Care instructions for printed and embroidered garments
Wash properly and your prints will last for years. Wash badly and they’ll fade in months. Below our concrete tips per print technique.
General tips
The dirtier the fabric, the more aggressive the wash needed — and that affects both the fabric and the print. The harder you wash, the more strain on both. Want your shirts or workwear to last? Don’t let them get too dirty, use mild detergents, and keep the temperature low.
General rules (apply to all techniques)
Wash at no warmer than 40°C (unless otherwise stated on the label) · No bleach (chlorine, optical brighteners) · No tumble drying — hang to dry · Iron at medium heat — never iron over the print · No dry cleaning (unless otherwise stated) · Turn garments inside out before washing to protect the print
Garment label takes priority
Always also follow the care label of the garment itself. Some fabrics (wool blends, technical sportswear) have specific guidelines that take priority.
Per print technique
Plastisol screen printing
The most robust of our print techniques: – Washable up to 40°C, sometimes 60°C (see garment label) – No tumble drying — hang dry or briefly on coolest setting – Don’t iron over the print — turn inside out if you must iron
Discharge screen printing
Discharge bleaches the fabric, so the “print” sits softly in the textile. Treat like undecorated fabric: – 40°C wash – Hang dry or coolest dryer setting – Ironing usually OK (the print is not a topcoat)
Water-based screen printing
Water-based inks penetrate the fibre — print feels softer but is slightly less abrasion-resistant than plastisol: – 30-40°C wash – No aggressive detergents – Hang dry recommended – Don’t iron over the print
DTF transfers
DTF transfers sit as a flexible layer on the fabric. Treat like plastisol: – Max 40°C wash – No tumble drying — drastically reduces lifespan – No ironing over the transfer — turn inside out – Be careful with scrubbing or brushing over the print
Embroidery
The most durable decoration technique we offer. Embroidered yarn can take a beating: – Washable up to 95°C (though we recommend 60°C to spare the fabric) – Dry cleaning possible – Ironing OK — even over the embroidery (light pressure) – Tumble drying possible, but not on highest setting
Sublimation
Sublimation sits entirely within the fibre (no topcoat) — bulletproof: – 60-90°C possible – Tumble drying possible – Ironing OK – No special precautions needed
Specialties (reflective, glitter, puff, high-vis)
Reflective (retroreflective transfers): max 40°C, no bleach, no tumble dry, no ironing · Glitter: max 30°C, hang dry, no ironing · Puff (3D): max 30°C, no ironing (collapses) · high-vis to EN ISO 20471: wash per certification guideline — usually max 25 wash cycles at 60°C before high-vis properties fade
Common mistakes
❌ Washing at 90°C because ‘it gets cleaner faster’ — print peels off, garment shrinks ❌ Tumble drying on highest heat — drastically reduces lifespan ❌ Fabric softener — coats the ink and weakens adhesion (especially water-based) ❌ Ironing over the print — print melts onto the iron ❌ Chlorine bleach — irreversibly discolours both print and fabric ❌ Washing printed workwear with heavily soiled clothes — requires harsher cycles that damage prints
Print care instructions on the garment itself?
Some clients want the care instructions printed on an inner neck label (so-called tag print) or on a side-seam care label. We can do that too — handy for brands that want to use their own labels.
Ready to start?
We’re happy to think along — from technique to textile to delivery. Send your request and we’ll reply within one working day.