Wondering how to care for custom apparel so it lasts? Custom apparel is an investment — whether it’s screen-printed team shirts, embroidered polos, or branded hoodies for your staff. The last thing you want is for that decoration to crack, fade, or fall apart after a handful of washes.
The good news: with the right care habits, custom-decorated garments can look great for years. The key is understanding that different decoration methods require different care approaches — and what’s safe for one method can damage another.
Cold water, gentle cycle, inside out, air dry when possible. Follow this for any decorated garment and you’ll be ahead of 90% of people.
How to Care for Custom Apparel by Decoration Method
Screen Printed Apparel
T-shirts, hoodies, and casual shirts with graphic prints
Screen printing bonds ink directly into the fabric fibers. When done properly — and cared for correctly — it can last as long as the garment itself. The biggest enemies of screen-printed decoration are heat, friction, and harsh chemicals.
Washing
Turn it inside out every single time. This protects the ink from friction with other garments and the drum of your machine. Use cold water and a gentle cycle. Avoid detergents with bleach, optical brighteners, or heavy fabric softeners — these all degrade ink over time.
Drying
Air dry when you can — it’s the single most effective thing you can do for print longevity. If you use a dryer, use low heat only. High heat is the number one cause of cracking and peeling on screen-printed garments.
Ironing
If ironing is needed, never iron directly on the print. Turn the shirt inside out, or place a thin cloth between the iron and the decoration. Use a low heat setting only.
Embroidered Apparel
Polos, jackets, hats, and structured garments with stitched logos
Embroidery is one of the most durable decoration methods available — the thread is literally woven into the fabric. That said, the backing material used to stabilize the embroidery during production can be affected by improper washing, and delicate thread work can catch or snag.
Washing
Cold water, gentle cycle. Turn garments inside out. For structured garments like polos and jackets, avoid washing with heavy items like jeans or towels that could snag the embroidery.
Drying
Air dry when possible to maintain the shape of structured garments. If machine drying, use low heat. Avoid high heat, which can affect the backing material and cause embroidery to pucker or lift slightly.
Ironing
You can iron embroidered garments, but never iron directly over the embroidery. Iron around it on the fabric only, or place a pressing cloth between the iron and the stitching.
Dye Sublimated Apparel
Full-color all-over prints and performance fabrics
Dye sublimation infuses ink directly into the fabric fibers at the molecular level — there’s no layer of ink sitting on top of the fabric. This makes it highly resistant to cracking and peeling, but it does require specific care to maintain color vibrancy.
Washing
Cold water, gentle cycle, inside out. Avoid fabric softeners — they can create a film on performance fabrics that affects moisture wicking. Use a detergent designed for synthetics and active wear if possible.
Drying
Air dry is strongly preferred. Dye sublimation is heat-sensitive even after production — repeated exposure to high dryer heat can gradually affect color vibrancy over time. Low heat is acceptable when air drying isn’t practical.
Custom Apparel Care Guide: Quick Reference
| Care Step | Screen Print | Embroidery | Dye Sublimation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside out to wash? | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Water temperature | Cold only | Cold only | Cold only |
| Wash cycle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
| Dryer OK? | Low heat only | Low heat only | Low heat only |
| Iron on decoration? | ✗ Never | ✗ Never directly | Low heat / avoid |
| Bleach? | ✗ Never | ✗ Never | ✗ Never |
| Best drying method | Air dry | Air dry | Air dry |
Bonus: Caring for Bulk Orders
If you’ve ordered shirts or polos for a team or organization, it’s worth sending these care guidelines along with the garments. A quick card in the box, a note in your email confirmation, or a simple handout at distribution goes a long way toward making sure everyone’s shirts still look great at next year’s event.
For organizations that wash uniforms commercially or in bulk (sports teams, restaurants, event staff), ask your laundry service to follow the same guidelines: cold water, gentle cycle, low heat drying, no bleach. Commercial washing can be harder on decorated garments — it’s worth the conversation upfront.
At Safari Sun, all screen printing is cured at proper temperatures with industry-grade inks. All embroidery is produced on commercial Tajima machines by our in-house digitizer. Proper care extends the life of any decoration — but we start with production quality that holds up.