How to wash a thick hoodie: a simple care routine

Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. The evening hoodie has done its job all week: sofa, balcony, a quick run to the corner shop for milk. It is due a wash. And this is exactly where good pieces get lost: one wash too hot, one round in the tumble dryer, and a thick hoodie becomes a tired one.

Good care comes down to five small habits. Kio, our mascot, has opinions on this: he has napped on the same hoodie since day one, and he intends to keep it that way.

Before the wash: three seconds that count

1. Empty the pockets. The forgotten tissue in the kangaroo pocket happens to everyone.
2. Tuck the drawcords. In, or loosely knotted, so they do not tangle.
3. Turn it inside out. The outside rubs less against the drum, so colour, print and embroidery stay sharp for longer.

The wash: 30 °C, no higher

Our hoodies and sweatshirt are made of organic cotton and recycled polyester (Stanley/Stella blanks, as stated by Printful) and are mid-weight fleece. The routine below suits any thick fleece hoodie:

• 30 °C, normal or delicate cycle.
• Mild detergent, in the normal amount. Too much leaves residue and the fleece feels rough.
• Go easy on fabric softener, or skip it: it weighs fibres down and can flatten the brushed inside.
• Wash with similar colours. A black hoodie with new jeans is a gamble.

Washing less is also care. A hoodie worn in the evening, at home, does not need the machine after every wear. A night on a hanger by an open window is often enough.

Drying: flat, and never in the dryer

This is the step that decides everything.

• No tumble dryer. The heat shrinks cotton and wears out fleece.
• Dry flat, on a drying rack or a towel. Hang a heavy, wet hoodie by the shoulders and it stretches.
• Away from radiators and direct sun, which stiffen fibres and fade colours.

Allow a full day for a thick piece. That is the price of keeping the shape.

Embroidery and prints: the delicate parts

• Embroidery is never ironed directly. If you iron at all, do it inside out, around the design.
• Prints last longest when washed inside out, cool, and kept out of the dryer.
• A loose thread gets snipped with scissors, never pulled. For the full comparison of the two techniques, read our embroidered vs printed hoodie care guide.

What about bobbles?

Pilling shows up where fabric rubs: under the arms, along the sides, where a bag strap sits. Fewer bobbles come from washing inside out, a gentle cycle, and no rough companions in the load (denim, velcro). If they appear anyway, a fabric shaver used lightly and flat brings back a clean surface.

Storing it

Folded on a shelf beats a narrow hanger that pushes bumps into the shoulders. In summer: clean and dry into the wardrobe, never a piece that is still damp.

Washing changes the fit, so size right first

A hoodie that shrinks one wash too hot is a size mistake you pay for twice. Our hoodies run large in Europe (maker's sheet, via Printful): between two sizes, take the smaller one. The size guide lists every measurement in centimetres, and how to choose a hoodie size online shows the method step by step.

Kio's rule

Kio has one rule, and he repeats it to anyone who will listen: a piece you keep for a long time is a piece you chose with care. See the OKU club collection for the pieces, such as the OKU Hanko Embroidered Hoodie (€85) and the OKU 奥 Hoodie (€79). If you are shopping for someone else this season, our Japanese streetwear gift ideas and the gift collection show the pieces and Sets.

The note for the washing machine

1. Pockets empty, cords in, inside out.
2. 30 °C, mild detergent, similar colours.
3. No dryer, dry flat.
4. Never iron the embroidery.
5. Fold, do not hang.

Try it today

Turn the hoodie you wear most inside out and read its care label: most mistakes start there.