How to Wash and Care for Rave Clothing by Fabric Type: Care Guide | Raveival

Knowing how to wash and care for your rave clothing is the simplest way to make your festival wardrobe last longer. Different fabrics need different treatment, and the wrong approach can ruin rhinestones, shrink spandex, or crack leather after a single wash. Caring for what you already own is also one of the easiest ways to fight festival fast fashion — every piece you keep wearable is one less outfit headed for the landfill. Here’s a fabric-by-fabric guide to keeping your rave wear looking fresh for years of festivals.

• Read the label first. Polyester blends vary widely, and the care tag will flag anything unusual (especially in pieces with elastane, mesh panels, or printed graphics).
• Turn the garment inside out before washing to protect prints, screen-printed designs, and any surface treatments.
• Machine-wash with mild detergent and cold or warm water. Cold preserves color longer; warm cuts through festival sweat and stuck-on dust.
• Skip the fabric softener. It can build up on polyester fibers and trap odors over time.
• Machine-dry on low, or air-dry if the piece has any embellishments, prints, or stretch.

• Wash spandex in cold water to help maintain the piece’s shape and elasticity.
• Use a mesh laundry bag for extra protection during the wash cycle.
• Skip the dryer – heat breaks down spandex fibers and shortens the life of the piece. Air-dry instead.

• Wash mesh garments separately from anything with hooks, zippers, or velcro (these snag mesh and can cause holes).
• Use a mesh laundry bag for an extra layer of protection during the wash cycle.
• Machine-wash with cold water and a gentle detergent, or hand-wash.
• Air-dry. Heat from the dryer can warp synthetic mesh and break down the fibers.

• Turn the garment inside out before washing to protect the sequins from snagging on other items.
• Hand-wash in cold water with a gentle detergent whenever possible. Sequins are typically plastic and can warp or dull in hot water.
• If machine-washing, use a mesh laundry bag, cold water, and the gentlest cycle.
• Skip stain remover. The chemicals can dissolve the coating on plastic sequins.
• Lay flat to air-dry. Hanging wet sequin pieces can stretch them out of shape, and dryers can melt the sequins entirely.

• Turn your garments inside out before washing to protect the gems.
• Machine-wash with cold water (hot water can melt the gem glue).
• Hand-wash stains with warm water and detergent. Don’t use stain remover, as the chemicals can also melt the gem glue.
• Air-dry. Skip the dryer to avoid loosening rhinestones from the heat. These are the kind of statement pieces that hold their resale value on the Raveival marketplace if cared for.

• Read the tag for the recommended washing techniques.
• Shake out dirt and dust that may be trapped in fibers.
• Turn the garment inside out before washing. Use cold water and a gentle detergent (for hand or machine-washing).
• Pat out excess water with a towel after washing.
• Air-dry. A fan can speed up the drying process. Avoid dryers – heat can burn or melt the fur.

• Spot test first. Test your cleaning product on a small, hidden area to make sure it won’t damage the leather.
• Spot-clean minor stains with a cloth – microfiber is best.
• Hand-wash real leather in a mixture of leather soap and cold water.
• Rinse off all soap thoroughly.
• Air-dry away from direct heat or sunlight.
• Apply a leather conditioner to prevent cracking and keep the piece to prevent the leather from cracking.

• Machine- or hand-wash in cold water with a gentle detergent. If machine-washing, use cold water and a gentle wash cycle.
• Use a mesh laundry bag for extra protection during the wash cycle.
• Air-dry. Heat from the dryer can crack or peel the faux leather coating.
• Apply a leather conditioner once finished to keep the surface flexible.

Festival fits hold their resale value when you take good care of the garments. Look after your investment, and it will be easily sellable when you’re ready to pass it on. Secondhand rave clothing that is kept in better condition means higher prices, faster sales, and one less outfit headed for the landfill. When you’re done with a piece, list it on Raveival to earn back your money and help bring sustainability to the dance floor, or host your own rave wear swap and trade pieces with friends instead of buying new.