Hemp T-shirts: How to Wash & Care

Hemp fabric is prepared from the Cannabis sativa plant. This plant has gained popularity due to its high strength and resistance to shrinking. Hemp fabric is a breathable and durable fabric that softens with washing. It is an eco-friendly fabric because the Cannabis sativa plant is grown with less water. It produces more oxygen and releases less carbon compared to flax plants. Hemp T-shirts are flexible, and they require special care to be washed. Poor washing technique, chemical detergents, and improper drying methods reduce the lifespan of hemp T-shirts. This carbon-negative Cannabis sativa plant imparts antimicrobial properties in the hemp fabric that reduce skin rashes and irritation.

How Should You Wash Hemp T-shirts? 

Here are the four tips to wash hemp T-shirts:

1. Cold or Lukewarm Water: Use the cold or lukewarm water at 30 °C to wash the hemp clothes. These t-shirts are too soft, and the threads weaken with hot water. This ideal water temperature preserves the colors and strengthens the fibers. 
2. Gentle Cycle or Hand Wash: Set the low spin speed in the machine to wash hemp T-shirts. Hard cycle or high spin increases the tangling and friction between clothes. It leads to high wrinkles and weakens the fabric. It is recommended to hand-wash the hemp and wool fabrics due to their soft nature. Gently rub the stains with your hand and do not twist the fabric to get rid of extra water.
3. Mild, Eco-friendly Detergent: Use mild, eco-friendly detergents with no fragrance and dyes. They guard the skin against irritation and the lungs from infections. These mild detergents do not contain heavy chemicals like sulfates and phosphates. Use liquid detergents because they dissolve easily in water and leave no residue like powder ones.
4. Avoid Bleach: Bleach contains harmful toxins that cause severe health risks in babies and adults. It weakens the hemp T-shirt fabric and causes fading.

Can Hemp T-shirts Shrink in the Wash?

Yes, hemp T-shirts shrink in the wash. Here are the three factors that affect its shrinking:

1. Hot Water & High Heat Drying: Hemp fabric is stretched during the manufacturing of T-shirts, and it changes its dimensions when soaked in hot water. Hot water leads to contraction and tightens the hemp fabric. Hemp fabric is non-shrinkable in nature, but it also changes its structure and size in extremely hot water. People use cold water and stretch the fabric to reshape it.
2. Pre-washed Hemp: Ask the manufacturer about the pre-washed hemp fabric. Pre-washed fabric does not change its shape even after washing. It minimizes the shrinking worries and keeps the t-shirts in their real shape. Read the manufacturer's instructions and label to know if the hemp fabric of T-shirts is pre-washed or not.
3. Air Drying: Air drying is the best method to maintain the shape of hemp T-shirts. It prevents them from shrinking after drying. Spared the T-shirts on a flat surface and reshaped the collar, cuffs, and sleeves before air drying.

What is the Best Way to Dry and Iron Hemp T-shirts?

Here are the four ways to dry and iron hemp T-shirts:

1. Air Dry Flat or on Hangers: Spread clothes on hangers to dry them quickly after washing. Make sure that hangers are in the shade to avoid fading and weakening of hemp fabric threads. It is recommended to dry clothes through flat drying. In this process, damp T-shirts are laid down on a flat surface to avoid wrinkles. Careful drying reduces the need for ironing to some extent.
2. Avoid Direct Sunlight: Don’t spread clothes in direct sunlight. High heat and UV radiation brighten the color of T-shirts and also affect their quality.
3. Medium Heat Iron with Steam: Use the steamer to iron clothes and set the temperature to medium. Hemp fabric withstands medium steam heat.
4. Iron Inside Out: Make sure to turn the T-shirts inside out before ironing. It is important to protect the designs and prints from smudging all over the T-shirt. This strategy works best for embroidered clothes where beads hinder ironing. 

How to Remove Stains from Hemp T-shirts?

Here are the four tips to remove stains from hemp T-shirts:

1. Treat Quickly: Treat stains quickly when they occur before they stick hard. Use gentle stain removers like vinegar, salt, or baking soda to rub on stains. Repeat the rubbing until the stain changes its color, and then put it in the washing machine.
2. Use Natural Solutions: Use natural solutions like homemade detergents, such as baking soda paste. Mid detergents also work like a natural solution because they do not have fragrance or toxic chemicals in them.
3. Avoid Chlorine Bleach: Don’t use chlorine bleach to remove stains because it contains harmful toxins and chemicals. This chlorine bleach causes skin irritation and rashes. It is also a leading cause of respiratory disorders and hormonal imbalance.
4. Spot Clean Before Washing: Pre-treat stains with natural solutions if they were not treated immediately. Wash the hemp T-shirts on hand or use the recommended amount of mild detergent to run in the machine.

How to Store Hemp T-shirts Properly?

Here are the four tips to store hemp T-shirts properly:

1. Fold Instead of Hanging: Fold hemp T-shirts neatly instead of hanging them. Hangers stretch the clothes and also produce wrinkles. 
2. Cool, Dry Storage: Store T-shirts in a cool and clean space. Be sure to dry the area well to reduce the risk of mildew growth. Moisture traps in clothes and produces a bad odour. 
3. Use Breathable Bags: Use breathable fabric bags to store clothes. Fabric bags with zippers allow air to pass through clothes over time and maintain their fresh look. Use cedar aromatic wooden blocks to keep insects away from storage drawers or racks. 
4. Avoid Plastic Storage: People choose plastic bags for storing clothes due to their water resistance, but they trap moisture. These plastic bags produce a bad odour, weaken threads, and affect the quality of clothes.

What Are the Long-Term Care Tips for Hemp T-shirts?

Here are the four long-term care tips for hemp T-shirts:

1. Wash Less Frequently: Don’t wash the hemp clothes on a daily basis. The higher the washing rate, the higher the chances of thread weakening.
2. Rotate Wear: Rotating T-shirts is the best way to reduce the frequency of washing. Wait for two to three days before repeating that one T-shirt.
3. Follow Care Label Instructions: Follow the care label instructions when washing to increase the lifespan of hemp T-shirts and avoid fraying. Check if they are pre-shrunk or need to be shrunk before buying. It reduces the surprises.
4. Expect Softer Fabric Over Time: Hemp fabric is soft, but it tightens during the manufacturing of T-shirts. Regular use of hemp T-shirts helps it soften naturally