5 Tips to Keep Your Tees Fresh!

What up Clutch Peeps,

Hope you got some amazing gifts over the holidays and that you had a blessed New Year's celebration! We wanted to kick this year off the right way by saying thanks for all your orders. Being that it is a New Year, we hope that you got all priorities straight for 2017 and if not don't worry, we got you covered with our Clutch Life Blog! And you know, it ain't clutch if we don't share some tips on how to keep your t-shirts fresh for this year and years to come. Trust me, I know! I consider myself a bit of a t-shirt connoisseur and a bit of a collector. Just check out my mountain of tees, and that is only half.

I still have shirts from 5 years ago, don’t ask me why but I am a bit of a clothing hoarder! Mostly because I really don’t like shopping so keeping my clothes for as long as possible is a necessity to my daily operation. So here I am giving you 5 Tips on Keeping Your T-shirts fresh to death:

1. READ THE LABEL: Tag Labels are not there for decoration but provide crucial information for the correct upkeep of your tees. Not all T-shirts are the same. some are 100% Cotton, Some are Polyester/Cotton blends, and some are 100% Polyester. If you are a little OCD about your t-shirts like me, you might also want to find out the weight of the tees. For example,  lighter t-shirts are about 5oz and a great for hot and humid weather. Heavier tees are about 6oz and are considered really durable even with repeated washes won’t lose its shape or substance. I typically like the heavier cotton with a softer feel, holds much better in the wash and doesn’t shrink on you. Anywho, a quick read of the labels is a good start. Our Clutch Labels are printed on the inside of the t-shirts because who wants a label tag rubbing against the back of their neck. Tagless is the way to go and just another way we are clutch about apparel. See for yourself, follow the instructions and you should be all right. However, there are some added tips.
2. INSIDE OUT: I am not referring to the animated movie although it was awesome. But you will be looking like ANGER if you favorite t-shirt melted in the wash.If you don’t remember anything else, remember this: when it comes to t-shirts, do it inside out; except when you wear it of course. When you wash your t-shirts, turn them inside out before you throw them into the washer. Most t-shirts are printed with plastisol inks that are durable in the wash, but still turn inside out for added protection and to avoid any fading or discoloration. This goes the same for ironing. I love to press my tees right before I wear them so the same rules apply. DO NOT IRON DIRECTLY ON THE GRAPHIC (just like the Clutch Label reads). Not only can this ruin your shirt, but it can ruin your iron. The best thing is to have it on a lower heat setting, turn the shirt inside out and you can iron freely. However, I’ll let you in on a Clutch Life Hack! You can iron directly on top of your graphic design with heat absorbent materials like wax paper or even coffee filters. Yes, I said coffee filters. The only way I know this is because I hate coffee and for some reason had a pack of coffee filters in my house so I figured I should use them for something! The thin sheets absorb heat and also protect your graphic while you straighten it out with an iron. This works best for sweaters and hoodies since you can't turn them inside out to iron due to the thickness of the material. Just make sure you turn the heat down to the lowest heat setting (high heat can still damage the shirt and I have learned this the hard way) and you can iron directly on the printed t-shirt. Even with custom prints that use vinyl, iron inside out always gets the job done. Your graphic will be looking clean and fresh like you just bought it every time.
3. LAY IT ON THE LINE: Now most t-shirts are pre-shrunk (compacted) and the best ones will not ever shrink on you even when thrown into the dryer repeatedly. However, if you are a bit old school like me, the best way to keep anything from shrinking a size down on you is to not tumble dry, but instead, hang them on a clothesline. This avoids the excessive heat that can cause some t-shirts to shrink from size XL to Smedium with one wash - yes I said Smedium. Make sure it is fully stretched out on the clothes line so that it dries quicker and more evenly. Downfall? It usually takes about 12 hours to fully dry indoors and you will definitely have to iron it after to get the wrinkles out. A little more work goes a long way! And you can always let the Sun (the original Maytag Dryer) do all the work for you. Check out our tee catching some sun in Brazil:
4. WEAR CAUTIOUSLY: Now, if you are like me, you have a wide array of t-shirts to wear on any given day. I typically reserve my favorites for special occasions, events, and social outings. The less you wear your favorite t-shirts, the longer they will last.
5. HANG’EM HIGH: Some may find this tip useless tip but think about it like this: with dress shirts and/or Polos you typically hang them. With t-shirts, you can easily fold them and it won’t necessarily ruin the shirts but for my new shirts, I never fold them immediately, I always hang them up in my closet. This way, I do not have to go searching for them in my mountain of t-shirts plus I spend less time ironing them when I am ready to go out. It’s just take out, put on and go
6. WEAR IT VINTAGE (bonus): Here is a bonus tip since I am feeling real clutch. Now, every t-shirt is naturally going to fade slightly and start looking like you originally got the t-shirt in the 70s. However, if you really love the shirt, embrace it! Rock it as a Vintage or Retro style t-shirt which will never go out of style. Throw on those old school bell bottoms, shell-toes, and that Kangol hat collecting dust in your basement and rock your vintage t-shirt with pride. It's perfect for Ol Skool Themed Costume Parties and days you are feeling a bit nostalgic (which is like everyday for me) Remember, the designs are cool, but the person rocking it is always the coolest. In all other cases, use your old t-shirts to wipe up spills on the floor...super absorbant :)

These simple rules will definitely help you to keep your t-shirts looking fresh for a longer period of time and keep the integrity of the t-shirt quality through several washes. Remember, go for the soft feel tees which are more durable in the wash and feel better against the body over time. If you have any tips or tricks, don’t hold it to yourself. Share, Like and Comment below! Until next time, Stay Clutch!