Avoid washing lightweight clothing with heavyweight clothing to avoid friction and damage to lighter-weight fabrics. Washing light and dark-colored clothing separately will help to maintain color integrity. Separate wash loads by color and fabric weight. WASHING: Wash in cold water on the delicate or hand-wash cycle.Washing and caring for Columbia fleece products: STORAGE: To keep your gear safe for next season, store it in a clean, dust-free, and dry environment.If you do use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting advisable. Heat and agitation in the dryer environment can cause clothing to wear out at an accelerated rate. DRYING: To reduce heat damage from drying, hang dry your garments or dry them flat.To reduce snags and damage from washing, ensure that garments are completely closed up zip-up all zippers, secure any hooks or loops and close all snaps and buttons. Excessive washing causes clothing to wear out faster, so wearing a garment multiple times before washing extends the life of the garment.

WASHING: To reduce wear from washing, do not wash clean clothing.Rubbing can also cause abrasion damage to the fabric. Never rub the stain as it can cause the stain to spread or force the stain deeper into the fabric. Start by blotting or sponging the stain to remove as much as possible before treatment. STAINS: To reduce permanent stains, treat them as quickly as possible.COLOR: To improve the color fastness of your clothing, add vinegar to the first washload of dark colors for natural fibers or cotton/poly blends.General tips to extend the life of garments:

Clean Start by S.M. Shade