Good activewear is an investment, and the way you wash it makes a huge difference to how long it lasts. Stretch fabrics are designed to perform — but heat, fabric softener and rough handling slowly break them down. Follow these simple steps to keep your leggings, shorts and tops looking new for longer.
1. Wash them soon after your workout
Leaving sweaty clothes in a gym bag gives bacteria time to build up, which leads to lingering odours. If you can't wash them straight away, hang them up to air out first.
2. Turn them inside out
Washing inside out protects the outer surface from friction, which helps prevent pilling and keeps colours looking fresh.
3. Use a cold or cool wash
Heat is the biggest enemy of stretch fabrics. A cold or cool, gentle cycle cleans just as well for most workout clothes and protects the elasticity.
4. Skip the fabric softener
Fabric softener leaves a coating on technical fabrics that can trap odours and reduce how well they handle sweat. A small amount of regular detergent is all you need.
5. Wash with similar fabrics
Avoid washing activewear with towels, denim or anything with zips and Velcro. Rough fabrics cause pilling and zips can snag.
6. Air dry, don't tumble dry
Tumble drying weakens elastic fibres over time. Lay your pieces flat or hang them to dry away from direct heat — they dry quickly anyway.
7. Rotate your favourites
Having a few pairs to rotate means each one gets washed less often and lasts longer. It's also the perfect excuse to add a new colour to your collection.
Quick checklist
- Inside out
- Cold, gentle cycle
- No fabric softener
- No towels or zips in the same load
- Air dry
Always check the care label on your garment first. Looking to build your rotation? Browse our leggings, shorts and tops.
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