First wash — the most important cycle
Always wash printed shirts once before first wear. Reasons: residual dye is rinsed out, the print "sets", and sweat marks on an unwashed shirt look worse than on a washed one.
Rule of thumb for the first wash:
- 30°C cool, separately or with similar colours
- Turn inside out
- Gentle or delicate cycle
- No tumble dryer, no fabric softener
After that you can gradually move to normal washing — see methods below.
Wash instructions per finishing
Screen printing — the robust one
Screen printing is mechanically very resistant. Still:
- 30-40°C, wash inside out
- Tumble dryer: yes, low setting
- Iron: only on fabric (not on print), inside out
- Lifetime: 100+ washes without visible wear
Digital print (DTG) — the photo-realistic one
DTG prints are a little more sensitive, especially for the first 5 washes.
- 30°C, wash inside out
- Tumble dryer: rather air dry or low setting
- Iron: not directly on print, always with cloth or inside out
- Lifetime: 50-80 washes depending on care
Embroidery — the premium one
Embroidery wears almost not at all from washing, but rather from friction.
- 30-60°C possible
- Wash inside out to protect against pilling
- Tumble dryer: yes, low setting
- Don't iron directly on embroidery — lifts the threads
- Lifetime: 200+ washes
DTF (Direct to Film) — the versatile one
DTF is very flexible and good with cool washing.
- 30°C, wash inside out
- Tumble dryer: low setting or air dry
- Iron: inside out only, cloth in between
- Lifetime: 60-80 washes
Flex/flock print — the smooth one
Flex print is a thin foil application and a little sensitive to heat.
- Maximum 30°C
- Wash inside out compulsory
- Tumble dryer: no, air dry
- Iron: never directly on print — foil melts
- Lifetime: 40-60 washes
Temperature recommendations — quick overview
- 30°C cool: First wash for all methods, standard for DTG and flex
- 40°C warm: Screen print, DTF, embroidery
- 60°C hot: Embroidery on workwear (e.g. chef's jackets). For prints only exceptionally and only with very robust methods
Tumble dryer yes or no?
| Method | Tumble dryer |
|---|---|
| Screen print | Yes, low |
| Digital print (DTG) | Rather air |
| DTF | Yes, low |
| Embroidery | Yes, low |
| Flex print | No, air |
Generally: air drying is always gentler and extends lifetime. If you need the dryer — low setting and shirt inside out.
Ironing — the golden rule
Never iron directly on the print. Always from the inside (inside out) or with a thin cotton cloth in between. The heat from the iron can soften prints and at worst stick or burn them. Embroidery is more robust, but direct contact flattens the threads.
For functional fabrics: low setting, no steam, always inside out.
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