Washing Different Fabrics

Every fabric ages differently, and washing vintage the way you'd wash a new t-shirt is how good pieces get ruined fast. Sort by material first, not by color.

• Cotton tees and tops. Inside out, cold water, air dry. The dryer is what fades old prints and shrinks fibers that have already lost most of their give.
• Denim. Wash rarely. Cold, inside out, hang dry. Frequent washing is what breaks down indigo and fades the exact wear patterns that make old denim interesting in the first place.
• Silk. Hand wash in cold water only, or skip washing and go straight to a dry cleaner who actually works with silk. Never wring it, silk loses strength when wet and tears easily under twisting.
• Wool. Cold water, lay flat to dry. Never hang wet wool, gravity stretches it out permanently while it's saturated.
• Rayon. Treat it as dry clean only unless the tag says otherwise. Rayon is notorious for shrinking and warping the second it meets water.
• Synthetic blends and polyester. The most forgiving category. Cold to warm water, low heat if you must use a dryer.

When in doubt about a fabric you can't identify, cold water and air dry is the safest default across almost everything.