GENERAL WASHING INSTRUCTIONS

Always follow the washing instructions of your garments - make sure to always read the instructions of how to wash each garment. These instructions have been developed for each product and thoroughly tested to know the optimal care and temperature for it.

Don’t over-wash your clothes - avoiding unnecessary machine washes is good for enhancing the durability of the clothes and good for the environment as you save on water and energy. Oftentimes airing the clothes or spot cleaning the clothes, is enough to keep the clothes fresh.

Air dry instead of tumble - hanging your clothes up to dry instead of using the dryer is a great way to make the clothes last longer and to save on unnecessary energy usage.

Avoid fabric softener - fabric softeners contain a lot of chemicals which have a negative impact on the environment as it’s released into the water and are often not needed. Fabric softener can also damage the impact on the elastic functionality and impair water repellent functions of the garments.

Wash garments inside out - this will help garments keep their shape for longer as well as their color. This is especially important for clothes with print on them. Outerwear garments should however not be washed inside out.

Wash as soon as possible - most stains can be removed if you wash or soak the stains right away. Do not let them dry or sit too long as they will be harder to remove. Check out our eco-stain guide below for tips on how you can remove stains without the use of strong chemicals.

Cotton: Cotton is generally resistant to high temperatures, both in washing and ironing. Garments with prints can however be impacted by too high temperatures, always follow the recommended washing instructions on the garment. If the garment has a print it’s also important to turn it inside out before washing. Avoid bleach and fabric softener especially if the fabric also contains elastane.

Modal®: Modal has a tendency to shrink if it is treated at too high a temperature, so always wash at lower temperatures. We also recommend to avoid soaking and prewashing as the material weakens in a wet state.

Wool: Wool has a unique ability to refresh itself with the help of the oxygen in the air. Therefore, you don’t have to wash wool clothes as well as clothes made out of other materials such as cotton or polyester. Wool is also naturally resistant to dirt and can be cleaned with just airing or a mild detergent. A tip is to hang your garments in the shower after you've showered (when there is high humidity), this helps to the self-cleaning effect where the wool fibers open up and release dirt particles.

Econyl and swimwear: Avoid washing over 40° and don’t use fabric softener as this weakens the elastic quality of the fabric. You should always air dry, and not use the dryer. Make sure to rinse in fresh water after every use to get rid of salt water and chlorine.

Satin: Satin is more delicate than other fabrics like cotton and can easily tear if a zipper or button gets caught in the fabric. We hence recommend using a laundry bag to protect the garment during washes.

Denim: Denim is a cotton fabric that should be washed seldom to keep its natural shape and color, we recommend airing and spot washing. Due to its dark dye, some color might be released in the first few machine washes, so it's crucial to wash it with a similar color to avoid color impact on lighter colored garments.

Heavy knit garments: We generally recommend washing these garments at 40°, if no other temperature is stated on the washing instructions. Use a laundry bag to avoid the yarn in the garments to get caught on buttons or zippers. If your washing machine has a delicate wash program, that is preferred. Consider stretching the garment while still wet, to avoid any shrinkage and hang it flat to dry in order for it to maintain its shape.

Fleece: We recommend to air fleece as much as possible and remove minor stains with a damp cloth or spot treat as stains tend to come off easily and as this will make the clothes stay in shape and color for longer. If the whole garment needs washing we recommend that you follow the specific garment washing instructions and that you use a microplastic laundry bag as fleece can release microplastics in the washing water. We also recommend that you iron fleece according to the care label instructions regularly as ironing lays down the fibers, reducing the release of microplastics. You can check out our guppy laundry bags here that protect the environment from the release of microplastics while washing garments.

Outerwear: All our outerwear should be washed at 40°. Close zippers and buttons to minimize risk of wear. Jackets should not be turned inside out as the lining wears more easily than the outer material. Fabric softener should be avoided as it may impair the breathability and water-repellent functions of the garments. The water repellent function of BIONIC-FINISH ECO® deteriorates when the garment is washed and must be treated with heat to reactivate. We recommend that you iron the garments with BIONIC-FINISH ECO® on low heat to reactivate it. As taped seams and reflectors can be damaged by heat, try to avoid ironing directly on seams and reflectors as much as possible. Warm drying cabinets and tumble drying are not recommended for garments with taped seams and reflectors as this might deteriorate their functionality. If the garment has faux fur on the hood, you can brush it with a regular hair brush, for it to regain its structure. Explorer accessories should be washed the same way as jackets and overalls and should be heat-treated after washing.

Caps: Should not be washed in the washing machine as they lose their shape. Can be dampened and washed by hand with detergent. Do not let the cap soak in water for too long

Bags: Close all zippers before washing to avoid wear. Don’t wash over 40°, use bleach or tumble dry.

Knitted hats: Wash at 40° and stretch while wet, dry flat.