· Garment care · Guides
How to care for your graphic tees and hoodies
The short answer
Wash printed tees and hoodies inside out in cold water on a gentle cycle, with mild detergent and no bleach or fabric softener. Hang or lay flat to dry where possible, and if you must tumble dry, use low heat. Never iron directly over the print.
Most print damage is heat damage. Cotton garments handle years of wear comfortably; printed graphics are the part that reacts to hot water, hot dryers and hot irons.
The routine below is short, and it applies to every printed tee, hoodie and sweatshirt in the shop.
The short version
Five habits cover almost everything.
- Turn the garment inside out before it goes in the machine.
- Wash cold on a gentle or normal cycle with similar colours.
- Use mild detergent — no bleach, and skip fabric softener, which coats fibres and dulls prints.
- Hang or lay flat to dry; tumble dry low only if you need to.
- Iron inside out and avoid the printed area entirely.
Why heat is the problem
Hot water and high dryer heat make cotton shrink and stress the bond between print and fabric, which is what causes cracking and fading over time. Cold washing and low or no dryer heat remove most of that stress.
The same applies to ironing: pressing directly onto a print applies concentrated heat exactly where you least want it. Iron the garment inside out, or press around the graphic.
Hoodies and sweatshirts
Heavier fleece holds water, so it benefits from being dried flat where you have space — hanging a soaked heavyweight hoodie can stretch the shoulders.
Wash drawcord hoods with the cords tucked in, and fasten any zips before washing so the teeth do not catch on other garments.
Caps and headwear
Structured caps should not go in the washing machine or dryer. Spot-clean with a little mild detergent on a cloth, work gently, rinse the cloth and let the cap air dry in shape.
If something arrives wrong
Care can only protect a garment that arrived as intended. If a print is defective or a piece is damaged in transit, that is a returns question rather than a laundry one — check the returns page for the current window and process before washing or wearing the item.
Frequently asked
- What temperature should I wash printed tees at?
- Cold. Cold water protects both the print and the fit of the cotton; hot water is the main cause of shrinkage and print cracking.
- Can I put a printed hoodie in the dryer?
- You can, but use low heat and remove it slightly damp. Air drying — laid flat for heavyweight fleece — keeps the print and the shoulders in better shape.
- Can I iron over the print?
- No. Turn the garment inside out and iron the reverse, or press around the graphic. Direct heat on a print will damage it.