How do I care for printed t-shirts so they last?

Wash printed tees inside-out in cold water, skip the tumble dry, and never iron directly on the print. The print is the most fragile part of the garment, and heat plus friction are what break it down. Cold wash and air dry handle most of the work.

Wash

Inside-out, cold water, gentle cycle if your machine has one. Cold water keeps the print bonded to the fabric and prevents the colour underneath from bleeding into it. Inside-out reduces friction against other items in the load, which is what causes the print surface to crack over time.

Use mild detergent. Skip bleach and skip strong stain removers on the print itself. If you need to spot-clean, do it gently around the print, not on it.

Dry

No tumble dryer. The combination of heat and tumbling is the single biggest cause of print cracking. Hang the tee or lay it flat to dry. Air drying takes longer but adds years to the print.

Iron

If you must iron, do it inside-out, on low heat, and avoid the print area entirely. Better: hang the tee while damp and let gravity pull the wrinkles out as it dries. Most prints look fine without ironing if dried properly.

Store

Fold rather than hang, especially for heavier tees. Hanging stretches the shoulder over time. Fold flat and stack. If you must hang, use wide hangers.

One habit that helps

Rotate. Wearing the same tee back-to-back without rest accelerates wear on every part of it, including the print. Giving a piece a day off between wears lets the fibres recover and keeps the garment looking better for longer.