You've invested in a beautiful custom printed t-shirt – whether it's a promotional piece for your business, a memento from a special event, or a unique design that perfectly expresses your personality. Now comes the crucial question: how do you keep it looking vibrant and fresh for years to come? At The Tee, Australia's premier custom t-shirt printing specialists using AS Colour premium blanks, we understand that proper care is essential to maximising your investment and ensuring your custom prints maintain their impact wash after wash.
The longevity of your custom printed tee depends largely on how you treat it from the moment you bring it home. With the right care techniques, your favourite custom tee can remain a wardrobe staple for years, maintaining its colour vibrancy, print integrity, and fabric quality. Let's explore the essential steps to keep your custom printed tees looking their absolute best.
Understanding Your Custom Print Type
Before diving into washing instructions, it's important to understand what type of printing method was used on your custom tee. Different printing techniques require slightly different care approaches to maintain their appearance and durability.
Screen Printing: The most common method for custom t-shirts, screen printing creates durable prints that bond well with fabric fibres. These prints generally handle washing very well when cared for properly and can last for hundreds of wash cycles with minimal fading or cracking.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printing: This digital printing method creates incredibly detailed, full-colour prints that sit within the fabric fibres. DTG prints require gentle care to maintain their vibrancy and detail, particularly during the first few washes.
Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV): These prints create a raised texture on the fabric surface and require specific care to prevent peeling or cracking. Understanding your print type helps determine the most appropriate care routine.
If you're unsure about your print method, contact the printing company or check for care labels that might indicate specific requirements. At The Tee, we always provide detailed care instructions with every order to ensure our customers can maintain their custom prints properly.
Pre-Wash Preparation
Proper care for your custom printed tee begins before it even touches water. These pre-wash steps can significantly extend the life of both the garment and the print.
Turn Your Tee Inside Out: This simple step is perhaps the most important care tip for custom printed t-shirts. Turning the garment inside out protects the print from direct contact with other clothes, washing machine agitation, and harsh detergents. The inside-out method also prevents prints from rubbing against the washing machine drum or other garments during the wash cycle.
Check for Stains: Address any stains immediately, but avoid scrubbing directly on printed areas. Instead, gently dab stains with a clean cloth and mild detergent. For tough stains on non-printed areas, you can use appropriate stain removers, but keep them away from the custom print.
Sort Your Laundry: Wash your custom printed tees with similar colours and fabric weights. Heavy items like jeans or towels can cause excessive friction that damages prints. Dark colours should be washed separately, especially during the first few washes, to prevent colour bleeding onto lighter garments.
New custom printed tees should ideally be washed separately or with similar new items for the first wash to prevent any potential colour transfer from affecting other garments in your wardrobe.
Optimal Washing Techniques
The washing process itself requires attention to several key factors: water temperature, cycle selection, and detergent choice. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in preserving your custom print's appearance and longevity.
Water Temperature Matters: Cold water is your custom printed tee's best friend. Wash in cold water (30°C or below) to prevent colours from fading and to avoid print damage from heat exposure. Cold water is also more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient, making it a win-win choice for both your tee and the planet.
Hot water can cause prints to crack, peel, or fade prematurely, whilst also potentially shrinking the garment itself. Even warm water can be problematic for certain print types, so stick to cold water for best results.
Gentle Cycle Selection: Choose a gentle or delicate washing cycle to minimise agitation and reduce wear on both the fabric and print. High-intensity cycles can cause prints to crack or peel due to excessive mechanical stress during the wash process.
Detergent Choices: Use mild, liquid detergents rather than powder formulations. Powder detergents can be abrasive and may not dissolve completely, potentially leaving residue on prints. Avoid detergents with bleach or fabric softeners, as these chemicals can break down print materials and cause premature fading or deterioration.
Eco-friendly, gentle detergents work excellently for custom printed tees and align with sustainable practices. These formulations are typically less harsh on both fabrics and prints whilst still providing effective cleaning power.
Drying Your Custom Printed Tee
How you dry your custom printed tee is just as important as how you wash it. Heat is the enemy of custom prints, making proper drying techniques essential for maintaining print quality and garment shape.
Air Drying is Best: Whenever possible, air dry your custom printed tees by hanging them or laying them flat. Air drying eliminates heat exposure that can damage prints and helps maintain the garment's original shape and size. Choose a shaded area for drying, as direct sunlight can cause colours to fade over time.
If Using a Dryer: When air drying isn't practical, use the lowest heat setting possible on your dryer. Remove the tee whilst it's still slightly damp to prevent over-drying and heat damage. Keep the tee turned inside out during the drying process to continue protecting the print.
