How to look after your Year 6 or Year 11 leavers hoodie

A year 6 or year 11 leavers hoodie is a treasured reminder of the time spent at school – be that great memories of friendships, inspirational teachers, fun times during lessons or school clubs and trips.

Leavers hoodies are a versatile item of clothing that not only keep you warm and comfortable but are a great reminder of school years. They often accompany you or your child on their next journey. Be that A levels, university, time spent travelling or on future holidays. But seeing your favourite hoodie shrink or fade can be upsetting.

Increasing your hoodies lifespan requires proper care in order to keep it looking its best. Looking after your leavers hoodie and ensuring you or your child keeps it for years to come is so important. We’ve added some handy tips below on how to look after your year 6 or year 11 leavers hoodie.

How to wash and care for your leaver’s hoodie

As a matter of course, hoodies are designed and manufactured to be hard wearing. They are expected to get hung on the floor-drobe or found in the bottom of a bag all creased and dirty, so they are designed to be washed multiple times. Which means that they come with easy-to-follow washing and care instructions.

Leaver’s hoodies will be made from hardwearing cotton material that washes well and will last a long time if cared for properly. There are some pointers, however, that will help you in keeping your leavers hoodie from fading, shrinking, or ruining the printing/embroidery:

• Don’t wash your hoodie after every wear. Over-washing will make the leaver’s hoodie fade much quicker. The more you wash and throw it into the dryer the quicker it fades. Frequent washing can also cause fabrics to ‘pill’ (go bobbly). Unless it is dirty/stained, washing the hoodie after every 5-6 wears should be ample. You can always use an anti-odour fabric spray to neutralize odours between washes.
• Avoid high temperatures. Leaver’s hoodies will last longer if they are washed and/or tumble-dried, at lower temperatures. Washing them at 30 degrees is ample and a medium-to-low tumble should be fine (NB. See below about drying.)
• Turn them inside out. Hoodies will benefit from being washed when they have been turned inside out. This will help preserve any adornment (printing or embroidery). And, this should also be the case when ironing them, which should likewise be done on a cooler setting. Washing them inside out also helps to ensure that pull-cords remain in place, rather than being pulled out by becoming entangled with other items. Whilst, ironing them inside out both preserves any printing and avoids getting unwanted residue on your iron
• Zip it up. Some people prefer to have a zip-front leaver’s hoodie, rather than an over-the-head one. If that’s the case, it’s always best to zip it up before you turn it inside out, which will prevent the zip from snagging on other items.

Make your leavers hoodie last

For those who really want to keep their leaver’s hoodie in tiptop condition, there are additional dos and don’ts:

• Take care with the detergent you use. Most normal detergents should be fine, but to take extra care you may wish to consider using a mild one to wash your hoodie. A colour-preserving detergent will keep the hoodie colour brighter. We’ve also heard that a little dash of vinegar in the wash will also help.
• Avoid using, or over-using fabric softener, as this can build up a waxy substance over time. Using Dryer Balls in your tumble can help to alleviate this problem
• No clothes like to be stuffed tightly together in a washing machine, so try not to overfill your washing machine. It’s best to leave plenty of room for your leaver’s hoodie and, for those who really wish to be careful, try using a garment bag in the washing machine. This enables the detergent to clean it properly, but keeps the hoodie away from other items.
• Use the dryer sparingly, and only on low-to-medium temperatures. This will protect your leaver’s hoodie from shrinkage and other damage. Ideally air-drying is best (away from direct sunshine), or drying on a clean towel.

Following these guidelines will help keep your leaver’s hoodie in a better condition for longer. A good quality leaver’s hoodie from Hartland Hoodies is built to last and if treated well will be a trusted addition to your wardrobe for many years, providing ongoing memories.