How to Care for Air Spun and Silk Noil Tees Without Damage
By John Elliott Official Online Store | Johnelliott.com | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: Tips & Care
Air Spun jersey and Silk Noil are built for a broken-in feel, but they need gentle washing to stay that way. Follow this step-by-step routine to prevent shrinkage, snags, and dulling.
Quick answer
Turn both Air Spun and Silk Noil tees inside out, wash them cold on a delicate cycle with a gentle detergent, and skip the dryer entirely. Air Spun jersey can handle a mesh bag and a low-spin cycle; Silk Noil is more fragile, so hand washing or a very short delicate cycle is safer. The goal is to protect the loose knit and surface texture rather than scrub it clean.
Why Air Spun and Silk Noil Need Different Handling
Both fabrics are designed to look and feel broken-in from day one, but they get there in different ways. Air Spun jersey is knit with a looser construction using recycled yarn, which brings out a natural, textured surface and subtle slub character. That loose knit is what makes the tee soft, and it is also what makes it vulnerable to snagging and stretching if you wash it with heavy items or wring it out.
Silk Noil is made from upcycled silk fibers — the short fibers left behind in traditional spinning — giving it a dry hand, matte finish, and organic irregular texture. Silk fibers are protein-based, so they are sensitive to heat, harsh detergents, and agitation. The unfinished edges and baby cover stitch on the Silk Noil Anti-Expo Tee are part of its look, but they can fray or distort if the garment is tossed into a hot wash or a dryer.
What You Need Before You Start
A few cheap tools make the biggest difference. Keep a mesh laundry bag for Air Spun tees, a gentle pH-neutral detergent (look for one labeled for delicates or silk), and a drying rack. Avoid fabric softener and dryer sheets — they coat the fibers and flatten the texture that gives these tees their character. If you use a stain remover, test it on an inside hem first, especially on Silk Noil, because the matte finish can show water spots or dye changes.
Step-by-Step Care Routine
- 1. Turn the tee inside out and close any mesh bag: Turning the garment inside out puts the friction on the seams instead of the surface texture. For Air Spun tees, place them in a mesh bag to keep the loose knit from snagging on zippers or buttons in the load. Silk Noil should be washed alone or with other soft, light-colored delicates. Checkpoint: if you can see the slub texture on the outside of the bag, the tee is not fully protected.
- 2. Wash cold on a delicate cycle with gentle detergent: Set the machine to cold water and the most delicate cycle available, ideally with a low spin speed. Use a pH-neutral detergent made for delicates or silk, and measure it — too much detergent leaves residue that dulls the matte finish. For Silk Noil, hand washing in a clean sink with cool water is the safest option if you have the time. Common mistake: using regular detergent or warm water, which can strip the finish and cause shrinkage.
- 3. Skip the dryer and reshape while damp: Heat is the fastest way to shrink cotton and damage silk. Lay Air Spun tees flat on a drying rack or hang them by the hem; lay Silk Noil flat and away from direct sun or radiators. While the tee is still damp, gently reshape the neckline and body so it dries in its intended silhouette. Checkpoint: if the tee feels stiff when dry, it was likely over-spun or over-soaped — a short cold rinse can help.
- 4. Store folded, not hung, and steam instead of ironing: Hanging a loose-knit tee can stretch the shoulders over time. Fold Air Spun and Silk Noil tees and stack them in a drawer. If wrinkles bother you, use a steamer held a few inches away rather than pressing an iron directly on the fabric. If you must iron, use the lowest silk setting and press on the reverse side. Common mistake: ironing the front of a Silk Noil tee, which can flatten the irregular texture and leave shine.
Fabric Facts That Change How You Wash
- Air Spun Beach Pocket Tee / Salt: Air Spun Beach Pocket Tee / Salt is crafted from Air Spun jersey using recycled yarn, knit with a looser construction to bring out a natural, textured surface, and designed to feel broken-in from day one with a soft hand and subtle slub character. The loose knit is what gives the tee its softness, so a gentle cycle and mesh bag protect the surface from snags and keep that broken-in feel instead of flattening it.
- Air Spun Shrunken Tee / Plum: Air Spun Shrunken Tee / Plum is a slim, shrunken tee with a shorter body length, finished with a rib-knit neckline and baby coverstitch detailing, made in Peru from 100% cotton Air Spun jersey. Because the fit is intentionally close and the body is short, any shrinkage from hot water or a dryer will be more noticeable, so cold washing and air drying matter even more.
- Silk Noil Anti-Expo Tee / Black: Silk Noil Anti-Expo Tee / Black is made in Japan from Silk Noil fabric crafted from upcycled silk fibers, known for natural slub and irregular texture, with a dry hand and matte finish. Silk fibers are protein-based and sensitive to heat and harsh detergents, so hand washing or a very short delicate cycle keeps the matte finish and irregular texture intact.
