“When we sent the goods from you to Toronto, the customer wore and washed them once, and said that the trousers were two inches short and the top was reduced to children’s clothing. The return rate is almost 20%. What’s the matter with you? “
These are the original words sent directly to Wingtu Lounge’s business mailbox by a loungewear dealer in Ontario, Canada in September last year.
Why Does Loungewear Care Matter for North American Retailers & Buyers?
According to the data of the North American clothing industry, as many as 30% of home clothing returns are not bad, but that consumers cannot wash or store them. For dealers and buyers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the climate is very different-Canada is dry and static in winter, Mexico is prone to mold throughout the year, and the south of the United States is hot and stuffy and the north is dry and cold-the same batch of goods is sold in the three countries. National maintenance needs are completely different.
Wingtu Lounge’s approach: Every batch of our loungewear exported to North America is clearly marked with fabric composition and washing symbols on the wash label. But label washing alone is not enough-we will talk about why the return rate of customers still cannot be reduced by washing labels alone.‌
‌What Fabrics Are Used in Loungewear & Why Does Fabric Type Matter for Washing?
- Cotton / Modal – Super popular across the United States. Moderate maintenance difficulty. Common issues include shrinking and fading.
- Silk / Satin – High-end line. High maintenance difficulty. Common problems include thread breakage, deformation, and water stains.
- Fleece / Flannel – Canadian winter bestseller. High maintenance difficulty. Common issues include pilling and static electricity.
- Bamboo / Tencel – Environmental trend. Moderate to high maintenance difficulty. Avoid high temperatures and twisting. Polyester Blend – Fast fashion line. Low maintenance difficulty. Almost no problems.
‌How to Wash Loungewear the Right Way? Step-by-Step Guide
- Cold wash (≤ 30 °C/86 ° F) Protects fabric fibers from shrinkage and fading
- Flip reverse wash surface to prevent pilling
- Use a Mesh Laundry Bag, especially silk and satin
- Gentle laundry detergent, unscented North American consumer preference
- Bleach Fiber Prohibited to Accelerate Yellowing
- The culprit of cotton shrinkage and silk deformation is prohibited in high temperature water
- Don’t wash it with the towel. The terry of the towel will hook
How often do you wash it?
“How many times do you wear loungewear before washing it? “-This is one of the most frequently asked questions by North American consumers.
Wingtu Lounge recommends: Wear 2-3 times before washing.
The habit of North American consumers is to change loungewear when they get home, but loungewear is not as dusty and sweaty as outerwear. Washing shortens life.
How to dry clothes?
In response to the question raised by the Canadian customer, 80% of the shrinkage in that batch of goods was attributed to the drying process.
His warehouse team, in order to accelerate the delivery speed, uniformly subjected all the home clothing to high-temperature drying. The cotton fabric can shrink by up to 5%-8% under such high temperatures.
- For silk, satin, and bamboo fabrics, it is safest to use Air Dry, tile or hang upside down, and avoid stretching.
- Cotton and modal fabrics can be dried at low temperature to shorten the time and take them out when they are slightly wet.
- Keep in mind that drying any loungewear at high temperature will cause shrinkage, deformation, and pilling.
How to store clothes?
Folding vs. Hanging
- Folding storage and hanging of loungewear tops can cause shoulder deformation and elongation
- Loungewear trousers are folded in half or hung on a trousers rack to avoid losing elasticity of the waist elastic band
- Silk/Satin Set Folded + Sydney Paper Wrap Prevents Scroll and Indentation
- Polar fleece/flannel folding compression saves space, but do not vacuum compression (affects fluffiness)
Dealer Inventory Storage Recommendations
- Temperature 18-22 °C (64-72 ° F) High temperature accelerates fabric aging
- Humidity 40-60% RH too dry → static electricity; Too wet → moldy
- Light-proof storage of ultraviolet rays causes fading Insect-proof Cedar Blocks are naturally insect-proof and highly recognized in the North American market
- Stack no more than 5 layers to avoid underlayer compression and deformation
Why do customers say that your loungewear has shrunk and should be returned after washing it once?
- Customer: Loungewear distributor in Ontario, Canada, specializing in mid-range cotton loungewear sets
- Purchase volume: Approximately 5,000 sets per quarter, sourced from Wingtu Lounge
- When the problem broke out: Within two weeks after the fall new products hit the shelves
How do we check?
The Wingtu Lounge quality team conducted a three-step investigation:
- Step 1: Check the fabric. That batch of goods is 95% cotton and 5% spandex, the fabric itself is no problem, and the shrinkage rate is within the national standard range (3%-5%).
- Step 2: Check and wash the label. ‌ The wash label is marked “wash below 30 °C, dry at low temperature”, but-the font is too small, and it is only in English, not French (Quebec, Canada requires French labels).
- Step 3: Check the customer’s warehousing and delivery process. ‌ In order to catch up with the delivery date, the customer dried all the goods at high temperature after arriving at the warehouse, and then shipped them directly, without giving the fabric a “recovery” time.
Conclusion: It is not a fabric problem, but the “body feeling shrinking” caused by the double reasons of non-compliant washing and improper customer warehousing process.
Our specific implementation measures
- Re-make washing marks in English and French bilingual, font enlargement, iconic washing symbols (Canadian market compliance requirements)
- A free maintenance card (Care Card) with “How to Wash” written on the front
- Pre-delivery process It is recommended that customers dry at low temperature, let it stand for 24 hours before packaging, so that the fibers can rebound naturally
Eventually
Three months after the rectification, the return rate ranged from 18.7% to 4.2%, and customer complaints also ranged from 15 per week to 2-3 per week, and additional orders for the next quarter were added one month in advance. The client later said a sentence in the email:
It’s not that there’s a problem with your clothes, it’s that we never taught customers how to wash them. A small card that saved my profit for the entire quarter. “
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q1: “Can home clothes be washed with ordinary clothes? ”
Yes, but with conditions. Separate with laundry bags and choose to wash in gentle, cold water. Don’t wash it with jeans or towels-terries and zippers are natural enemies of loungewear. - Q2: “Will home clothes really shrink after washing? ”
Yes, but how much depends on the fabric and the wash. Pure cotton can shrink by 5%-8% under high temperature water and high temperature drying. However, if it is dried with cold water and low temperature, the shrinkage rate can be controlled within 2%. Wingtu Lounge’s cotton products are pre-shrunk with a normal wash shrinkage ≤ 2%. - Q3: “What should I do if the home clothes pill? ”
Don’t pull it with your hands! Gently handle with a fabric shaver. Prevention method: Turn the reverse side and wash it + Do not use softener (softener will make the surface of the fiber slippery, making it easier to entangle and pill).
You can view the related article [Why Does My Sleepwear Pill? Causes and How to Prevent Fabric Pilling] - Q4: “Can silk loungewear be ironed? ”
Yes, but only at low temperature (silk, about 110 °C) and with a damp cloth on the back of the garment. You must never iron the satin directly-it will create auroral spots (uneven shine). The best is to hang inside and use the steam from the bath to naturally remove wrinkles. - Q5: “Why did the bamboo fiber home clothes finish washing? ”
Because of the use of high-temperature water or drying. The fiber structure of bamboo fiber will tighten under high temperature. Must be hand washed in cold water or machine washed at low temperature and dried naturally. Don’t twist it after washing, spread it horizontally and dry it. After drying, the feel will return to softness.
If you are a North American loungewear dealer or purchaser, would like to obtain Wingtu Lounge’s multilingual label washing template, maintenance card design documents, or learn more about our pre-shrink process, please contact us directly.