A great graphic tee dies one of two deaths: a cracked, peeling print or a warped, shrunken body. Both are preventable. Five rules.
1. Inside-out, always
The single highest-impact habit. Turning a tee inside-out before washing means the drum and other garments abrade the blank fabric, not the print. Do this for every printed piece you own, from a washed Termina tee to concert merch.
2. Cold water, gentle cycle
Heat is the enemy of both prints and cotton. Cold (30°C/86°F or below) preserves print flexibility and prevents shrink. Skip fabric softener — it coats and degrades print layers over time.
3. Never tumble-dry hot
The dryer causes more print cracking than every other factor combined. Hang-dry (inside-out, out of direct sun) or tumble on low/air. Vintage-wash fabrics like our Doom Slayer tee are pre-faded by design — but the print still deserves gentle drying.
4. Iron around, not on
If you must iron, go inside-out, low heat, and never let the plate touch the print directly. A steamer is safer for boxy oversized cuts anyway — it relaxes wrinkles without pressing the drape flat.
5. Fold, don't hang (long-term)
Heavyweight oversized tees hold shape fine on hangers short-term, but months of hanging stretches shoulders. Fold your favorites; rotate the collection.
Washed-fade note: expect a slight, even mellowing over years — that's the aesthetic maturing, not failing. Buying your next candidate for the rotation? Start at the hall of fame, and get the size right with the fit guide.