Caring for Performance Wear

Have you been working your ‘workout look’? If you’re a fitness freak who likes to dress comfortable, then the good news is athleisure is here to stay!

There hasn’t been a better time for keeping it casual. While you invest more money in work out attire, remember that it is just as important to invest your energy in caring for the clothes. Performance fabrics, as they are known, no matter what type – sweat wicking, compression, antimicrobial or ultraviolet protection (UPF) – are all high maintenance.

The life of your active-wear is entirely dependent on your treatment of it, hence they need to be cared for properly.

In keeping with the spirit of Wimbledon, here are some easy-to-follow tips on how to care for your work out attire:

Get them out of the bag and put them in the wash immediately after your work out. Never let them sit.

Basic rules of laundry apply, that would be to separate clothes in the categories of: brights, whites, textures and delicates.

Separate them from the regular load of laundry, because mixing them with the general load can actually break down the fabric.

Either hand wash or use the cold water option if you are using the machine. It is best that you follow the instructions on the clothing tag.

Sure, active wear is designed to play it rough but nonetheless require gentle handling. Use the delicate cycle and a lingerie bag for small items.

Remember that any kind of chemical or harsh detergents will mess with the technical structure of the fabric. Choose wisely.

Stay away from fabric softeners especially those with bleach, dye or fragrance. Look into using specially designed ‘sports washes’ to help enhance the quality and life of the fabric.

If you must use the machine to dry it (not recommended at all), do a tumble dry on a minimal heat setting. Heat or hot water deteriorates the fabric.

Antimicrobial fabrics typically wear out at the 50 washes mark while UPF garments generally last two years, considering normal wear and tear.

Shoes: submerging them in a spin cycle causes great damage especially to the in-built cushioning that is vital to protecting you from sports injuries. Never wash your shoes in the machine, do it by hand. Nothing beats the old school combination of scrubbing dirt away with a toothbrush and soap.

Sports bras: need to be washed just as regularly as anything else. Why? First, to de-clog the fibers of particles such as dirt, bacteria, sweat and so on. Second, to bring the stretched out fibers of the fabric back in place and attain the optimum original fit. When you wash a sports bra with your general load of laundry, their delicate fibers rub against other clothes causing microscopic abrasions that, eventually, damage the fabric and reduce its life span. Avoid heat from the dryer altogether, as it damages the lycra.

Jockstraps: over time, hot water destroys elasticity so wash these, by hand, with each wear or on low temperatures in the machine. Wash the protective cup separately.

At Fabricspa, we take all necessary steps and due diligence to ensure your performance wear lasts you long! Have special requests or need to follow a set schedule for your work out wear? We can do that too, try Fabricspa today – schedule a wash now!