Care & Washing Instructions

Functional apparel, especially rain jackets with a DWR coating, provides reliable protection against wind and weather. To ensure these properties are maintained over time, proper care is essential. Regular but moderate cleaning, combined with targeted aftercare, helps keep garments breathable and water-repellent.

When washing is necessary:

Functional apparel should not be washed after every wear. In many cases, lighter measures are sufficient:

• Airing out: Odors can often be removed simply by airing the garment out.
  

• Spot cleaning: Minor stains can be carefully removed with a damp cloth.
  

• Functional check: If water still beads off the surface, the waterproofing is intact and washing is not required.
  

Please note: Each wash slightly reduces the garment’s water-repellent performance. Therefore, washing is recommended only when the measures above are no longer sufficient.

Preparation before washing

• Follow the care instructions on the label
  

• Close all zippers, buttons, and hook-and-loop fasteners
  

• Empty pockets and loosen drawstrings
  

• Turn the jacket inside out
  

Proper washing – step by step

For hardshell and softshell jackets

• Detergent: Use a special detergent designed for functional apparel
  

• Program: Gentle or delicate cycle at 30–40 °C (follow the care label)
  

• Activate extra rinse: This ensures all detergent residues are completely removed.
  

• Spin cycle: Use a low spin speed or avoid spinning altogether
  

• Load size: Do not wash too many garments at once so the jacket has enough room
  

• Not suitable: Fabric softener, standard detergents, bleach, or dry cleaning.
  
  

For down jackets

Down jackets require especially gentle care to maintain their natural loft and thermal performance.

• Detergent: Use a special down detergent – do not use regular functional detergents.
  

• Program: Gentle or delicate cycle at 30 °C, preferably with plenty of water.
  

• Spin cycle: Spin gently only (max. 400–600 rpm) to prevent the down from clumping.
  

• Load size: One jacket per wash cycle – it needs sufficient space to move freely.
  

• Extra rinse: Multiple rinse cycles are important to ensure no detergent residue remains in the down.
  

• Important: Do not use fabric softener or bleach.
  

Tip: Two to three clean tennis balls or dryer balls can already help during washing to keep the down loose.

Drying

For hardshell and softshell jackets

• Gentle air-drying on a hanger is ideal.
  

• Many functional jackets can also be tumble-dried at a low temperature. This helps reactivate the existing DWR coating through heat.
  

For down jackets

• Proper drying is essential to prevent clumping and mold formation.
  

• After washing, carefully remove the jacket from the machine and do not wring it out.
  

• Remove excess water by gently pressing (do not twist).
  

• Tumble-dry at a low temperature with 2–3 clean tennis balls to regularly fluff the down.
  

• The drying process may take several hours; the jacket should be shaken and fluffed repeatedly in between.
  

• The jacket should remain in the dryer until it is completely dry.
  

• Down jackets should never be dried on a radiator or in direct sunlight.
  

Refreshing the waterproofing

Over time, the water-repellent coating loses its effectiveness. If water no longer beads off reliably, reproofing is not always immediately necessary:

• First step: Place the jacket in the dryer at a low temperature for approx. 30 minutes. This often reactivates the existing DWR coating.
  

• If necessary: Reproof the jacket.

Spray-on waterproofing: Highly recommended, as it treats only the outer layer and maintains breathability.

Wash-in waterproofing: Easy to apply, but also treats the inner layer, which can slightly reduce breathability.

Afterwards, activate the jacket with moderate heat so the protective layer can fully develop.