How to Care for Cotton Knitwear (So It Lasts for Years)
A good cotton-knit polo should outlast a dozen fast-fashion tees. Most of the difference comes down to how you wash and store it.
By Giza Mills
The short answer
Wash cotton knitwear cold on a gentle cycle, reshape it damp and dry it flat — never hang or tumble dry. Store it folded. Light pilling is normal at first and settles after the initial wash.
Why flat-drying matters
Wet knit is heavy, and gravity does the damage. Hang a damp cotton polo and the weight pulls the body long and the shoulders out. Dry it flat and it keeps the shape it was knit to.
On pilling: it's not a defect. Loose surface fibres lift in the first wear or two, then the long Giza fibres settle. A soft comb or a fabric shaver clears any that remain.
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