Unlike any other apparels that you can easily pick out off-the-shelves in boutique stores or anything in between, custom printed t-shirts are truly one-of-a-kind. Given so, it’s not difficult to see why they deserve special care and attention. However, believe it or not – knowing how to care for a printed shirt is a process in itself.
Ways to Keep Your Custom Printed T-Shirt in Tip-Top Condition
Now, if you’ve just gotten your hands on your all-new printed t-shirt that you’ve painstakingly personalised, don’t just jump right into the wash cycle. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind to ensure its longevity (even if you have a firm belief that your t-shirt can take a beating).
1. Flip it Inside Out
Needless to say, washing your garment is absolutely mandatory (we don’t need to stress the importance of hygiene, do we?). But don’t just blindly toss your laundry into the washing machine. By doing so, you’re ruining your t-shirt before you even realise. Flipping your t-shirt inside out helps to prevent the print from rubbing against other fabrics or washer walls, and minimise the chances of unsightly pills, frays or breakage.
2. Don’t Mix it With Other Colours
We all know the feeling of throwing our pristine white apparels into the laundry, only to be greeted with a stained, disastrous mess after the wash. To avoid that, ensure that dark- and light-coloured clothes are washed separately – you don’t want your light-coloured fabric to pick up any dye!
3. Use Cold Water
When it comes to preserving colours, you’ll be surprise to find that cold water works wonders. Warm or hot water, on the other hand, has a knack for damaging fabric and prints – so be sure to keep this tip in mind (unless you want to run the risk of ruining your precious custom t-shirt).
4. Use a Low Spin Speed
While most shirt printing companies in Singapore, like Printee, would do their best to advise their customers on how to care for their garments, many consumers still overlook this. So echo after us: set the washing machine to the lowest spin setting when washing your custom printed t-shirt. Why? You don’t want your t-shirt to be flung against the washer walls at high pressure. On top of that, this will also help to prevent deep creases from forming all over your garment.
5. Be Mindful of the Detergent You Are Using
Make a conscious effort to use detergent that is mild on fabrics. Make sure to not overuse it though, as it could lead to discolouration or print damage. You’d also want to avoid fabric softener and bleach, even if your t-shirt is white in colour.
6. High Heat on Dryers Are a No-Go
It’s no news that dryers are, well, hot inside. Putting the machine on high heat settings can cause the print to become soft, cracked, or even detached from the fabric. While a tumble dryer is incredibly convenient, we certainly don’t recommend them for printed t-shirt.
7. Be Careful When Ironing
Again, heat can bring permanent damages to a printed t-shirt. When ironing your custom printed t-shirt, always start with the lowest heat setting and gradually increase the temperature till you find some sort of balance. It’s also a good idea to flip the garment inside out when ironing.
Takeaways
All in all, there’s only so much you can do to take care of your printed t-shirt. If you want your shirt to last through generations, focus on getting a high-quality print by a reliable shop in Singapore. Regardless, it’s always important to work with a vendor that values workmanship and quality.
