Care Tips for Löffler Sportswear

Sportswear and outdoor clothing require individual product care. In order to ensure the longest possible use and optimum function, we have summarised the most important care tips for you here.

Loeffler World Care Tips

Care tips

Regular care of Löffler functional clothing ensures optimum function and prolongs its service life. Textiles are not made to last forever and this is also true for functional sportswear. However, good care can contribute a great deal to the long life of heavily “stressed” sports textiles.

Functional Clothing

General rule: Wash functional material often and with little amounts of detergent rather than rarely using a lot!

Always follow the care symbols on the label of every Löffler product! They indicate the maximum washing temperature or whether the item may be ironed or tumble dried.
For hygienic reasons we recommended to wash clothes before wearing them for the first time.
It is best to wash the clothes inside out. Avoid color differences of removable pant legs resulting from multiple washings.
Always close zippers, press studs and Velcro fasteners before washing to avoid mechanical damage to other materials. At the same time, this also increases their service life.
Never leave laundry wet in your sports bag or in the washing machine
Detergents should be used sparingly. Liquid detergents are ideal, but it is better not to use fabric softeners (can impair the function by sticking together fibers to membranes). Alternatively, add plain vinegar (no vinegar essence) into the fabric softener compartment or directly onto the textiles. Vinegar basically has a softening effect and can help to neutralise perspiration odor. At the same time, it is good for the machine.
An important property of functional materials is that they dry quickly. Therefore, drying in a tumble dryer is usually not necessary. Air drying is the most gentle method both for the textiles and the environment.
Be careful when you put your clothes on. Some seam tears are caused by overstretching or jerky, impatient pulling on legs, sleeves, or neck openings
Often material damage or pilling are not a defect but can be caused by sharp edges or rough spots e.g on the rucksack, saddlebags, hip pockets or Velcro fasteners.

Weatherproof clothing

Of course, weather protection clothing made of Gore-Tex ®, Windstopper Softshell or WPM3 can and should also be washed/cleaned. The function of the membrane remains intact. It is important to rinse sufficiently to avoid detergent residues. Do not hand wash or use fabric softener. For best results, use liquid detergent, not powder.

Reactivate water-repellent impregnation (Durable Water Repellent, DWR)

The water-repellent impregnation of an outer fabric can basically be reactivated by heat. This is done either by a drying process in a tumble dryer (after the drying process for a further 20 minutes at low temperature) or by ironing at an appropriate temperature. When ironing, a cloth should always be placed between the garment and the iron. The care symbols on the sew-in label should always be observed. But even if the care symbols tumble dryer and ironing are crossed out, a short and gentle treatment in the tumble dryer and ironing at a low temperature cannot cause any damage. Especially in the shoulder area and upper back, activation by ironing is useful.

Should reimpregnation be necessary after a long period of use, Löffler recommends the use of an impregnation spray. After normal washing, allow the garment to air-dry slightly, then spray the outer fabric evenly and then heat-treat. We do not recommend impregnation with detergent, as washing also impregnates the inside of the garment and limits its water-transporting properties.

Attention: The surface of the new Gore-Tex ® Active Shakedry is permanently water-repellent and does not require additional impregnation.

If dry cleaning is necessary – e.g. in case of oily soiling – cleaning with hydrocarbon solvent (symbol F) is recommended. A water-repellent impregnation should be sprayed on before drying.

Clothing with Primaloft®

The synthetic insulation material Primaloft® is easy to clean. As with all articles, first take a look at the care label. These instructions are always based on the most sensitive material component. Therefore, we cannot give general care instructions for Primaloft® articles.

Use liquid detergent instead of powder detergent
Do not use fabric softener
Close zippers, press studs or Velcro fasteners and turn the garment inside out
Freshly washed Primaloft® garments come out of the washing machine dripping wet. Ideally hang them on a hanger to dry. If the symbol for the tumble dryer is not crossed out, it is advisable to tumble dry after it has dripped off and to turn the garment inside out once during the process until it is completely dry.

