Loungewear is more than just a wardrobe staple, it's a daily comfort and a reflection of personal style. When loungewear is made with plush, ultra-soft fabrics like ours, proper care becomes essential for preserving its feel and fit season after season. The right care routine can keep your favorite pieces looking and feeling like “wearable dessert,” ready for cozy evenings or stylish mornings alike.
If you love our women’s lounge dresses (explore the collection here), you know how important loungewear care is. Gentle, mindful washing protects both the look and longevity of every piece. We’ll guide you through the essentials so you can enjoy lasting comfort—and style.
Care Labels: Your Garment’s Best Friend
It’s a question nearly every loungewear lover faces: “What do these care symbols actually mean?” Following your care label is the surest way to keep your loungewear at its best. The Federal Trade Commission’s guidelines require brands to provide clear care instructions, so always start here.
One commonly misunderstood symbol is the "Do Not Bleach" triangle with a cross. Using bleach on sensitive fabrics can cause discoloration or weaken fibers, so it's crucial to recognize and follow this symbol.
Other symbols such as ‘hand wash’ and ‘dry flat’ are also common on loungewear and point to the need for extra gentleness.
What really matters is that reading—and heeding—care labels protects your favorite pieces from accidental damage.
For more on selecting care-friendly gifts, explore our gift guide content.
Step-by-Step: How to Wash and Dry Loungewear the Right Way
Caring for loungewear starts with the wash. Here’s how to keep every piece soft, colorful, and long-lasting:
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Sort by Fabric: Separate delicate knits, silks, and fleece from sturdier cotton or blends.
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Choose the Right Cycle: Use the gentle or delicate cycle and opt for cold water to prevent shrinking and fading. As one laundry expert notes, “Cold water protects fabrics, prevents shrinking, and helps clothes last longer—especially delicate items like silk, cashmere, or anything with bright colors” (time.com).
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Use Mild Detergent: Select a gentle detergent and skip fabric softeners, especially for synthetics or plush knits.
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Protect Delicates: Place finer items in mesh bags to reduce friction and pilling.
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Air Dry When Possible: Lay garments flat or hang to dry away from direct sunlight. If you must use a dryer, choose a low-heat setting.
If you have stains, pretreat gently before washing, and remember that over-washing can wear out your favorite pieces faster.
You’ll find more inspiration for your next cozy season in our August Gift Guide: Late Summer to Early Fall Loungewear You’ll Love.
Preventing Shrinkage, Pilling, and Wear
Little habits make a big difference when it comes to protecting your loungewear from common forms of damage.
Washing with high heat or drying on a hot cycle can cause shrinkage and break down fabric fibers over time.
To avoid pilling and stretching, turn garments inside out, use gentle cycles, and avoid mixing with abrasive fabrics like denim. Try washing delicate pieces in mesh laundry bags to further reduce friction and prevent pilling.
As laundry experts warn, “Washing your clothes at too high a temperature could be doing more harm than good... regularly washing at high heats can damage fabrics, reduce the lifespan of garments, and waste money” (womanandhome.com).
Explore more on how to prevent pilling on loungewear in our fabric care guide.
Storage and Everyday Habits for Long-Lasting Comfort
Too many beautiful loungewear pieces lose their shape in the closet, not the wash.
Key takeaway: Fold, don’t hang, heavier knits and loungewear to prevent stretching. As laundry experts recommend, “I highly recommend folding sweaters and putting them in fabric bags for off-season storage. You should never hang a heavier weight knit garment, as it will stretch out” (time.com).
For your most delicate loungewear, consider breathable garment bags to protect from dust and pests.
Airing out between wears and rotating your favorite sets can help preserve their freshness and shape.
For more loungewear storage tips, visit our August Gift Guide.
Gelato Pique’s Signature Fabrics: Special Care for “Wearable Dessert”
Our iconic “gelato” and “soufflé” knits deserve a little extra attention. As Gelato Pique’s own Hiroshi Tanaka shares, “Our signature 'gelato' fabric requires delicate handling; we recommend hand washing in cold water to maintain its plush texture.”
