When we designed the first Nudyess collection, we knew one thing: we didn't want to make clothes for just one season. We chose dense, cotton ribbed knitwear precisely because it is inherently long-lasting, as we wrote in more detail in the history of rib knit. But even the best fabric won't protect itself from a tumble dryer and washing at 60°C.
That's why this guide was created. We've gathered everything we've learned over years of working with ribbed knitwear, tried and tested on our own clothes: how to wash a ribbed dress, how to dry it, iron it, store it, and what to do when something goes wrong. This isn't a dry care label. This is an instruction manual for a garment meant to stay with you for years.
One note before we begin: all the rules in this text apply to cotton knitwear with an elastane blend, which is what we use at Nudyess. If you have wool or viscose rib knit in your wardrobe, some of the rules will be different.
Why ribbed knitwear requires different care than plain cotton
A cotton T-shirt made of smooth jersey knit forgives almost everything. Ribbed knitwear does not. This is due to three characteristics that make it unique to wear but demanding to wash.
First: elastane. Our knitwear is 95% cotton and 5% elastane, a proportion that creates a "second skin" effect and makes the dress shape the silhouette instead of hanging loose. But elastane is a synthetic fiber sensitive to high temperatures and aggressive chemicals. Water above 40°C, tumble drying, and chlorine bleaches gradually destroy its structure, and then the knitwear loses what you love it for: its ability to return to shape. You can read more about the composition of our fabrics on the Our Fabrics page.
Second: dense weave and high grammage. We work with knitwear weighing 280–320 g/m², significantly heavier than the high-street standard. Heavy, water-soaked knitwear weighs several times more than when dry. This is why the drying method is so important: hung vertically, it stretches under its own weight.
Third: ribbed structure. Vertical ribs are alternating columns of stitches, a construction that works beautifully along the body, but with intensive spinning and friction, it can deform and pill in areas of greatest contact.
The good news: none of these characteristics means complicated care. It just means different care. Specifically, five habits described below.
How to wash ribbed knitwear, step by step
Let's start with the most common question we get in messages: can a ribbed dress be machine washed? Yes, and you don't have to hand wash if you set the washing machine as described below. Hand washing is an option, not an obligation.
Before washing: 60 seconds that prolong the life of your dress
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Turn the garment inside out. The right side of the knit, with its distinct ribbing, is most susceptible to friction against the drum and other clothes. Washing inside out protects the texture and color.
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Zip up zippers and fasten hooks and eyes on other clothes in the drum. An open zipper on a neighboring sweatshirt can pull a loop out of the knit faster than anything else.
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Place the knitwear in a mesh laundry bag. This is the cheapest insurance policy in the world: a few zlotys, and it protects against snagging, friction, and deformation. We especially recommend it for washing bodysuits and tops with thin straps.
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Wash similar colors together. Darks with darks, lights with lights. Our knitwear is dyed with certified dyes, but the "black separately for the first two washes" rule applies to any new fabric.
Washing machine settings: temperature, spin speed, program
Temperature: maximum 30°C. This is the most important single rule in this guide. Cotton shrinks at higher temperatures, and elastane loses elasticity. 30°C combined with a good detergent perfectly handles everyday dirt; higher temperatures are simply unnecessary.
Spin speed: maximum 600 revolutions. Intense spinning (1000–1400 revolutions) is the most common cause of knit deformation; it twists fibers, creases ribs, and strains seams. 400–600 revolutions remove enough water, and a towel will do the rest (more on that in a moment).
Program: delicate / knitwear / wool. This refers to a lower intensity of drum rotations during the wash itself, not just spinning. If your washing machine has a "hand wash" program, it's ideal.
Detergent: what to use and what to avoid
Use gentle liquid detergents, preferably those designed for delicate or colored fabrics. Mild baby detergents, which do not contain aggressive enzymes or optical brighteners, also work well.
Avoid washing powders. Undissolved powder particles settle in the dense rib weave and act like fine sandpaper, accelerating pilling.
Avoid detergents for white clothes and bleaches. They contain optical brighteners and chlorine compounds that destroy elastane and change the shade of dyed knitwear, particularly noticeable on nude, ecru, and tan colors.
