A good bra lasts a long time, but not with rough treatment!
Follow these tips to avoid tragedy.
Washing
Infrequent washing, machine-washing, and machine-drying all shorten the lifespan of your bras. To get the most out of your bras, wash them frequently (every 1-3 wears) like this:
- Add cool water and a small amount of detergent to a clean basin.
- Submerge your bras and let them soak for about 15 minutes. If needed, you can gently scrub under the arms with your fingers or an old toothbrush.
- We recommend using a no-rinse wash like Soak, but if you’re using something else, be sure to thoroughly rinse your bras.
- Gently press out extra moisture with a towel — never wring out your bras! — then hang or lay flat to dry. Hanging by the straps when wet can make straps stretch out more quickly, so hang wet bras from the centre of the bra instead.
Hand wash your swimwear with a gentle detergent after every wear – even if you haven’t been in the water! Washing removes salt, chlorine, sweat, and sunscreen residue which can break down the fibers of your swimsuit.
We do not recommend machine-washing your bras and swimwear. But if you must: place them in a zippered mesh bag (with hooks done up), use cool water, and don’t put them in the dryer.
Wearing
Match! Wearing a light-coloured bra under dark clothing can eventually discolour the bra. Try to wear light colours with light, and dark with dark.
Give it a rest. Wearing the same bra day after day wears it out faster. If you can, give each bra a day off between wears.
The way you put on a bra can also damage or protect it — read our blog to learn how to put on your bra, plus some tricks to make it easier.
Storage
Moulded cup (t-shirt) bras or swim tops should be stored open if possible (either hanging or stacked cup-in-cup) as inverting the cups can crease the fabric over time. Everything else can be stored in a drawer or hanging.
Bra & Swimwear Care FAQ
How many bras should I own?
This definitely varies depending on your lifestyle, but in general it’s good to start with three bras. This is the “one to wash, one to wear, one to spare” philosophy — it lets you give each bra a day or two off between wears (which protects the elastic) and makes it easier to wash your bras frequently.
How long will my bra last?
This depends on how many bras you have in rotation and how you care for them. If you have at least three bras in rotation and you take proper care of them, most bras will last at least a year.
What’s the worst that could happen if I machine wash bras?
The underwire may snap or pop out, the fabric of the cups or band could tear or snag on the machine or other clothing, the cups may lose their shape, fabric can pill…we’ve even heard of one case where a popped underwire broke the washing machine!