How to Wash and Care for Bamboo Clothing – The Complete Guide to Longevity
Short answer: Bamboo clothing should be washed at thirty degrees with a mild detergent and no fabric softener. Turn it inside out, do not overfill the machine, and dry it gently or on the line. Do those four things and the fabric keeps its softness and shape for years instead of going stiff and losing its form.
The temperature
Thirty degrees is right for almost all bamboo clothing, and forty is the highest you should go. Bamboo viscose moves moisture and bacteria away from the fibres instead of holding on to them, so there is no need for the sixty degrees you know from cotton. A low temperature extends the life noticeably, keeps the colours and limits shrinkage. That goes for underwear and for the larger items such as bamboo bedding, where many people automatically turn the dial too high.
Detergent and softener
Use a mild liquid detergent without bleach. Leave the fabric softener out entirely: it settles as a film around the fibres, and it is that film which closes off the moisture transport. The clothing feels soft the first few times and then stops working. If you have already used softener, you can wash it out again by running a few washes without it, ideally with a splash of vinegar in the softener drawer.
Before you start the machine
Turn the clothing inside out. That protects the surface from rubbing against the drum and keeps the colour deeper. Wash dark and light colours separately the first few times, because pigment can transfer. Close zips and hooks so they do not tear the fabric, and do not cram the machine full. The fabric has to move freely in the water, otherwise the pieces abrade each other. That matters most for finer items such as bamboo shirts for men.
Drying
The line is best. Shake the garment out, pull it into shape and hang it up, and it dries quickly because the material gives moisture up easily. If it has to be the tumble dryer, pick the lowest heat setting and take the clothing out while it is still slightly damp. High heat is the fastest way to ruin a bamboo garment: the fibres go brittle, and the elastane in underwear and sportswear for women loses its stretch.
Storing and stains
Fold knitwear and t-shirts rather than hanging them, so they do not pull out of shape at the shoulder. Underwear and socks can lie loose. Deal with stains straight away using cold water and a little mild detergent, and dab rather than rubbing hard. Treated that way, both bamboo underwear for men and bamboo underwear for women last for years, and the same goes for the rest of the range under bamboo clothing for men and bamboo for women.
Frequently asked questions
Can bamboo clothing go in the tumble dryer
Yes, but only on the lowest heat, and take it out while it is slightly damp. High heat makes the fibres brittle and wears the elastane out.
Why should you not use fabric softener
The softener settles as a film around the fibres and closes off the moisture transport. The fabric feels soft at first, but it stops breathing.
Does bamboo clothing shrink
Only a little, and almost not at all if you wash at thirty degrees and avoid high heat in the dryer. It is the heat and not the water that shrinks the fabric.
See our range of Copenhagen Bamboo.
