How to wash active stretch garments

Proper laundering protects elastane yarns, pocket zippers, and moisture finishes across our leggings and tops.

4 min read

Cold water protects elastane yarns

Synthetic stretch fabric relies on fine elastane filaments wrapped in polyester or nylon fibers. Hot water breaks down these thin cores over repeated wash cycles. Once elastane snaps, the recovery is gone, leaving knees baggy and waistbands loose. Cold water keeps the knitted structure tight and prevents the dark dyes in our flare leggings from bleeding onto lighter garments.

A gentle cycle limits the mechanical pulling that happens when heavy wet clothes spin against each other. Wash your activewear with similar lightweight synthetics rather than rough denim or bath towels. Heavy cotton items hold water, become heavy in the drum, and abrade smooth synthetic surfaces.

Close every zipper before washing

Open metal teeth act like small saws inside the wash drum. Our wide leg pants and flare leggings feature pocket zippers that can snag surrounding knit loops. Zip every pocket shut before placing the garment into the machine. Turn the pants inside out so the outer face fabric rubs only against the soft interior of other garments during agitation.

Empty the cargo pockets completely. Heavy items like keys or coins left inside pockets create sharp stress points during the high-speed spin cycle. Turning the garments inside out also allows water and detergent to reach the inner surfaces that sit directly against your skin.

Dryer heat weakens fabric recovery

High heat shrinks synthetic fibers unevenly and melts the raw edges of internal elastic bands. Tumble drying weakens the four-way stretch structure, causing fine ripples along the flatlock seams. The heat also degrades the UPF 50+ finish applied to our golf polo shirts over time. Air drying remains the safest path for all synthetic knits.

Line drying preserves the original drape of wide legs and bell hems. If you must use a dryer in a rush, select an air-only or lowest heat setting. Remove the pieces while they remain slightly damp to prevent friction damage.

Hanging flare legs to dry

Hang flare leggings by clamping the top waistband to a drying rack with two smooth clips. Do not fold the wet leggings over a thin wire hanger, which leaves a sharp horizontal crease across the mid-thigh. Clamping the waistband allows air to move freely through the wider lower leg opening.

Gravity helps the heavy wet hem pull out minor packing wrinkles naturally as the fabric dries. Keep drying racks away from direct heat sources and strong sunlight, which can weaken damp elastane fibers over several hours.

Detergent choices and surface pilling

Skip standard fabric softeners and liquid conditioners entirely. Softeners coat synthetic fibers with a waxy film that clogs the knit pores, ruining the moisture-wicking properties of our shirts and pants. Use a mild liquid detergent instead. Powder detergents do not always dissolve in cold water and can leave chalky streaks on dark leggings.

Pilling happens when short broken fibers tangle into tiny balls on high-friction zones like the inner thighs. Washing items inside out reduces this friction in the drum. If pills form after long wear, shave them off gently with a motorized fabric defuzzer.

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