Whether it’s from last year’s softball season or your first concert, most of us have a T-shirt we always reach for first. You can keep your favorite shirt in rotation for long and avoid pilling, fading and shrinking if you wash your screen-printed T-shirts properly.
Try adding these steps to your laundry routine to preserve your custom apparel.
1. One of These Things is Not Like the Other
It’s time to break out your sorting skills and group your custom apparel with similar items. This means separating your darks and your lights, your heavy items from your lighter items – think jeans vs. T-shirts – and not mixing wildly different colors (red and white don’t get along). Only wash your screen-printed t-shirts with like items to help avoid color issues, like fading, and texture issues, like pilling.
2. Flip it and Reverse it
If you only follow one of our tips, make sure it’s this one! Turn your screen-printed T-shirts inside out before washing and drying to help preserve them. This will keep the print from rubbing against over garments in the washer and dryer.
3. Wash with Care
If you have the time and the patience, opt for washing printed items by hand in cold water. This will be the easiest on your garment and help preserve the design. If you’re using your washing machine, always pick a short cycle with cold water. Never use bleach, especially chlorine bleach, and pick a mild detergent.
4. Hold the Line
When possible, hang your screen-printed apparel outside to dry, making sure to avoid direct sunlight. This will do wonders to help avoid shrinkage. If it’s going in the dryer, pick a tumble-dry cycle with low heat. Ditch the fabric softener and dryer sheets when possible and opt for wool dryer balls. You can even marry these two methods: put your shirts in the dryer on low heat, remove them before they’re completely dry and finish by air drying.
5. If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Skip the Iron
Do you hate ironing? We’re giving you permission to skip it, at least for your screen-printed shirts. Heat is the enemy of your printed design, so if you have to iron, proceed with caution. Your garment should be 100% dry before you start. Turn your garment inside out, and iron on the lowest heat setting. Do not iron on the printed design itself and never use the steam setting! For extra protection, you can place a cloth between the iron and the garment you’re ironing.
Do you have an apparel care question? Your favorite screen printing shop is always the best place to go for advice on keeping your printed apparel looking like new. Full Press Apparel is here to help with all your screen-printing questions and needs. Click here or give us a call at (850) 222-1003.