This plushness is what makes our women’s lounge dresses and other signature pieces truly special—gentle washing and air drying will keep your favorites super-soft and beautiful for years to come.
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Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Loungewear Care
Caring for your loungewear can be good for the planet, too. There’s a growing trend towards sustainable living, and many consumers now seek out eco-friendly detergents and gentle washing techniques.
Eco-conscious shoppers are driving this shift—more than 65% now prioritize sustainable options when choosing new loungewear.
Choose biodegradable, plant-based detergents, use cold water, and air dry to reduce environmental impact while preserving garment quality. Mesh laundry bags can extend garment life and reduce microfiber shedding.
For more on eco-friendly loungewear care, browse our seasonal gift guide.
Common Loungewear Care Mistakes to Avoid
It’s tempting to believe that more washing equals more freshness, but over-washing can actually fade colors and weaken fibers—especially for dyed cotton fabrics. “Over-washing clothes, especially with dyed cotton fabrics, can cause colors to fade over time. It's important to avoid overloading your wash with too much detergent, as the detergent will cause the colors to fade over time” (goodhousekeeping.com).
Other common mistakes include using bleach on delicate fabrics, misreading care labels, or using fabric softeners where they’re not recommended.
Rotate your loungewear sets and repair small snags promptly to keep each piece at its best.
For more, check our fabric care label guide.
Understanding Loungewear Fabrics: What Makes Yours Special
From our signature Gelato and Soufflé knits to cotton, modal, silk, and bamboo, every loungewear fabric brings something unique to your wardrobe. Each type requires a slightly different approach, but all benefit from gentle, fabric-specific care.
Here’s how each fabric stands out:
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Gelato/Soufflé Knit: Plush, ultra-soft, and airy—requires delicate washing and air drying to maintain its signature fluffiness.
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Cotton: Breathable, durable, and classic—wash in cold water and tumble dry low or air dry to prevent shrinkage.
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Modal: Smooth and moisture-wicking—machine wash cold, lay flat to dry.
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Silk: Luxurious and lightweight—hand wash in cold water, avoid wringing, and lay flat to dry.
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Linen: Crisp and moisture-absorbing—machine wash cool, air dry.
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Polyester Blends: Wrinkle-resistant—wash cold, avoid high heat when drying.
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Fleece: Warm and insulating—gentle cycle, avoid fabric softeners, air dry.
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Bamboo & Microfiber: Eco-friendly and soft—wash cold, lay flat or air dry, avoid softeners. Increasingly, eco-certified fibers like organic cotton or bamboo are becoming a preferred choice for responsible comfort.
Want to explore the most comfortable fabrics for lounge dresses? We break down fabric pros and care tips in our dedicated guide.
Conclusion: Make Every Day a Cozy Day
With just a few mindful habits, you can keep your favorite loungewear pieces feeling like “wearable dessert” for years of cozy evenings and lazy mornings. Whether you’re caring for a classic set or a limited-edition collab, following these tips will help you extend loungewear lifespan and embrace everyday comfort.
Explore our women’s lounge dresses and gift guides to find your next favorite piece—then care for it with love.
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References
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Good Housekeeping. (n.d.). Laundry mistakes that ruin clothes. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a569662/laundry-mistakes-that-ruin-clothes/
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Time. (2024, March). How to do laundry and wash clothes. https://time.com/7298799/how-to-do-laundry-wash-clothes/
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Woman & Home. (n.d.). Experts recommend the best temperature to wash laundry. https://www.womanandhome.com/homes/experts-recommend-best-temperature-to-wash-laundry/
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FTC. (n.d.). Clothes Captioning: Complying with the Care Labeling Rule. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/clothes-captioning-complying-care-labeling-rule
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The Laundress. (n.d.). How to launder loungewear. https://www.thelaundress.com/blogs/tips/how-to-launder-loungewear
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Green Neighborhoods Project. (n.d.). Cozy Earth washing instructions. https://greenneighborhoodsproject.org/cozy-earth-washing-instructions