Be careful with fabric softener. This is advice you rarely find on labels, and it's hugely important: fabric softeners coat elastane fibers with a substance that, over time, reduces the elasticity of the knitwear. If you can't do without it, use half the dose every other wash. In our opinion: 95% cotton knitwear is naturally soft and simply doesn't need softener.
How often to wash ribbed knitwear
Less often than you think. Cotton is a breathable and self-refreshing fiber; after a day of wear, a dress usually needs airing, not washing. Hang it overnight in a well-ventilated area (this is the only time a hanger is okay; dry knitwear won't stretch for a few hours), and in the morning it will be ready to wear again. Every wash is micro-wear on the fabric; the fewer washes, the longer the garment's life. This is, by the way, one of the quiet principles of slow fashion: care begins not in the washing machine, but before it.
Drying: the most common mistake, and how to avoid it
If you only remember two things from this guide, let them be: washing at 30°C and drying flat.
Why flat, and not on a hanger or line? Let's go back to physics: our knitwear weighs 280–320 g/m² dry. Wet, two to three times more. A midi dress hung vertically is a kilogram of fabric pulling downwards for several hours. The result: stretched straps, elongated hem, deformed ribs. Gravity is patient, and always wins against wet knitwear.
Proper drying looks like this:
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After removing from the washing machine, do not wring the knitwear. Twisting deforms the weave. Instead, lay the garment flat on a clean, dry towel, roll the towel up, and gently press; the towel will absorb most of the water.
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Lay the garment flat on a drying rack (or on a second, dry towel). Gently shape it with your hands: even out the ribs, adjust the straps, straighten the hem. The knitwear will remember the form in which it dried.
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Dry away from radiators and direct sunlight. High localized heat shrinks cotton unevenly, and UV fades colors. Ideal place: a well-ventilated room, room temperature.
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Never use a tumble dryer. Not once, not "for a short time," not "cold and carefully." The combination of heat and tumbling is the fastest way to shrink cotton and kill elastane. One session in the dryer can make a dress lose a size.
How long does it take? Dense knitwear dries flat in 12–24 hours, depending on air humidity. Yes, that's longer than on a line. It's also the only real "cost" of owning a garment that will last for years, and we believe it's a good trade-off.
Ironing and refreshing
Good news: ribbed knitwear washed and dried according to the above rules hardly needs ironing. The ribbed weave naturally resists wrinkling, which is one of its quiet superpowers and why rib knit is an ideal travel companion.
However, if you need to smooth the knitwear:
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Iron on the reverse side, at a low temperature (up to 110°C, one dot symbol). Higher temperatures melt elastane, and melted elastane is irreversible damage, visible as shiny marks on the fabric.
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Do not stretch the knitwear with the iron. Guide the iron lightly, without pressing; knitwear ironed "forcefully" loses its ribbed texture.
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Best option: steam instead of ironing. A steamer (or an iron held 2–3 cm above the fabric, vertically) smooths the knitwear without contact and without risk. Steam also excellently refreshes garments between washes.
Storage: fold, don't hang
The drying rule also applies in the closet: knitwear stored on a hanger stretches under its own weight, slowly, week after week, until one day you notice stretched shoulders and an elongated front. Therefore:
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Fold dresses, tops, skirts, and bodysuits on a shelf or in a drawer. Fold along the ribs, in two to three movements, without sharp creases.
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If you absolutely must hang (e.g., in a travel wardrobe), fold the dress over the hanger bar in half, like trousers; the weight is then evenly distributed and nothing pulls at the straps.
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Give the knitwear room to breathe. Crammed tightly in a drawer, it will crease in random places. Cotton likes space and a dry, airy closet interior.
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For longer storage (e.g., summer dresses for winter), wash the garment before putting it away. Invisible dirt and sebum set over time and attract moths.
Pilling: what causes it and how to deal with it
Let's be clear, because we prefer honesty over marketing: all knitwear made from natural fibers can gently pill over time, most often in areas of friction: under the arms, on the sides (where a bag rubs), and at waist level (belt, desk surface). This is not a product defect, but a natural characteristic of cotton: shorter fibers slip out of the weave and form small balls.
