SHELL WASH

STEP 1: READ THE CARE LABEL

• Locate and read the manufacturer care label on your jacket(s). Be careful to follow any guidelines the manufacturer has included regarding water temperature, products to avoid, etc. For KAEMP8848 jackets, that label is most often found on the left hip of the jacket. Today, nearly all technical waterproof outerwear is made of synthetic fabrics such as polyester, polyamide, nylon, etc.
• The common “DO NOTs” for washing technical waterproof outerwear:
• do not bleach
• do not dry clean
• do not iron
• do not use standard laundry detergent
• do not forget to close all velcro straps and zippers
• do not use fabric softener

STEP 2: INSERT JACKET

• Zip up all the zippers and place jacket(s) in the washing machine with a maximum of one like-item.
• TIP: All technical apparel should be washed by itself or with same-category items. For example, multiple synthetic rain jackets may be washed together, but do not mix in other types of garments (cotton, baselayers, denim, wool, etc.). Different fabrics require different care and cleaners.

STEP 3: ADD CLEANER

Avoid laundry detergent. Instead, replace it with a technical cleaner designed for synthetic technical outerwear, like Nikwax Tech Wash. In a top-loading machine, add three full caps (150ml) for 1–3 jackets, or five full caps (250ml) for 4–5 jackets. In a front loader, it’s best to add no more than 2 jackets with 2 capfuls (100ml) of Tech Wash. TIP: If you live in an area with hard water, toss in an extra cap-full of Tech Wash. If you have a High Efficiency (HE) machine, use about half the recommended amount so you don’t create an overload of suds.

STEP 4: RUN WASH CYCLE

Most often, use medium temperature water, and a medium-strength cycle. Consult the care label to be sure. More often than not, this single wash cycle will be enough to have cleaned your garments and revitalized the repellency.

STEP 5: DRY JACKET

Most importantly, follow the care label for specific drying instructions. If instructions are not clear, a common method is to tumble dry the garment(s) on medium heat. Tumble drying helps to reactivate the existing DWR treatment. Otherwise, air-drying can be an alternative. TIP: Be careful not to overdry or overheat synthetic technical outerwear. Extremely high heat can damage the seam-taping of some synthetic outerwear. Opt for medium heat temperatures, instead.