Tips to make your Knowt Merch live a longer life
If you're anything like us, you'll be living in your Knowt merch. But, when you eventually decide to throw it in the wash, here's how to how to do it the right way!
Embroidered Hoodies
- Turn the shirt inside out—the first and foremost thing to do is to turn the embroidered t-shirt inside out.
- Machine wash carefully— use a gentle cycle at 400–800 rpm to minimize the risk of snags in the embroidery.
- Wash with cold water—set the temperature to 30°C (86°F) or less. This will maintain the color of the fabric and keep the threads intact.
- Gentle detergent—use a gentle one is preferred as a harsher one will weaken the threads and cause the color to fade.
- Check for sharp items—don’t wash your shirt together with garments with buttons, sequences, or zippers, as they can pull on the embroidery.
- Don’t let it soak—once the wash cycle is done, immediately take out the laundry and dry it.
- Avoid using bleach—use a non-chlorine bleach if you can’t avoid using it altogether.
- Don’t wring—although you might feel it’s a good idea to wring out the garment to let it dry faster, don’t do it, as it can damage the embroidered threads.
- Opt for cool drying—you can either air dry or use a tumble dryer with a cool air setting. To ensure complete dryness without harming the fabric, consider a combination of tumble drying on a low setting followed by hanging it out to dry.
While ironing, keep the garment inside out and avoid the steam mode. Make sure the embroidery is dry and keep a piece of cloth between the embroidery and the iron
Everything Else is DTG Printed
Everything except the embroidered hoodies is DTG printed. This includes the tote bags, the t-shirts and the crewnecks.
- Turn your shirt inside out—this small but vital step helps the print last longer.
- Wash with cold water—always opt for cold water, ideally at 30°C (86°F), whether hand washing or using a washing machine. Hot water can lead to shrinkage and fading of the vibrant colors on your t-shirt.
- Delicate cycle—although it’s recommended to hand wash, if you choose to wash in the washing machine, opt for a gentle cycle of around 600 rpm. Keep it below 800 rpm to avoid stretching the t-shirt.
- Natural shrinkage—natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk, or linen, have a higher risk of natural shrinkage. So, take extra precautions to keep the washing temperature cool.
- Use mild detergent—it’s recommended to use a mild detergent. Strong detergents may cause the prints to fade quicker.
- Avoid fabric softener—it can interfere with the adhesive used in DTF printing. It’s best to avoid the softener and use only a mild detergent.
- Remember to keep the t-shirt inside out.
- Air dry—the recommended way to dry DTF t-shirts is to air dry. Dry your t-shirts on the hanger to prevent any heat damage to the prints.
- Low-heat dryer—if you prefer to use a dryer, keep it on a low heat setting to prevent the printed area from cracking.
- Avoid over-drying—it may cause shrinkage, instead of drying faster.
- Avoid dry-cleaning—DTF-printed garments can’t withstand the high temperature and chemical solvents involved in the dry-cleaning process.
- Limit ironing— ironing is not recommended. but, if necessary, do so on low heat, keep the t-shirt inside out, and avoid direct contact with the print.