Why heavyweight cotton matters

Most of what separates a tee that lasts three years from one that lasts three months isn't the print. It's the weight and the construction of the fabric underneath it.

What weight changes

A heavier knit holds its own shape. It hangs off the shoulder instead of clinging, the hem stays where it's cut, and the fabric doesn't go semi-transparent after a few washes. That's the whole reason our silhouettes read boxy — the fabric is doing the work, not the cut.

Heavy cotton also takes print better. A dense surface means the sigil sits flat and saturated rather than sinking into a loose weave.

Keeping a heavy piece looking new

• Wash cold and inside out — heat is what fades a print, not washing.
• Turn hoodies inside out too, so the print never rubs against the drum.
• Skip the dryer. Air dry flat or on a wide hanger; a hot dryer is the main cause of shrinkage and cracked prints.
• Never iron directly over a print. Iron the reverse side if you need to.
• Wash less than you think. Airing a hoodie out between wears does more for it than another cycle.

Build around fewer pieces

Heavy staples are worth buying in small numbers and wearing constantly: a black tee, a black hoodie, one pair of pants that actually fits. Everything in our range is built to be restocked rather than dumped, so a piece you wear out can be replaced with the same piece.

That's less exciting than a new drop every fortnight. It also means your wardrobe still works next winter.