Congratulations! You have discovered the sports bra that offers the perfect blend of support and protection for your upper body. In the marathon of finding the ideal sports bra, you crossed the finish line with the AAVA Armoured Sports Bra. But the journey does not end here – it is time to ensure your winning companion lasts as long as your passion for breaking a sweat. We have prepared a guide on gentle care routines that will enhance the longevity of your newfound favourite sports bra.
Care Routine #1: Wear, Rinse, Repeat
The AAVA Armoured Sports Bra boasts impact foam with Microban® Antimicrobial Technology, keeping it fresher between washes. Here is a game-changing tip: after each workout, take AAVA into the shower, give it a quick rinse to bid farewell to fresh sweat, and hang it to dry. If your AAVA is in regular use you can repeat this for 5-10 uses before a proper wash. Lesser washing cycles mean lesser strain on fabric, which means a longer-lasting AAVA! But remember to wash your AAVA before storing it for a break.
Watch the care routine "Wear, Rinse, Repeat" in action in the YouTube Short
Care Routine #2: Machine Wash with Extra TLC
For a fuss-free option, machine wash your AAVA, but keep it cool. Opt for cooler temperatures up to 30°C/86°F. The Microban® treatment makes higher temperatures unnecessary. Lower wash temperatures preserve fabric integrity and contribute to the environment. Lowering wash temperatures can lead to significant energy savings, equivalent to removing emissions from around 700,000 cars. Check out the European Initiative iprefer30.eu for more on this.
But lower temperature washing is not only about reducing energy consumption during a washing cycle but also decreasing the overall impact of the textile industry on the environment. Making products last longer prevents them from prematurely ending up in landfills. And while most landfill horror stories mainly feature Fast Fashion products as the cause, any garment that can be loved longer can do its part.
“Less than half of used clothes are collected for reuse or recycling, and only 1% of used clothes are recycled into new clothes, since technologies that would enable clothes to be recycled into virgin fibres are only now starting to emerge.”
Source: www.europarl.europa.eu
Watch the care routine "Machine Wash with Extra TLC" in action in the YouTube Short
Other than reducing washing cycles and washing with lower temperatures, you can also increase product longevity with Eco-Washing bags. This is particularly important when washing clothing made from synthetic fabrics, which most athletic wear is made from. Even the recycled polyester AAVA is made from releases microplastics into the water during a washing cycle. The amount of microplastics released depends on the washing temperature. From the UK Study conducted in 2019: "Microfibre release was significantly greater for the 40 °C, 85 min cycle in comparison with the cold-quick cycle, and this effect continued with further washes.”
“Plastic microfibres are released when synthetic textiles are washed; they are a global problem and account for over a third of all plastic reaching the open ocean, which can have a devastating effect on wildlife.”
Source: www.sciencedirect.com
An Eco-Washing bag such as the GUPPYFRIEND® washing bag (guppyfriend.com) is an excellent tool to capture those microplastics before they are released into the ocean. Additionally, the bag protects your garments during the washing cycles, which will again increase the longevity of your product.
Care Routine #3: SOAK AAVA for 15 Minutes
Indulge your AAVA in a spa day! Soak it in SOAK Wash by running a low-temperature bath. Let AAVA relax for 15 minutes or more, and then hang it to dry. This gentle method ensures your sports bra gets cleaned faster than your post-workout shower. SOAK Wash is skin- and fabric-friendly, available in various scents, or scentless. Explore their range at soakwash.com.
Watch the care routine "SOAK for 15 Minutes" in action in the YouTube Short
How fast does AAVA dry?
The drying time of AAVA will depend on some factors, which include humidity, general temperature and season in your location. We tested AAVA's drying time in European winter conditions. We hung AAVA to dry above a bathroom radiator heated to about 20°C / 68°F. Within 7 hours, the AAVA was dry and ready for action.
Conclusion and AAVA No-Nos
No matter how you wash your AAVA or any other sports bra, for that matter, here are a few things to always avoid!
Never, ever put AAVA in the dryer. High temperatures can damage synthetic fibres and detach the impact foam built into AAVA. While this will not affect the functionality of the protective qualities of the impact foam, it will cause undesirable cosmetic effects. When drying AAVA, always line dry or lay flat. When storing AAVA, ensure to never fold the impact foam, as this can cause the foam to break. Instead, store it lying flat or hanging. Never use softeners or chemical wash.
The AAVA Armoured Sports Bra was made with love! 💜❤️ No matter which washing routing you choose, remember to avoid AAVA No-Nos – never tumble dry, store without care, or use softeners. These precautions will ensure your AAVA stays in top-notch condition, ready to support you through countless workouts, protecting you better for longer.
