Water temperature

Nowadays it is commonplace to find in the care instructions for most garments the instructions “wash on cold” or something of that nature. Have you ever wondered why that is? Thankfully modern washers are designed for cold water and many detergents have enzymes that can start to work in temperatures as low as 60 F. Hot water can have a tendency to shrink, fade or even wrinkle certain materials. Aside from the aforementioned degradation, think about the direct to film transfer you applied. It looked great in the dimensions you sized it out to initially - a change in the garment physical size can change that. Don’t fade your clothes, don’t SHRINK your clothes - for best practice, machine wash on COLD. And inside out for that matter.

Fabric Softener

What the heck even IS fabric softener? Well, think of laundry detergent as ‘shampoo’ and the fabric softener as ‘conditioner’. But instead of your hair this is your laundry. The fabric softener is not a cleansing agent and is not made for stains. This solution contains fatty acids which play a part in the way the fabric feels. It acts as a lubricating agent for the material and can also result in fewer wrinkles, less static and nicer hand feel. HOWEVER, this (optional) additive has long been known for wearing down the adhesive on many apparel decoration methods. You do NOT want your transfers falling off in the washing machine. Additionally, synthetic materials or moisture wicking fabrics can actually break down at the fiber level with the use of fabric softener. Aside from potentially bothering sensitive skin as well, advise your customers to skip the softener.

Dryer

Let’s go out on a limb and assume that we all clean our lint traps on a regular basis and are familiar with what they look like when they need attention. The material you see built up on that filter is literally your clothes - be gentle to them. Hang drying is advised on many decorated apparel items you see for a reason BUT just in case you don’t have time to hang your custom apparel up on the clothes line: TUMBLE DRY ON LOW (and they should already be inside out from the wash cycle, RIGHT?). Furthermore, the adhesives in DTF are heat activated and can be bother by drying at high temperatures. With this in mind, if you must iron the shirt, be sure to turn the garment inside out and never iron the decorated print areas.

Pass these tips along to your customers or if you provide custom neck labels throw the care instructions on there to cover your back:. Make your clothes last LONGER: DTF/DTG

Longevity: that’s the goal right? In business or in life our mission is to stick it out for the long haul- and the same should be said for the products you create. As an All American Print Supply customer you are already in the right place to get the right ingredients to produce high quality, retail ready goods for your customers. But how do we make them last? With a little extra care and proper instructions you can guide your customers on how to make the garments they get from you last as long as possible - and keep coming back for more. By keeping a few key things in mind when it comes to your washer and dryer we can achieve just that.