Understanding Fabric Care for Long-lasting Clothes
Trust the Masters of Laundry
Not all clothes are created equal — and knowing how they behave when wet will help you keep them beautiful and last longer. We are masters of laundry, so you are in good hands.
Beyond the Machines: Know Your Fabrics
Mastering your machines is only one part of becoming a Laundry Day champion. To really level up, you must understand how different fabrics — everything from gym clothes to fine woolen textiles — behave in the face of water, detergents, agitation, and heat. Understanding how to use fabric content information will also largely free you from needing to interpret those inscrutable fabric care runes on the tags of your clothes.
Fabric-specific Care Tips
- Cotton: Highly washable but prone to shrinking. Use cold water for machine or hand washing, and avoid hot water or high-heat drying. Air dry fine cottons.
- Linen: Highly washable but prone to shrinking and wrinkling. Use cold water for machine or hand washing, and air dry or press immediately after washing while still damp to eliminate wrinkles.
- Nylon: Highly washable but prone to static. Air drying is recommended to prevent static, so skip the dryer.
- Polyester: Highly machine washable and can be machine dried on medium- or low-heat.
- Rayon and Viscose: Not highly washable. Always dry clean these garments.
- Silk: Prone to color loss and water staining. Hand-wash using cool water and a specialty detergent or send it out for dry cleaning. Limit silk's exposure to water and maintain consistent water temperature.
- Spandex: Machine washable, but prone to odor retention. Dry on low-heat setting or air dry. Avoid using chlorine bleach with Spandex or blends containing Spandex.
- Wools (including Cashmere and Merino): Prone to felting and shrinking when washed. Hand wash in cool water and air dry flat. Can be machine washed in a mesh wash bag, using cold water and the delicate cycle.
- Blends: Wash according to the instructions for the more sensitive fabric.
By understanding the needs of each fabric, you can ensure that your clothes remain in excellent condition and last longer.
