, pull it gently into shape and hang it over a rack or on a hanger, out of strong direct sunlight, which can fade colours over time.
If you need to use the dryer, pick the lowest heat setting and take the tee out while it's still a little damp.
Ironing
Most of the time a tee that was hung to dry doesn't need ironing at all. If it does, turn it inside out, use a cool to medium setting and never iron directly on the print. A hot iron can smear or mark the ink. Steaming from the inside works too.
Stains
Deal with stains quickly and with cold water, as hot water can set some stains (blood, egg, dairy) into the cotton. Dab, don't scrub, especially on the print. Then wash as normal. Avoid putting stain remover straight onto the printed area.
Storing your tees
Fold them rather than hanging them for long periods. Cotton can stretch out of shape on a hanger, especially around the shoulders. If you stack your tees, fold them with the print on the inside to avoid it rubbing against other clothes.
Quick answers
Will my tee shrink? Like any 100% cotton tee, it can shrink slightly, mostly from heat. Wash at 30°C or below and hang dry, and it will keep its size.
Can I wash it at 40°C? We recommend 30°C or cold. It's gentler on the print and the fabric, and modern detergents clean well at low temperatures.
Will the print crack? Our prints are made to flex with the fabric. Cracking or peeling is usually a sign of too much heat, from a hot dryer or an iron directly on the print.
Should I wash it before wearing it? You don't have to. If you'd like to, follow the same steps: inside out, cold, hang dry.
Want to know more about the shirt itself? Read what our t-shirts are made of, or check the size guide to find your fit.
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