Football is all about displaying support for your favourite team, and there is no better way to do so than with an iconic retro shirt in your team’s colours. Unfortunately, these shirts are likely to get creased and faded after good use, meaning that retro kits need to be looked after properly.
Unlike modern football shirts, TOFFS' are manufactured by hand using 100% cotton. This means they offer premium quality and comfort, but can also make looking after them require a little more attention than you might give to polyester - which can usually be easily ironed after hang-drying.
Read more to learn how to wash and remove creases from your retro shirts from TOFFS or elsewhere.
How to wash retro football shirts
Old football shirts were typically cut, sewn and stitched from cloth, which is more susceptible to shrinking in hot temperatures, but can last a long time if cared for properly. Unlike other cloth garments, traditionally-made football shirts have logos and patches embroidered rather than printed on. These are weak points of the shirt, but are likely to last longer than print after many washes.
Traditional football shirts should be separated from other laundry based on colour. As sports clothing often comes in bright team colours, it is important to be aware that this may be a risk to your whites and other coloured garments, with the potential to cause colour transfer and stains, especially if washed in hot water - which should generally be avoided anyway.
Once you have your load ready, be sure to use a cold wash. This will reduce the chances of the colours shifting or being lost. If you have been playing in your retro shirt and it is covered in mud, you may be inclined to give it a hot wash. Rather than doing this, we recommend handwashing it first with good-quality stain removal products, then throwing it in the washing machine for a spin. Again, this will protect it from damage it might sustain from a hot wash.
How to dry retro football shirts
Tumble dryers can be a quick and easy way of drying clothes, but come with a big risk of shrinking them due to their use of heat over an extended duration. It is always recommended to avoid tumble-drying special or expensive clothes. Also, avoid radiators at all costs - they pose even more risk of shrinking and burning than dryers. Instead, opt for hang-drying on a rack or airer. This may take longer, but has minimal risk to your clothes, so you can continue to wear them for years to come.
Hang-drying can sometimes leave certain garments feeling hard, almost like cardboard. To avoid this, you can use fabric softener during your wash.
How to remove wrinkles and creases from retro football shirts
It is impossible to completely avoid your shirts creasing after a wash, and they will naturally do so due to use, but you can reduce the chances of this by hanging them up whenever you are not wearing them, and removing them from the washing machine immediately after the process.
Cotton football shirts can be ironed, but you should do so with caution, taking the time to work around any embroidered sections or sewn patches, as the iron may damage or burn these, causing unravelling.
The best way to avoid this is to turn the shirt inside out, as this poses the least amount of risk to the quality and integrity of the material on the front.
Why is it important to look after retro shirts?
It is always important to take care of your clothes, and it usually requires little extra effort to do so. However, retro shirts can be very valuable and more pricey to buy, so you should try to keep them wearable. Colours can fade and patches can become unattached, and both of these are important when representing your favourite team.
Stand out from the crowd and show off your favourite colours and stripes with TOFFS replica retro shirts. Visit our store now to view our handcrafted quality shirts.
