CARE
How to Care for Performance Fabric So It Lasts
September 20, 2026 · Alo Editorial · 3 MIN READ
The brief for caring for performance fabric is narrow: washing and drying more than buying. Get that right and the rest of the outfit stops mattering. Below: what to look for, what to skip, and the checks that catch a bad fit early.
Performance fabric does not need much care. It needs the *right* care, and the difference between two routines is the difference between a garment that lasts two years and one that lasts eight months. Below: what to look for, what to skip, and the checks that catch a bad fit early.
The routine
- 01Turn the garment inside out. This protects the outer surface from abrasion and keeps the seam tape from catching.
- 02Wash cold, on a delicate cycle, with similar colours. Elastane softens faster at high heat than any other fibre in the garment.
- 03Skip the softener entirely. It deposits a film on the fibres that reduces wicking and, over time, dulls the fabric permanently.
- 04Do not use bleach, including the oxygen kind, on anything with elastane.
- 05Line dry flat or hang. The dryer is the single most destructive thing you can do to a performance knit.
Why the dryer is the problem
Heat causes elastane fibres to lose their ability to recover. A garment dried on high heat a dozen times will stretch out in ways that washing never causes. It also damages bonded seams and any reflective or metallic detail. Air drying takes longer and the garment lasts several times longer.
Dealing with pilling
Pilling is small balls of fibre formed where a surface has been abraded. It is a function of yarn quality, not of neglect, and most performance knits will develop some at the inner thigh or underarm over a year or two. It does not affect performance at all.
To remove it: a fabric shaver on a light pass, or a pilling comb. Do not use a razor on a fine knit; it will cut the fibres. Steam from the dryer can loosen a light build-up enough that it brushes off by hand.
Storage
Fold rather than hang leggings. Hanging a garment by the waistband for a long period stretches the elastic. A shallow drawer keeps them flat and, usefully, makes them easier to choose from.
What to check before you buy for caring performance fabric
Two pieces can look identical on the hanger and behave differently in caring performance fabric. The checks below are the ones that catch it early. Black Airbrush High-Waist Race Pace 7/8 Legging is the piece we would test them against first.
- Squat test in a mirror: the fabric should go opaque, not sheer.
- The waistband should sit flat at your natural waist without rolling when you fold forward.
- Check the inseam against your height — a 7/8 length on a tall frame is a crop.
Odour without fabric softener
The usual reason people reach for softener is odour, and softener makes it worse by trapping rather than removing. If a garment holds smell after a cold wash, it needs detergent residue removed rather than added: run a hot wash with half the normal detergent and no softener, then air it out overnight. Wool-derived detergent is less residue-prone if you prefer.
Fabric softener is the single most damaging thing in most people's laundry routine, and it is marketed as care.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- How should you wash performance fabric?
- Turn the garment inside out. This protects the outer surface from abrasion and keeps the seam tape from catching.; Wash cold, on a delicate cycle, with similar colours. Elastane softens faster at high heat than any other fibre in the garment.; Skip the softener entirely.
- Why is tumble drying bad for activewear?
- Heat causes elastane fibres to lose their ability to recover. A garment dried on high heat a dozen times will stretch out in ways that washing never causes. It also damages bonded seams and any reflective or metallic detail. Air drying takes longer and the garment lasts several times longer.
- How do you deal with odour without fabric softener?
- The usual reason people reach for softener is odour, and softener makes it worse by trapping rather than removing. If a garment holds smell after a cold wash, it needs detergent residue removed rather than added: run a hot wash with half the normal detergent and no softener, then air it out overnight.
WORTH A LOOK
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Written by Alo Editorial. Every fit and fabric claim in this guide is checked against the pieces we actually sell — if something does not apply to your size, body or climate, our customer care team will say so. Corrections get published, not quietly deleted.
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