A favourite hoodie can be a lot like a best friend, a loyal companion by your side as you go for your morning run, shop for groceries, and chill with Netflix. Believe us, we know that when you truly love a hoodie, you want it to last. Here are strategies we recommend to preserve your favourite hoodie, allowing you to make fond memories together for years to come!
How to Store a Hoodie
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and proper storage is key to preventing your hoodie from becoming damaged in the future. Don’t just let it lie crumpled in the bottom of your closet waiting to get stepped on or invaded by moths.
When it comes to folding hoodies, it can be a little trickier than folding a regular top, usually leaving the hood sticking out awkwardly at the end like, “What do I do with this??”
Well, there are a few different ways to neatly fold a hoodie. Here’s one of our tried and trusted methods:
How to fold a hoodie
- Lay your hoodie with the back facing up, then fold the sleeves crisscrossed behind the back.
- Next, fold the hoodie in half horizontally, lifting the bottom up over the arms to meet the base of the hood
- Then, fold the hoodie vertically on the left and right to create a square shape.
- At this point, the hood should still be hanging loose, and now comes the cool part. Gently tuck the square folded hoodie into the pocket of the hood, creating a neat and compact way to store your hoodie that keeps it protected from wear and tear.
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How to Wash Your Hoodie
Another important thing to consider to help your hoodie last, is how you wash it. Here are some things to consider next time washing day rolls around:
Don’t wash your hoodie after every use
Yes, and if anyone gives you grief over it you can blame us! Washing your hoodie too frequently can lead to damage over time. Since hoodies don’t usually come into contact with your skin, you can wear them several times before a wash is necessary.
Turn your hoodie inside out before washing
This vital step helps prevent the outside of your hoodie from sustaining damage. If your hoodie has a zipper, making sure it’s turned inside out in the wash will also ensure that the zipper doesn’t get stuck in the machine, which can cause tears in the hoodie.
Wash with other hoodies and sweatshirts
To avoid colour bleeding, dye mixing, or damage from other chemicals, you should wash your hoodie with other similar clothing items.
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How to Keep your Hoodie Soft
If you want to maintain maximum comfort even in a well-worn hoodie, then it’s important to know how to keep hoodies soft. We’ve all faced the disappointment of having our favourite, softest hoodie get rougher after just a few washes.
Luckily, by using the right washing techniques, you can prevent your hoodie from losing that cozy softness we all love so much.
Here’s how to keep your hoodie nice and soft:
Use mild detergent
Gentle detergents prevent hoodies from sustaining damage that cause their fabric to become more rough.
Avoid fabric softener
Surprisingly, fabric softener can accumulate on the surface of your hoodie causing it to become, actually, less soft. I know, right? Can’t we trust anything anymore?
Double rinse
The most common cause of hoodies becoming rough is buildup of chemical cleaners and detergents on the fabric. Rinsing twice will make sure that there is no more detergent left on your hoodie.
Air dry
When possible, it’s always better to avoid machine drying fabrics that you want to stay extra cuddly and soft. If you must machine dry a hoodie, make sure to set your dryer to “gentle” and avoid using chemical dryer sheets.
Troubleshooting Hoodie String Problems
Hoodie strings are frustratingly susceptible to damage. One of the quickest ways your best hoodie can become your… not-the-best… hoodie is when the string becomes frayed, or even comes out of the hoodie entirely.
But if your hoodie string is damaged, don’t freak out! It doesn’t mean your hoodie is necessarily done for yet. There are easy ways to fix both of these types of hoodie string issues.
How to fix a frayed hoodie string
Need to fix a frayed hoodie string? Ok, here’s what do to:
- Cut off some of the excess frayed ends, leaving yourself with an even and manageable tuft of fibres. Then, you have some options.
- The most reliable option is to dip the frayed ends of the fibres into fabric glue and let them set to dry. This option is safe, easy, and works on all types of string.
- If you don’t have fabric glue to hand, there is another option. In some materials, lighting a small fire underneath the frayed strings so they melt and fuse together can solve the problem. This option is long lasting, but you should always check your specific hoodie’s materials before trying it to make sure that the fire will cause the right chemical reaction.
How to put a string back in a hoodie
What is it about the string coming out of a hoodie that causes such unreasonable anxiety? Maybe it’s just us, but if this happens on a bad day, people had better watch out!
But there’s good news. All you need to put the string back in your hoodie is a safety pin and follow these steps:
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Push the safety pin through the drawstring, about half an inch from the end of the string. Fasten the pin, then gently pass it through the eyelet opening on the front of your hoodie.
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Next, work the fabric of your hood slowly towards the safety pin so, gradually, the drawstring is passed back through the hood. Make sure that one of your hands is holding on to the safety pin at all times, otherwise, you could lose it within the hood.
This process might take a while, but eventually, the safety pin will emerge from the other eyelet, completing the look. And breathe! Your beloved favorite hoodie is reunited with its drawstring once again.
Know When to Say Goodbye
Unfortunately, some damage cannot be undone, and no piece of clothing is usable forever.
No matter how many fond memories you’ve made with your favourite hoodie, one day, you’ll have to make like Elsa and let it go.
If you’re ready to pass the torch, you can always depend on Gym+Coffee for warm, soft, versatile hoodies that will stand the test of time. But please don’t take our word for it, check out what people are saying about Gym+Coffee’s hoodies on Instagram, Facebook and on Trustpilot.
Shop women’s hoodies or shop men’s hoodies today!
