Most products are produced with a label or tag outlining the ideal conditions for laundering. In many cases, and particularly for older items, we encourage you to disregard those instructions — requirements change as a product and its materials age.
For older items especially, consider how often they really need washing at all. Some marks are light enough to be removed with a sponge and a mild soap or detergent.
Machine wash
- Turn the shirt inside out to protect the logos and sponsorship.
- Wash cool, inside out, on an easy-care or hand-wash cycle if your machine has one.
- Wash at 30 degrees with a small amount of non-biological laundry detergent, on one rinse and spin cycle.
- Do not tumble dry.
- Hang to dry on a wooden hanger.
- For delicate or older items, hand wash only.
Under no circumstances should fabric conditioner be used, as it may remove print and patches from shirts. Similarly, avoid ironing, tumble drying or mixing colours — these can cause irreversible damage.
How to hand wash
- Spot test. Apply a small amount of water and mild detergent to an inconspicuous area. Blot gently and check whether the colour fades. If there are no issues, proceed.
- Prepare the water. Fill a basin with cool or slightly warm water, making sure it is not too hot.
- Add detergent. Choose a gentle laundry detergent and mix a small amount into the water.
- Soak the shirt. Turn it inside out, fully submerge it, and press gently so it absorbs the water and detergent.
- Rinse. Empty the soapy water and refill with clean, cool water. Submerge the shirt again and squeeze gently to rinse out the detergent. Repeat until all soap is removed.
- Remove excess water. Do not wring the shirt. Squeeze gently, then lay it between two towels and roll it up to absorb the moisture.
- Drying. Lay the shirt on an airer. Never place it on a radiator or in a tumble dryer.
Treated properly, a shirt that has already lasted thirty years will last another thirty.