Garment Care

We recommend washing new apparel before using it. Always read the care label found inside of each garment before washing. 

To extend the performance longevity of your Champion System garment please follow these simple care instructions:

  • Wash apparel immediately after use if possible. If you have used the item in the ocean or a chlorinated pool, be sure to rinse the item with fresh water and wash per care instructions as soon as possible.
  • Fully zip the garment itself and any garments being washed with it.
  • Turn your garment inside out for washing… preferably place in a mesh wash bag (especially bib shorts).  
    • Don’t wash your garments with anything that has the slightest bit of *Velcro or any other rough or heavy material (bulky snaps, unzipped zippers, outerwear, straps, toggles, beads, baubles, etc...). Items such as these should be washed by themselves or in a separate wash bag.
  • Always wash in cold water with mild soap on a gentle cycle. (30°C is usually the recommended temperature, short wash about 30 minutes)  Note - (hot water can break down textiles and leads to shrinkage.)
  • Avoid using fabric softeners, oils and stain removers. Do not leave wet for an extended period of time.
    • If you wash by hand, allow your garments to soak in cold water (but not for too long), moving them gently, then rub them carefully and rinse thoroughly, avoiding squeezing too hard.
  • Always hang dry or dry flat, gently stretching garment to minimize creases. No dry cleaning.
 

▶  When stowing your garment in a gear bag, turn it inside out and, if possible, store it in its own small bag. Keep any velcro on your additional gear fully fastened at all times when transporting.

The Velcro Side Effect

*How does Velcro damage high performance fabric?

Since the 1950's, the hook-and-loop fastening system known as Velcro has been widely implemented in the gear we use every day. Two fabric strips - one with tiny hooks, the other with bristly little loops. Press them together and the hooks catch the loops and the two pieces bind temporarily.

Velcro is very well known to all of us in the sports industry. Everything from… footwear, bags, gloves, ski gear, helmets, outerwear and straps for our gear. There is no denying that Velcro is something we rely on and it will continue to be used for a long time to come.

The big problem with Velcro is that its hooks easily grab onto articles of clothing that they were NOT intended for - especially, for example, knit fabrics used for cycling kits. When the hooks brush against the synthetic fibers of polyester, they agitate and pull at them. Even the slightest contact with Velcro may cause yarn breakage or what we call fabric 'picking' - a process that results in fiber ends that have pulled away from the fabric surface.
Definitely something you want to avoid!