Workout clothing is predominantly made of fabrics with unique properties. These special fabrics are designed to protect you from the sun, prevent odours, keep your skin dry and make you feel comfortable. They also have the potential to break the bank.
It should be no surprise therefore that your sports gear might need a little more TLC than your other clothes. Stop buying the same shoddy quality over and over. Instead, invest in quality and learn to take care of it.
Monica Ebert of Core Merino says, for example, when you buy wool garments for sporting adventures, you are actually encouraged to wash them less.
The key is in taking advantage of wool’s natural odour resistance, stain resistance and ability to bounce back to its original shape, allowing you to wear your garments more and wash them less.
Ebert’s suggests a few tips and tricks to help your activewear last longer:
Avoid using fabric softener as it tends to coat the fibres which reduces the fabric’s ability to absorb moisture
Avoid using the tumble dryer which makes gym clothes lose shape and also reduces the quality of the garment. It can also cause a garment to shrink.
Don’t leave your gym gear in your bag, take it out to air or, if it’s time, put it in the wash right away.
Wash your gear inside out; the inside is usually dirtier, and this method also protects the more technical side of the garment.
Avoid hanging up your activewear. Rather fold and stack the items. Some fabrics are stretchy so hanging up them can cause them to become overstretched.
Wash your activewear in cold water to prevent fading and to preserve the shape.