A 260gsm heavyweight tee is built to outlast fast fashion by years, not months — but only if it's actually cared for like something worth keeping. Here's how to make sure it does.
Washing
- Turn it inside out before washing. This is the single biggest thing you can do to protect a screen-printed graphic — it keeps the print from rubbing directly against other fabric in the wash.
- Cold water, always. Hot water is what breaks down print adhesion and causes fading over time. Cold water preserves both the ink and the fabric's color.
- Skip the fabric softener. It leaves a residue that can actually degrade screen-print ink over repeated washes. A heavyweight cotton tee doesn't need it to stay soft.
Drying
- Hang dry when you can. Heat from a dryer is the fastest way to crack a screen print and shrink heavyweight cotton unevenly.
- If you must use a dryer, use low heat and pull it out slightly damp. Let it finish drying on a hanger.
Wearing and Storing
- Fold, don't hang, for long-term storage. A heavyweight tee on a hanger for months can stretch out at the shoulders. Folding preserves the boxy fit.
- Wash less often than you think. Heavyweight cotton doesn't hold odor the way thin fabric does. Airing it out between wears often means one fewer wash cycle putting stress on the print.
Why This Actually Matters
We build these to be worn for years, not one season. A tee handled with basic care should still look sharp long after a thinner, cheaper shirt would've faded, cracked, or stretched out. The fabric and print quality do most of the work — these habits just make sure you're not undoing it in the wash.