Care guide
Three habits keep our clothes looking and fitting the way they did on day one: wash cold, skip the softener, hang to dry.
The three rules
Wash cold, inside out
30°C / 86°F or below. Turning pieces inside out protects the face of the fabric from rubbing against zips and other clothes.
No fabric softener
Softener coats the fibers. On stretch fabrics it traps sweat and slows drying, and over time it dulls the color.
Hang to dry
Heat is what wears elastane out. Hang or lay flat, out of direct sun. Everything we make dries overnight indoors.
Notes by fabric
AirKnit
- Wash with other light synthetics. Towels and denim rub the perforated surface.
- Dries in a few hours on a hanger, so there is no reason to tumble dry it.
- Do not iron. If it creases in a bag, hang it in a steamy bathroom for ten minutes.
CoreFlex
- Wash inside out and close any zip pockets first.
- Use a mild liquid detergent. Powder can leave residue in a dense knit.
- Never tumble dry on heat. It is the fastest way to lose the stretch and recovery.
TerraFleece
- Wash inside out to keep the matte face smooth.
- A low tumble dry is fine if you need it, but expect some shrinkage on the first hot cycle. Hang drying keeps it to size.
- Fold rather than hang for storage, so the shoulders keep their shape.
Other fabrics
- Cotton-modal and heavyweight cotton tees: cold wash, hang to dry. A warm iron on the reverse is fine.
- Merino blends: cold wash on a wool or delicate cycle, lay flat to dry, never tumble dry.
- Insulated jackets and vests: close every zip, gentle cycle, then follow the care label for drying.
Pilling
Pills are small balls of fiber that form when loose ends on the surface rub and tangle. They show up most on brushed fabrics and wherever a bag strap, bench or the inside of your arm rubs repeatedly. A few after the first washes is normal: it is loose surface fiber coming away, not the fabric failing.
- Wash inside out, on a gentle cycle, with similar fabrics.
- Keep velcro and zips closed, or out of the load.
- To remove pills, lay the piece flat and use a fabric shaver or a sweater comb with light, even strokes. Do not pull them off by hand.
Odor
Synthetic fibers hold on to body oils more than cotton does. Most lingering smell comes from residue that a quick cold wash did not reach, often made worse by softener or by leaving damp clothes in a bag.
- Take clothes out of your gym bag as soon as you get home and let them air out before washing.
- If a piece still smells after washing, soak it for 30 minutes in cold water with a cup of white vinegar, then wash as normal.
- Do not overload the machine. Clothes need room to move for the water and detergent to reach them.
- Skip hot water. It does not fix the smell and it shortens the life of the elastane.
Quick reference
| Fabric | Wash | Dry | Iron | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirKnit | Cold, inside out | Hang | No | Softener, towels in the same load |
| CoreFlex | Cold, inside out, mild liquid detergent | Hang or lay flat | No | Tumble dry on heat, softener |
| TerraFleece | Cold, inside out | Hang or low tumble | Low, inside out | Hot wash, bleach |
The most common ways clothes get worn out early are in our journal: Five care mistakes that shorten the life of training clothes.