Caring for Custom Apparel: Washing Prints & Embroidery So They Last

The quality of a custom garment is judged not on day one, but after twenty washes. A few simple care habits keep prints vivid and embroidery crisp for years — which keeps customers happy and is, quietly, the most sustainable thing anyone can do with clothing: make it last.

The universal rules

• Wash inside-out to protect the decoration from friction.
• Use cold water and a gentle cycle — heat is the enemy of prints.
• Use a mild detergent; skip bleach entirely.
• Avoid fabric softener on prints — it can break them down over time.
• Hang to dry or tumble on low; high heat cracks and shrinks.
• Iron inside-out and never directly on a print or embroidery.

Care by decoration type

Different finishes have slightly different needs:

• DTF & screen prints — inside-out, cold, low-heat dry; do not iron the print directly.
• Embroidery — durable, but iron around it and avoid snagging the stitches.
• Sublimation — baked into the fabric, so it is the most forgiving; still wash cool to protect the garment.
• Water-based & discharge prints — soft and durable, but still prefer cold washing and low-heat drying.

Why include a care card

A small printed care card or a clear neck-label care instruction is one of the cheapest trust-builders you can add. It tells customers you care about longevity, reduces complaints about prints that fade through mistreatment, and reinforces a premium, considered brand.

The most sustainable garment is the one still worn in five years. Care instructions are a small thing that protects both your customer’s purchase and your brand’s reputation.

Velocity Wear builds with pre-shrunk, colourfast fabrics and durable decoration designed to last, and can add custom care labels and cards to your range. Ask about care labelling with your next order.