How to care for your kitUpdated 4 months ago

All Black Sheep Cycling garments utilise the highest quality performance fabrics and the lightest weight construction. The result is the most premium cycling garment you will ever wear. With anything of this quality, you need to know how to care for it. Best way to do it... see below!

Gentle Hand Wash

Always wash your garment by hand, or at the very most, inside a protective laundry bag on a delicate wash. An intense wash may cause abrasions to the fabric. For all performance garments containing lycra, ideally, a sportswear-specific detergent is used at a quarter of the recommended amount per load on the carton/bottle. Do not soak the garment in detergent, as this may result in residue build-up causing the material to break down.

Cold Water

Always use cold water for washing. The temperature of the water needs to be lower than 30 degrees, with a laundry detergent that does not contain any harsh chemicals, bleach or softeners. Ideally, a sportswear-specific detergent. Absolutely, and we cannot stress this enough, absolutely no softeners or bleach. Hot water or the use of softeners will cause the colour to run and the chamois adhesive or the lycra to break down.

Hang Dry

Always hang dry your garment in a well-ventilated area. Air temperature should not exceed 26 degrees. Use of tumble dry or storage in hot and humid environments will cause damage to the fabric structure and colour fading.

Storing your Kit

Storing your garments is equally as important as washing them correctly to ensure they’re around for a long time, not just a good time!

After each ride, hang the garments in a well-ventilated environment or wash them immediately. Do not hang the garments in direct sunlight, as this will accelerate the degradation of the elastic fibres in your garments. Never store damp clothes in a non-ventilated environment (e.g. plastic bags, sport bag, suitcase, etc.). If your body has a tendency to sweat a lot, water-rinse the garments after each use to protect the fibres from bacterial attacks which might lead to fabric deterioration.