A guide to caring for your LUSS pieces

Considered fabric lasts longer when it's looked after. Most of what extends the life of a LUSS piece happens before the wash starts, and a few small habits can keep your pieces feeling new for years instead of seasons.

Here's everything we'd suggest.

The short version

Wash: Cold, gentle cycle, inside out, with similar tones.
Dry: Line dry in the shade.
Avoid: Fabric softener, the tumble dryer, direct sun, bleach, ironing.

Before the first wear

We recommend giving your new LUSS pieces a cold rinse before the first wear. It softens the fabric, sets the colour, and lifts any residue from the production process.

Washing

Turn each piece inside out before it goes in the machine. This protects the outer surface from friction with zips, buttons and other garments — which is what causes pilling and fading over time.

Use cold water, on a gentle cycle. Heat is what breaks down the elastane in compressive fabrics. Cold water preserves stretch and shape; hot water shortens both.

Wash with similar tones and similar fabrics. Activewear with activewear, neutrals with neutrals, blacks with blacks. Avoid washing CoreForm pieces with rough fabrics like denim or towels.

Use a mild liquid detergent. Powder detergents can leave residue on technical fabrics; concentrated liquid washes more cleanly.

Skip the fabric softener. This is the single most common mistake with activewear. Softener coats the fibres, which reduces stretch recovery, blocks sweat-wicking properties, and makes the fabric feel slick over time. Once it's coated, it's hard to undo.

Drying

Line dry in the shade. Direct sun fades colour, especially on our cocoa, plum and sage tones. A breezy spot under cover is ideal.

Avoid the tumble dryer. Heat again is the issue. The dryer is the single fastest way to shorten the life of compressive activewear. If you must use it, the lowest possible setting and a short cycle.

Don't wring or twist. Roll the piece in a soft towel to remove excess water, then hang.

Storing

Fold rather than hang. Hanging stretches the fabric at the shoulders or waistband over time. Folding keeps the shape intact.

Store in a dry drawer, away from direct sun. Heat and light dull the colour even when the piece isn't being worn.

A few things to never do

• Never bleach. It breaks down both the dye and the fabric.
• Never iron. Heat warps the four-way stretch and melts the elastane.
• Never dry clean. The chemicals damage technical fabrics.
• Never leave damp. Wet activewear left in a bag will mildew within hours.

A note on different LUSS fabrics

Most of our pieces are cut from one of three fabrics, all from the same considered family:

CoreForm™ — the signature fabric we chose for our FORME collection (Muse Halter, Elara Flares). Premium Nylon + Lycra Sport, 220gsm.

All Day Every Day — used in our Celestial range. A lighter, silkier compressive blend.

Signature — used in our Lavish range. A velvety, hand-feel compressive fabric with structure.

All three follow the same care rules. The instructions above apply to every LUSS piece in your wardrobe.

Frequently asked

Can I tumble dry LUSS activewear? We recommend against it. The heat shortens the life of compressive fabrics faster than any other habit. If you must, use the lowest possible setting and remove the piece while still slightly damp.

Why no fabric softener? Softener coats the fibres of technical activewear, which reduces stretch recovery, blocks sweat-wicking, and leaves the fabric feeling slick. The coating is hard to wash out once it's there.

Will the colour fade over time? Properly cared for - washed cold, dried in shade.. LUSS pieces hold their colour for years. The fastest way to fade them is hot water, direct sun, or the dryer.

How often should I wash my activewear? After every wear if it's been worn for movement. After two to three wears if it's been worn as loungewear or to errands.

What if my piece starts to pill? Pilling is usually caused by friction with rougher fabrics in the wash. Wash inside out, with similar fabrics, and pilling will slow significantly. Light pilling can be lifted with a fabric shaver.

Still have a question? Write to us at hello@lussactive.com and we'll help.