Taking care of your Printew pieces
A printed garment lasts years or months depending almost entirely on how you wash it. Here is the short version.
Apparel: tees, hoodies, sweatshirts
Wash cold, inside out. Cold water protects both the print and the fabric colour. Turning the garment inside out keeps the print from rubbing against everything else in the drum.
Use a gentle cycle and mild detergent. Skip bleach and skip fabric softener, which coats fibres and dulls prints over time.
Air dry when you can. Heat is what cracks prints. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest setting and take the item out slightly damp.
Never iron directly on the print. If you need to iron, turn the garment inside out and press the reverse side, or place a cloth between the iron and the print.
Wash before first wear if you like, and wash with similar colours.
Tote bags
Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, air dry flat. Do not bleach. Heavy canvas may soften and relax slightly after the first wash, which is normal.
Ceramic mugs
Our mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe because the print is fired into the glaze rather than applied on top. Avoid abrasive scouring pads, which can dull the surface over time.
Art prints and posters
Handle by the edges, ideally with clean dry hands. Keep out of direct sunlight, which fades any pigment over years. Frame behind glass or acrylic for long-term display, and store flat rather than rolled if you are not framing immediately.
Caps
Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. Do not machine wash, which can distort the shape and damage the embroidery. Air dry over a rounded object to hold the crown shape.
A note on wear
Prints will soften slightly with age. That is normal and, we would argue, part of the appeal. What should not happen is cracking, peeling, or a print lifting off in the first months of ordinary wear. If that happens, email hi@ciuslabs.com with photos and we will sort it out.