Care guide: make it outlast the hype

A good fleece does not wear out; it gets washed out. Most of the damage we see in returns is laundry damage, and all of it is avoidable.

Rule one: cold water, always. Heat is what breaks down the elastane in your cuffs and fades yarn-dyed color.

Rule two: wash inside out, zipped up. Zips chew fabric faces — their own and their neighbours in the drum.

Rule three: low spin, and skip the dryer when you can. Loopback fleece dries fast flat on a rack; the dryer is where kangaroo pockets go to warp.

Rule four: no fabric softener. It coats the fibres, kills the wicking in blends, and makes brushed interiors go flat.

Rule five: pill happens — friction is physics. A cheap fabric shaver twice a season keeps the face clean. That is the whole routine.