A printed tee lasts as long as you let it. Most prints that crack or fade were washed hot, dried hot or ironed. Here is how to wash a graphic tee so the print stays sharp, and how to care for an embroidered hat.
The short list
Machine wash cold, inside out, with like colors. Tumble dry low. Do not iron directly on the print. That is the care for every NVUS Hearts tee.
Turn it inside out
In the wash, the outside of a shirt rubs against everything else in the drum: zips, buttons, denim. Turning the tee inside out puts the plain inside against all of that and keeps the print facing in, away from the rubbing.
Wash cold
Cold water is easier on the print and on the cotton. Hot water is harder on both. Cold gets an everyday tee clean.
Wash with like colors
Wash dark tees with darks and white tees with whites. A white tee washed with a new dark item can pick up color, and once it is in, it rarely comes out.
Dry it low
Use the low heat setting on the dryer. High heat is what cracks a print over time, and it is harder on the fabric. If you have the time, hanging it to dry is gentler still.
Never iron the print
If the tee needs it, iron it inside out and keep the iron off the printed area. Direct heat on a print can mark it.
What about shrinking?
NVUS Hearts tees are 100% cotton and pre-shrunk, so the fit on day one is the fit after the wash. Washing cold and drying low keeps it that way. How the tee is cut is covered in How the Oversized Fit Works.
Caring for an embroidered hat
Hats do not go in the washing machine or the dryer. Spot clean with cool water and a soft cloth. Air dry, and reshape the hat while it is still damp so the crown keeps its shape.
Every NVUS Hearts hat carries an embroidered patch, not a printed one. Embroidery is thread stitched into the patch, so it holds its edges and color with that simple care. The trucker hats and the snapback are cared for the same way.
Why the print is worth looking after
Every NVUS Hearts tee is pressed by hand in Boston, one at a time, with the design across the full back. More on that in Hand-Pressed in Boston.
Common questions
Should I wash a graphic tee inside out? Yes. It keeps the print away from the rubbing in the drum.
Hot or cold water for a printed tee? Cold.
Can I put a graphic tee in the dryer? Yes, on low heat. Hanging it to dry is gentler.
Can I iron over the print? No. Iron inside out and keep the iron off the print.
Will an NVUS Hearts tee shrink? The tees are pre-shrunk. Wash cold and dry low and the fit stays the same.
How do I clean a trucker hat? Spot clean with cool water and a soft cloth, air dry, and reshape it while damp. Keep it out of the washer and dryer.
The short version
Inside out, cold water, like colors, low heat, no iron on the print. Hats: spot clean and air dry. See the tees in the collection.
