Colours that fade first

Short answer: Red, black and bright blue fade fastest. Sunlight and heat are the two biggest causes, and you can control both yourself.

The ranking

Red dyes are the most sensitive to light and heat of all common shades. Next comes black, which needs the most dye overall and therefore shows the loss earliest in a garment's life. Bright blue and green sit somewhere in the middle, while muted earth tones last the longest of all.

Sun is the biggest enemy

Ultraviolet light breaks down dye directly, whether the clothing has been washed or not. Dry dark clothes in shade and do not leave them on a windowsill with a lot of daylight. A single garment hanging in the sun all summer can end up several shades lighter than it started. See bamboo clothing for men.

Heat is the second biggest cause

Every warm wash and every warm tumble pulls a little color out of the fibers, regardless of how well the dye originally held. Thirty degrees and drying without heat extends the life of a color noticeably compared with higher temperatures. See bamboo t shirt for women and bamboo clothing for women.

Why red fades first

Red pigments have a chemical structure that is especially sensitive to UV light, more so than most other colors. This applies to both natural and synthetic dyes, and the difference shows most clearly after a sunny summer.

What you can do with new garments

Turn dark and red garments inside out from the very first wash, so the outside is always the best protected side. This habit costs nothing and makes a real difference over a garment's entire lifetime.

Is there a difference between drying indoors and outdoors

Yes. Drying indoors without direct sun through a window protects color noticeably better than drying outdoors, even in shade, because the total amount of light is lower.

Spotting early signs of fading

A faded garment first looks different at seams and pockets, where the fabric has received less light than the rest. Compare these spots with a hidden area on the inside to see the real difference.

Detergent can play a role too

Some detergents contain optical brighteners or bleach, which are harsh on colored clothes and speed up fading noticeably. Choose a detergent made for colored clothes and avoid bleach based products for your red and black garments.

The link between fabric and fading

Bamboo viscose generally holds color a little better than regular cotton, because the fiber absorbs dye more evenly during dyeing. The difference is small though compared with how much sun, heat and washing habits matter for the result.