Read before washing
Check the sewn-in label, listing, and any care card. Empty pockets and close zippers or fasteners.
Product care
Keep the color. Keep the story.
A little care helps handmade color, decoration, texture, and shape stay part of your wardrobe longer. Start with the item’s own label or care card, then use this page for the general routine.
The sewn-in label or included care card always comes first.
Garment fiber, dye process, print method, applied artwork, trim, yarn, and construction can change what is safe. If the item’s label, listing, packaging, or written order instructions differ from this general guide, follow the item-specific direction.
The general apparel routine
Five habits that are kinder to color and decoration.
Use this routine only when the product label says the item is machine washable.
Turn apparel inside out
This reduces direct rubbing against printed, dyed, or decorated outer surfaces.
Wash cool and gently
Use cool or cold water, a gentle cycle, and a mild detergent unless the label says otherwise.
Keep colors company
Wash with similar colors. Wash deeply dyed handmade items separately for the first washes when instructed.
Dry with less heat
Air dry when practical or use the lowest heat allowed. High heat can increase shrinkage and stress decoration.
Care by product type
Different details ask for different treatment.
Use the section that best matches your item, then confirm it against the product-specific instructions.
Hand-dyed & color-treated apparel
Give the color room on its first washes.
Residual color transfer can occur with some handmade dye processes, especially when an item is new or wet.
- Follow any first-wash directions included with the item.
- Wash separately or with very similar dark colors at first when instructed.
- Use cool water and a mild detergent.
- Avoid chlorine bleach unless the care label specifically permits it.
- Do not leave wet colored fabric resting against light fabric or surfaces.
Printed, logo & decorated apparel
Protect the artwork from friction and heat.
Decoration can include different inks, transfers, embroidery, patches, or applied materials, so the approved method matters.
- Turn the garment inside out before washing.
- Use a gentle cycle and low heat if machine drying is permitted.
- Do not iron directly over artwork, transfer material, or applied decoration.
- Avoid aggressive scrubbing or stain treatment on the decorated area.
- Do not dry-clean unless the label or written instructions allow it.
Sweatshirts, hoodies & heavier knits
Reduce weight, rubbing, and heat.
Heavier garments can hold more water and experience more friction during washing and drying.
- Close zippers and secure drawstrings when the garment allows.
- Wash inside out with similar weights and colors.
- Reshape while damp if the care label recommends it.
- Use low heat or air dry to reduce shrinkage and surface wear.
- Store clean and fully dry.
Crochet, knit & fabric accessories
Support the shape instead of stretching it.
Handmade accessories may include mixed fibers, linings, hardware, adhesives, or structure that make machine washing inappropriate.
- Use spot cleaning or hand washing only when the item’s instructions allow it.
- Do not wring, twist, or hang a heavy wet knit.
- Reshape and dry flat when directed.
- Keep hardware and trims away from soaking unless approved.
- Store without pulling straps, loops, or stitches out of shape.
When something spills
Treat the stain—not the whole personality of the piece.
Fast, gentle, local treatment is usually safer than aggressive rubbing, soaking, heat, or an untested stain product.
- 1Blot; do not grind it in.Use a clean, colorfast cloth and work gently from the outside of the spot inward.
- 2Check the care instructions.A spot-clean item, decorated surface, mixed-fiber accessory, or dry-clean-only garment needs its own method.
- 3Test any product first.Try it on a hidden area and avoid chlorine bleach or harsh solvent unless expressly allowed.
- 4Keep heat away until the stain is gone.Machine heat and ironing can make some stains harder to remove.
Grow Shirts & long-term keepsakes
The years between photos matter too.
A Grow Shirt or sentimental piece may spend far more time stored than worn. Clean storage helps protect it between milestones, but no garment can be guaranteed against years of wear, washing, fading, loss, or damage.
- Wash or clean according to the label before long-term storage.
- Make sure the item is completely dry.
- Store in a clean, cool, dry, dark place away from direct sunlight and moisture.
- Avoid crushing decoration, pulling knitwear, or leaving sharp folds in the same place for years.
- Check the item periodically for moisture, pests, staining, or material changes.
Common care questions
When in doubt, slow the process down.
How should I wash my item for the first time?
Follow the sewn-in label and any included first-wash directions. For machine-washable hand-dyed apparel, those instructions may recommend washing separately or with similar colors in cool water. Do not assume every handmade item has the same first-wash method.
Is some color transfer normal?
Some dyed items can transfer residual color when new or wet. Follow the item’s directions, keep wet colored fabric away from light surfaces, and contact us if you believe the transfer is excessive or the item materially differs from what was ordered.
Can I put decorated apparel in the dryer?
Only if the care label permits machine drying. Air drying or the lowest permitted heat is generally gentler on fibers, shrinkage, and applied decoration. High heat can damage some prints and transfers.
Can I use bleach or stain remover?
Avoid chlorine bleach unless the care label specifically permits it. Test any stain product on a hidden area first, and keep aggressive products away from artwork or decoration unless approved.
Can I iron over a logo or design?
Do not iron directly over printed, transferred, vinyl, painted, or applied decoration. Follow the garment instructions and, if ironing is permitted, protect the design and use the specified temperature.
What if the page and my care label say different things?
Follow the care label, product listing, care card, or written order instructions provided for that exact item. This page is a general guide and cannot account for every fiber, garment, dye, decoration, or trim.
Will careful washing prevent every change?
No. Wear, washing, sunlight, friction, age, material, and handmade processes can gradually change color, texture, fit, and decoration. Care can reduce unnecessary stress but cannot guarantee that an item stays unchanged.
What if the item arrived damaged or seems incorrectly made?
Do not wash, alter, discard, or repair it before documenting the concern. Keep the product and packaging, take clear photos, and use the Order Help page to report the issue with the order number.
Not sure which care method fits?
Show us the item and the label before guessing.
Send the product or order information plus clear photos of the item, decoration, sewn-in label, and any included care card. Do not include payment credentials or unrelated personal information.
