Care for your wijld favorite pieces: The overview
The short version for those in a hurry
- Wash before first wear – especially before sports
- Only delicate detergent – no regular detergent, no fabric softener
- 30 degrees, gentle spin cycle (approx. 600 rpm)
- No dryer – let it air dry
- Air out instead of washing – wood fiber naturally stays fresher than cotton
Why wood fiber needs different care
Lyocell – the fiber your WoodShirts are made of – is no ordinary fabric. It is made from wood pulp, is silky soft, temperature-regulating, and naturally inhibits bacterial growth. That’s why a WoodShirt still feels fresh after a whole day.
These special properties also mean: Wood reacts more sensitively to aggressive detergents and high temperatures than cotton. Those who care for their WoodShirts properly will enjoy them for years. Washing them in a boil wash program with regular detergent significantly accelerates their aging.
What happens to the colors – and why it’s normal
Maybe you noticed after a few washes that intense colors look a bit duller than at the beginning. This is not a defect – it’s a property of the fiber that has its own name: fibrillation.
What happens? Lyocell fibers are naturally very fine. During washing and wearing, tiny fiber ends can break and come to the surface. This doesn’t change the color itself but how the light refracts on the surface – similar to how matte glass shines differently than polished glass. Intense colors like dark red or blue are a bit more sensitive than black, white, or pastel tones.
What helps: Delicate detergent instead of color detergent (enzymes in color detergent can accelerate fibrillation), low temperature, gentle spin. What doesn’t help at all: Dryer – the hot air tumbler is lyocell’s biggest enemy.
The good news: This behavior is well known worldwide for high-quality lyocell textiles and is openly communicated by quality manufacturers because it neither diminishes the antibacterial properties nor the comfort of your shirt.
Proper care step by step
Wash at 30 degrees. That’s completely enough. Modern delicate detergents are just as effective at low temperatures – and your fibers will thank you.
Delicate detergent – and nothing else. Regular detergent contains bleach and synthetic brighteners that attack wood fibers. Color detergent is better but often contains enzymes that accelerate fibrillation. Delicate detergent is pH-neutral, without aggressive additives – the only right choice for WoodShirts.
Spin gently, about 600 rpm. That’s all it takes. High spin speeds unnecessarily stress the fibers.
Air dry – no tumble dryer. Lyocell dries quickly. A dryer permanently damages the fiber.
No fabric softener. The fiber is naturally soft. Fabric softener leaves residues that impair the natural properties of lyocell.
Close zippers before washing. Open metal zippers can damage the surface of other garments.
Air out more often, wash less frequently. This is especially true for wood fiber. Its antibacterial properties mean: a WoodShirt that isn’t really dirty doesn’t need washing – just fresh air.
Overview of detergents – what your clothes really like
|
Type of detergent |
Recommendation for wijld |
|
Regular detergent |
❌ contains bleach – unsuitable for colors and wood fibers |
|
Color detergent |
⚠️ better than regular detergent, but often contains enzymes |
|
Delicate detergent |
✅ pH-neutral, without aggressive additives – protects fibers & colors |
Similar rules apply to wool and cotton
Wool clothing largely cleans itself – airing instead of washing is the rule here. If washing is necessary: hand wash or wool program at a maximum of 30 degrees.
Cotton is more durable but also benefits from gentle care. Low temperature, gentle spinning, air drying – this extends the lifespan of every garment.
In short:
The gentler you wash your WoodShirts, the longer they retain their properties. And the longer a garment lasts, the more sustainable it really is – regardless of the material it is made from.
