If you've just picked up a fresh Windbar tee for the season's first outdoor event, you might be tempted to treat it like any old cotton shirt. But ring-spun cotton is a bit more delicate than regular jersey. The fibers are twisted finer, which gives that soft feel and drape, but it also means they can shrink or warp more easily if you're careless.

The protective camp says: cold water, mild detergent, and never let it see the inside of a dryer. They have a point. Cold water prevents shrinkage and keeps the fibers from breaking down. Air drying is the gentlest thing you can do for the fabric and for any print on the chest. You hang it on a rack, maybe outdoors on a sunny day, and you let time do the work. It takes longer, sure, but you're buying months of extra life for a shirt that's part of your event uniform.

There's also the storage side. Fold your tees, don't hang them. Hangers stretch the shoulders, and that's a one-way trip to a misshapen tee. The protective method is about patience, but it's simple: wash cold, dry flat, fold, repeat.