Avoid Over-Drying: Over-dried custom printed tees can develop cracks in the print and become stiff or uncomfortable to wear. Slightly damp removal from the dryer also makes ironing easier if needed, as the remaining moisture helps prevent heat damage during pressing.
Never wring or twist wet custom printed tees, as this can damage both the fabric structure and the print integrity. Instead, gently squeeze out excess water or roll the tee in a clean towel to absorb moisture before air drying or machine drying.
Ironing and Heat Pressing Considerations
Sometimes your custom printed tee might need a touch-up with an iron to look its best. However, applying heat directly to custom prints can cause irreversible damage, so proper technique is essential.
Inside-Out Ironing: Always iron custom printed tees inside out to avoid direct heat contact with the print. This method allows you to remove wrinkles from the fabric without risking print damage from heat exposure.
Temperature Control: Use low to medium heat settings, particularly for synthetic blend fabrics. High heat can melt synthetic fibres and damage prints permanently. Start with a lower temperature and increase gradually if needed.
Protective Barriers: If you must iron over a printed area, place a thin cloth or parchment paper between the iron and the print. This barrier provides additional protection against heat damage whilst still allowing wrinkle removal.
Steam Alternatives: Consider using a steamer instead of a traditional iron, as steamers provide gentler heat distribution and reduce direct contact with the garment. Hang your custom printed tee and steam from a safe distance to remove wrinkles without risking print damage.
Professional pressing services often have experience with custom printed garments and can provide expert care if you're uncomfortable handling the process yourself.
Long-Term Storage and Care
Proper storage between wears contributes significantly to your custom printed tee's longevity. Environmental factors and storage methods can impact both fabric and print quality over time.
Hanging vs. Folding: For regular wear items, hanging custom printed tees can help prevent creasing and maintain their shape. However, for long-term storage or delicate prints, folding may be preferable to prevent stretching. When folding, avoid creasing directly through printed areas by folding along natural seam lines.
Storage Environment: Store custom printed tees in cool, dry areas away from direct sunlight. Humidity can promote mould and mildew growth, whilst excessive heat can cause prints to become tacky or transfer onto other garments. Cedar blocks or lavender sachets can provide natural moth protection without harsh chemicals.
Avoid Overcrowding: Give your custom printed tees adequate space in your wardrobe to prevent wrinkles and allow air circulation. Overcrowded storage can cause prints to stick to other garments or develop permanent creases.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with careful care, you might occasionally encounter issues with your custom printed tees. Understanding how to address common problems can help extend your garment's life and maintain its appearance.
Fading Prints: If you notice print fading, review your washing and drying techniques. Switch to cold water only, reduce washing frequency, and ensure you're air drying when possible. Some natural fading is inevitable over time, but proper care significantly slows this process.
Print Cracking: Cracks in prints usually result from heat exposure or age. While minor cracking might be cosmetic only, extensive cracking can lead to print loss. Prevent further damage by following proper care guidelines strictly.
Shrinkage: If your tee has shrunk, it's likely due to heat exposure during washing or drying. Prevention is better than cure – stick to cold water and air drying. Slightly shrunken tees might be gently stretched back to size while damp, but severe shrinkage is usually permanent.
When to Seek Professional Help: For valuable or sentimental custom printed tees, consider professional cleaning services that specialise in delicate or printed garments. These services have experience with various print types and can provide expert care when standard home care isn't sufficient.
Maximising Your Investment
Your custom printed tee represents both financial investment and personal expression. Whether it's promotional wear for your business, event merchandise, or a unique personal design, proper care ensures you get maximum value from your purchase.
At The Tee, we use premium AS Colour blanks specifically because they're designed to maintain their quality and appearance through extended wear and washing. Combined with our professional printing techniques and your careful attention to proper care, your custom printed tees can remain vibrant and attractive for years.
Quality starts with the foundation, and AS Colour's reputation for durable, comfortable fabrics means your care efforts will be well-rewarded with long-lasting wear. Premium materials respond better to proper care and maintain their appearance longer than budget alternatives.
Remember that proper care isn't just about following rules – it's about respecting the craftsmanship that went into creating your custom piece and ensuring you can enjoy it for as long as possible. Whether you're caring for a single favourite tee or maintaining uniforms for an entire team, these techniques will help preserve your investment and keep your custom prints looking professional and vibrant.
Have questions about caring for your specific custom printed tee or need advice on print types and durability? Contact The Tee's expert team for personalised guidance on maintaining your custom printed garments. We're here to help you get the most from your custom t-shirt investment, ensuring every wear looks as good as the first.