Care symbols

The care symbols on the label of a garment provide information on how you should care for the textile.

washing

The figures in the wash-tub indicate the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius which must not be exceeded. The bar under the wash-tub requires milder treatment (gentle cycle). A double bar means a very mild treatment (mechanically), mostly for products made of wool (reducing amount of laundry).

do not wash

Products with this symbol must not be washed. They may be sensitive to any kind of wet treatment or be unsuitable for treatment in a household machine because of their size.

hand wash

Only hand wash, water temperature up to max. 40°C depending on textile. First dissolve mild detergent in plenty of water. Allow the textile to float in the solution an agitate carefully. Do not rub, pull or wring out. Then rinse the textiles well with wat

wash at or below 30 degreed

The number in the wash tub – 30 ° – indicates the temperature in degrees Celsius, which must not be exceeded. When washing in the household washing machine, always follow their instructions for use.

gentle wash at or below 30 degreed

Delicates e.g. made of modal, viscose, polyacryl, polyester and polyamide. Reduce quantity of laundry. Set corresponding wash program. No spin or only brief spin if risk of creasing.

wash at or below 40 degrees

Wash program for e.g. dark colored textiles made of cotton, polyester, blended fabrics etc.

gentle wash at or below 40 degrees

Delicates e.g. made of modal, viscose, polyacrylic, polyester and polyamide. Reduce amount of laundry. Set corresponding wash program. Only brief spin if risk of creasing.

gentle wash at or below 30 degrees

Wash very gently. 30 degrees maximum. Please use wool washing program.

gentle wash at or below 40 degrees

Wash very gently. 40 degrees maximum. Please use wool washing program.

wash at or below 60 degrees

not boil-proof colored laundry e.g. cotton, modal, polyester or blends from them.

bleach

The triangle indicates whether the product may be bleached or not. Please leave this to a professional textile cleaner.

Do not bleach

The crossed our triangle indicates that bleaching is not possible. Only use bleach-free detergent.

Oxygen bleach

The triangle with the two diagonal lines indicates that only oxygen bleach (contained in all-purpose detergents) is possible but no chlorine bleach.

dry

A square is the symbol for the drying process. The circle within the square indicates the drying in a tumble dryer. The dots in the dryer drum indicate the amount of heat exposure. Preferably do not tumble dry if there is no explicit care label.

Do not tumble dry

Tumble drying is not possible.

Tumble dry low heat

Caution. Tumble dry at low temperature. Choose program with reduced thermic exposure.

Tumble dry medium

Tumble drying at normal thermic exposure possible without limitations.

ironing

The dots indicate the temperature of an iron. Some irons assign certain fibers to these temperatures. Only choose the maximum temperatures according to the care label of the textile and not according to its raw material composition.

do not iron

Ironing not possible. Otherwise annoying and irreversible changes must be expected.

Cool iron

Iron inside out or with press cloth if clothes are shiny or pressure-sensitive. Be careful with steaming.

Warm iron

Iron inside out or with cloth if clothes are shiny or pressure sensitive. Steaming possible. Avoid heavy pressure. Do not distort.

Hot iron

Treat whilst still damp; moisten if necessary. Iron inside out or with press cloth if clothes are shiny or pressure-sensitive. Steaming possible.

dryclean

The letters in the circle are primarily intended for the professional dry cleaner. They give information on the solvents that can be used. The bar under the circle indicates that mechanical exposure, added moisture, wash and/or dry temperatures have to be reduced.

Do not dry clean

Dry clean (chemical clean) is not possible.

Perchlorethylene

Perchlorethylene, hydrocarbons (heavy gasoline). Cleaning process for materials which can be cleaned under normal cleaning conditions.

Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons (heavy gasline). Cleaning method for textiles which can be cleaned under normal cleaning conditions. Chlorfluorocarbons (CFC) are not used any more.

Perchlorethylene for sensitive textiles

Perchlorethylene, hydrocarbons (heavy gasoline). Cleaning method for sensitive textiles.

Hydrocarbons for sensitive textiles

Hydrocarbons (heavy gasoline). Cleaning method for very sensitive textiles.

wet clean

The symbol for wet cleaning is used for articles which may be treated in water by a professional wet cleaning process. The requirements placed on the professional equipment, the aids used and the finishing methods cannot be achieved with household washing machines.

Do not wet clean

Wet clean not possible.

Wet cleaning process

This symbol applies to sensitive textiles. The mechanical action of this wet cleaning process is significantly lower than the wool wash in the household machine.

Wet cleaning process

This symbol applies to sensitive textiles. The mechanical action of this wet celaning process is significantly lower than in the wool wash in the household maschine.