Your branded workwear is built for regular washing, but a few simple habits will keep the logo looking crisp for far longer. Most of the damage we hear about comes down to the same handful of things: hot washes, fabric softener, harsh bleach and a very hot dryer.
Here's our plain-English guide to looking after embroidered, vinyl and DTF logos, so your team keeps looking smart long after the first few washes.
Start With The Care Label
Every garment has its own care label, and it always has the final say. Hi-vis tops, fleeces and heavier hoodies often have their own limits on temperature and drying. What follows is general guidance for looking after the logo itself, so use it alongside the label, not instead of it.
Caring For Embroidery
Embroidery is the toughest of the three, because the logo is stitched into the garment rather than sitting on top of it. It still likes a little care.
Turn it inside out. This protects the stitching from rubbing against other clothes and from catching on zips, buttons and Velcro in the same load. Fasten zips and hook-and-loop straps before the wash.
Wash cool, with a mild liquid detergent. Skip chlorine bleach, which can damage the thread and the fabric around it.
Dry gently. Air drying is the safest option. High heat can make the fabric pucker around a stitched design, and if the dryer is your only option, choose a low heat and take the garment out as soon as it's dry.
Iron inside out. Use no steam and put a cloth over the back of the design. Never press a hot iron straight onto the stitching.
If you'd like to know what good embroidery should look like in the first place, our guide to why bad embroidery happens explains what we do to avoid puckering and loose threads.
Caring For Vinyl And DTF
Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and DTF logos sit on the surface of the fabric and are held on by an adhesive layer. They're made to cope with regular washing, and they last best when you avoid the things that attack that adhesive. If you're not sure which method your logo uses, our guide to embroidery, vinyl or DTF explains the difference.
Turn it inside out. This reduces rubbing on the print.
Keep the wash cool. Around 30 degrees is a good rule of thumb. Hot water is the most common cause of fading, cracking and lifting.
Use a mild liquid detergent, and no fabric softener. Softener can break down the adhesive that holds the logo on. Avoid bleach too.
Air dry where you can. If you use a tumble dryer, choose the lowest heat and don't leave the garment in once it's dry.
Be careful with the iron. Turn the garment inside out, use a low heat with no steam and put a pressing cloth between the iron and the logo. Keep the iron moving, and let the garment cool before you wear it. Never iron directly onto the print.
A Few Workwear-Specific Tips
Wash it separately from heavy dirt. Muddy overalls or oily rags rubbing against a freshly branded polo won't do the logo any favours. Where you can, keep your branded tops in a lighter load.
Don't leave damp workwear in a heap. Hang it up as soon as you can, ideally inside out, to keep it fresh and the logo flat.
Fleeces and hoodies need extra gentleness. Our fleeces are embroidered only, never vinyl or DTF, because that is what suits the fabric. Wash them inside out with the zip done up, and keep the heat low.
If Something Doesn't Look Right
If a logo starts to lift, fade or look worn, or you spot a loose thread, don't pull at it. Send us a photo at hello@workwearprinting.com or on WhatsApp and we'll take a look and tell you what we'd suggest. You can find our details on the contact page.
Planning A Reorder?
We keep your digitised logo and artwork on file, free of charge, so reordering matching workwear for a new starter is quick. There's no minimum order, and most jobs are ready in 48 hours. Tell us what you need and we'll get you a free quote.
Questions
Can I put embroidered workwear in the tumble dryer?
Always check the garment's care label first. As a rule, air drying is the safest choice for embroidery, because high heat can make the fabric pucker around the stitching. If you do use a dryer, pick a low heat setting and take the garment out as soon as it is dry.
Can I iron over the logo?
Not directly. Turn the garment inside out, use a low heat with no steam and put a cloth between the iron and the logo. For vinyl and DTF, keep the iron moving rather than holding it in one spot, and let the garment cool before you wear it.
Should I use fabric softener on printed workwear?
It is best to skip it. Fabric softener can break down the adhesive layer that holds a vinyl or DTF logo to the fabric, and it does nothing for embroidery either.
What temperature should I wash embroidered and printed workwear at?
A cool wash, around 30 degrees, is a good rule of thumb, with a mild liquid detergent. Hot washes are the most common reason a print fades or starts to lift. The garment's own care label always has the final say, and hi-vis garments often have their own limits, so check it.
Will a vinyl or DTF logo crack or peel?
Our vinyl and DTF logos are made for regular washing and wear. Hot washes, fabric softener, bleach and high dryer heat are the usual causes of cracking or lifting, so avoiding those gives the logo the best chance of lasting.
What should I do if a logo starts to look worn or a thread comes loose?
Don't pull it. Email hello@workwearprinting.com or message us on WhatsApp with a photo and we will take a look and tell you what we'd suggest.