Maintaining technical clothing

Technical clothing tends to be pricier than most leisure wear. Then, of course, you want to be able to enjoy them for as long as possible. Good maintenance is then important. But how exactly do you do that? We will try to give you a good answer to that in this blog.

Table of contents

• Clothing with DWR impregnation
• Fleece
• Merino wool

Washing clothes, no matter how careful you are, is to a certain degree stressful for the material. So you don't want to do that too much. At the same time, waste and body substances also reduce the technical performance of the garment. So apart from paying attention to dirty stains and odours, you will also have to learn to sense when the garment is no longer working as it should. Exactly what to look out for varies from garment to garment. We have divided these into a number of categories, which we will discuss one by one.

Clothing with DWR impregnation

First, we look at how best to wash and maintain clothes with DWR impregnation. No idea what such an impregnation is? Then be sure to first read our blog on what a DWR impregnation is. Such impregnations can be found in almost all hardshell and softshell garments and in most insulation jackets. In down-filled jackets, you sometimes find DWR impregnation in two ways. One is on the protective outer fabric and the other is on the down itself. DWR impregnation plays an important role in protecting against precipitation. No matter how careful you are, it will also wear off over time. After or at the same time as washing the garments just mentioned, you would be wise to also maintain this impregnation immediately.

Hardshell

There is a membrane in hardshell clothing. This membrane makes the garment waterproof. There are different types, which you can find out more about in our blog on waterproof membranes. We distinguish between porous membranes (such as Gore-Tex) and non-porous membranes (such as Dermizax). Porous membranes contain very small pores that can get clogged and therefore require a little more attention.

Before you get started, it is imperative to read the garment's washing instructions. There are quite a few different membranes around, some of which require a very specialised approach. Anyway, in these washing instructions you will also find things like what temperature or what setting the garment should be washed at. In addition to following these instructions, we recommend that you observe the following.

• Make sure the compartments where you put the special detergent(s) do not contain residues of your regular detergent(s).
• Close the zips on your clothes.
• Never use fabric softener or bleach.
• Use specialist detergents.
• Use a lower-speed wash cycle.
• Run an extra rinse if your garment still contains detergent residue. This applies especially to hardshell garments with a porous membrane.
• Do not dry your jacket near a fire or on a hot heater.

Softshell

Washing softshell clothing is generally pretty straightforward. Just follow the label instructions on the garment. We also recommend that you take to heart the same washing recommendations we have given for maintaining hardshell garments. Furthermore, you will need to pay close attention to the quality of the DWR impregnation and maintain it when it starts to deteriorate.

Insulating jackets

Insulating jackets, both those with synthetic and down filling, are often constructed in a similar way. On the outside is a thin light windproof, but not waterproof fabric. This is often polyamide or polyester. The lining is usually of a similar material. The filling is then synthetic fabric or duck or goose down. The outer fabric usually has a DWR impregnation, making the jacket (slightly) water-repellent.

Insulated jackets require extra attention because of this DWR impregnation and because of their padding. Coats with a synthetic filling are usually the simplest. In principle, they do not require any special treatment. Don't wash them too often, wash them inside out and otherwise just follow the washing instructions on the garment itself. Insulated jackets with down filling are a bit more complicated to maintain. In order not to damage the down, it is really necessary to use special detergents for down. This is because ordinary detergents will wash away the down's natural fats. You want to avoid that. With down, the following advice is also important:

• With down, it is imperative that no detergent residue sticks to the down afterwards. An extra rinse is therefore not an unnecessary luxury.
• By adding a few (clean) tennis balls to the washing machine, you reduce the chances of the down clumping together.
• Unlike the garments discussed earlier, for down jackets it is good to spin the washing machine briefly at a relatively high speed (1000-1200 RPM).
• Is your down coat damaged? Then make sure you have repaired it before washing it.

DWR-impregnation

DWR impregnations will degrade over time. Fortunately, we can repair them. But how exactly do you know that the DWR is no longer working properly. With a worn-out DWR, water is no longer repelled nicely. You can see this very easily by putting some water on a small part of your garment. Preferably by means of a plant sprayer. This way, you get nice evenly distributed amounts of water on the surface of your garment. Does this form all kinds of small droplets that bead off your garment? Or does this partly soak into the fabric of the garment. In the latter case, it is high time to repair the DWR impregnation. Read more about that in our blog on DWR impregnation.

Fleece

Fleece clothing is nice and warm, light and quick-drying, but it does require some care when washing. Especially if you want to keep the fabric soft and fluffy and reduce microplastics in the environment. By the way, by airing fleece clothing after wearing it too, you will need to wash it less often. However, it won't get stains out. So how does washing fleece clothing work? As with all other clothing, you should first carefully read the washing instructions on the label and follow them. We also recommend following these guidelines:

• Wash fleece garments inside out. This reduces the process of pilling (the phenomenon where small, fluffy balls (fluff or "pills") form on the fabric).
• Close all zips before washing to protect both zips and fabrics.
• Do not use fabric softener.
• Choose a gentle wash programme with a low spin speed.
• Choose a low wash temperature and use a mild detergent.
• To prevent the spread of microplastics, we recommend using a special laundry bag that will catch most of them.

Merino wool

Clothing made of merino wool is wonderfully soft, warm and breathable, but it is a bit delicate. Therefore, it is important to wash it properly to prevent it from shrinking, distorting or wearing out. Incidentally, you can also avoid regular washing by airing the garment after wearing it. If you do want to wash it, always check the label with the washing instructions first. Some merino wool garments should be washed by hand.

Merino wool in the washing machine

For merino wool that is machine washable, use a wool wash programme. Choose a low spin speed (max 600-800 RPM) to avoid shrinking or deformation. Use a wool detergent (pH neutral) and wash your clothes inside out to reduce pilling. Do not use fabric softener (this can damage the fibres) and do not wash them together with rough fabrics such as jeans or towels.

Merino wool hand wash

Use lukewarm water (no warmer than 30°C). Add a little wool detergent (pH neutral). Dip and gently agitate the garment (do not rub or wring). Rinse well with clean water and squeeze the detergent gently. Do not wring!

Never put merino wool in the dryer. Unless you want a size down. The best thing for your garment is by laying it flat on a dry towel. Then roll it up to squeeze out excess water. Then lay it flat to dry on another dry towel and avoid direct sunlight and heat sources.

Some clothes should be hand washed

Hopefully, you have become a lot wiser about maintaining your clothes after reading this blog. If you still have questions, you can always contact us. Our specialists will be happy to help.