Care
Activewear does not wear out from being worn. It wears out from being washed wrong. Five minutes of care here buys you years of shape retention.
The five rules
1. Cold water, inside out. Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, garment turned inside out, with similar colours. Cold protects the elastane; hot water is what makes a waistband go slack.
2. Never fabric softener. This is the one that matters most. Softener leaves a film on stretch fibres — it kills the recovery, so the piece stops springing back and starts sagging at the knees and seat. No softener, no bleach, no stain remover with chlorine. A small amount of gentle detergent is all you need.
3. Air dry, always. Lay flat or hang to dry, away from direct heat. A tumble dryer is the fastest way to destroy stretch — the heat breaks down the elastane permanently, and no amount of care afterwards brings it back. Do not iron, do not dry clean.
4. Do not leave it damp in your bag. Rinse or wash within a few hours of training. Sweat left sitting in a folded piece is where odour becomes permanent — once bacteria set into the fibre, washing no longer removes the smell.
5. Fold, do not hang. Hanging leggings and shorts by the waistband stretches it out over months under their own weight. Fold them flat in a drawer.
The things nobody warns you about
Sunscreen, self-tan and body oil stain light fabrics. On stone, blush and cream tones especially. If it happens, rinse the area in cold water immediately rather than waiting for wash day — once it has set and been through a warm cycle, it is usually there for good.
Velcro and rough surfaces snag seamless knits. Gym equipment, a car seat with a rough weave, the velcro on a jacket cuff. Seamless construction is what makes a piece feel like nothing; the trade-off is that it catches more easily than a heavy woven fabric.
Some pilling where fabric rubs fabric is normal. The inner thigh is the usual place. It is friction, not a fault, and it happens on every brand of legging at every price. It does not mean the piece is failing.
If something is actually wrong
A seam that gives, fabric that fails, a piece that arrives faulty — that is on us, not on you. Email support@inglowetrust.com within 30 days of delivery with a photo, and we will sort it out with a refund or a replacement.
Fibre composition varies by piece. Check the composition listed on each product page, and follow the care label inside the garment if the two ever differ.