How to minimize pilling? Three habits: wash inside out in a bag (less friction), avoid powders (particles accelerate the process), and don't wear rough crossbody bags with a knit dress day after day.
And when pills do appear? A fabric shaver (electric, costs a few tens of zlotys) removes them in minutes and restores the knitwear's new appearance. Use it lightly, along the ribs, on the fabric laid flat. We advise against razors and scissors, as it's easy to cut a stitch.
Emergency rescue: stretched, shrunk, permeated with odor
The knitwear has stretched, what to do?
First, the good news: knitwear with 5% elastane has shape memory, and most stretching reverses itself after washing according to this guide. If the dress has stretched locally (knees in a pencil skirt, elbows in sleeves), wash it at 30°C, and when drying flat, gently press the stretched areas with your hands to the correct shape. The knitwear will "reset" during drying.
The knitwear has shrunk, can it be saved?
Natural cotton shrinkage after the first wash is normal; therefore, we design our clothes with this allowance in mind, and the knitwear returns to shape on the body within a dozen minutes of wearing. However, if the garment has shrunk more significantly (e.g., after accidental high-temperature washing): soak it in lukewarm water with a little hair conditioner or gentle shampoo for 30 minutes to relax the fibers, then, while drying flat, carefully stretch the knitwear to the desired dimensions, being careful with the seams. This method doesn't always fully reverse shrinkage, but it often saves the situation.
An odor that doesn't disappear after airing
Smoke, cooking smells, strong perfumes? Before throwing the dress in the washing machine, try two milder methods: hang it overnight in the bathroom after a hot shower (steam neutralizes odors) or fold it into a resealable bag and place it in the freezer overnight; low temperatures kill odor-causing bacteria. Both methods save the fabric from a full wash cycle.
Stains: act locally
Treat fresh stains locally: a small amount of gentle laundry detergent on damp fabric, gentle dabbing (not rubbing!) with fingertips, rinse with lukewarm water. Only if this doesn't help, proceed with a full wash. Avoid chlorine-based stain removers and high temperatures, which set protein stains.
Rib knit on the go: why it's the best travel companion
A quick bonus section, because you ask about this often. Ribbed knitwear is almost wrinkle-free; you can roll a dress into a cube, carry it at the bottom of your suitcase, and after unpacking, hang it for 20 minutes in a steamy bathroom. It will look freshly ironed. This is one of the reasons why, in our guide to a ribbed capsule wardrobe, we call it a fabric that "replaces five others in a suitcase." Practical advice: when traveling, roll, don't fold; rolling along the ribs doesn't leave creases and saves space.
Care as a philosophy, not an obligation
At Nudyess, we believe that the relationship with clothing doesn't end at the checkout. We sew in Poland, using almost 100% natural, certified knitwear, in two sizes instead of ten, because we want you to buy less, but better. Care is the last link in this philosophy: a garment you take care of doesn't become waste after a season. Every wash at 30°C instead of 60°C also means a smaller energy footprint, and every year of a dress's life means one fewer dress produced and discarded. You can read more about why we think this way about fashion in our brand philosophy.
That's why we include care instructions with every order, and this guide is its extended, complete version. Print it, save it, send it to a friend whose favorite dress just shrunk. The knitwear will thank you for years.
Cheat sheet: ribbed knitwear care in 10 rules
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Wash inside out, in a mesh laundry bag.
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Maximum 30°C, delicate program.
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Spin up to 600 revolutions.
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Gentle liquid detergent, never powder, bleach, or white-specific detergent.
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Fabric softener: preferably none at all.
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Dry flat, away from radiators and sun.
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Tumble dryer: never.
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Iron on the reverse side up to 110°C, or use steam.
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Store folded on a shelf, not on a hanger.
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Wash less often, air more often.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rib-Knit Care
Can a rib-knit dress be machine washed?
Yes. Just use a delicate cycle, water temperature up to 30°C, spin cycle up to 600 rpm, wash inside out, and use a gentle laundry detergent. Hand washing is also a good option, but not necessary.
Does cotton knit shrink in the wash?
Cotton has natural shrinkage, but when washed according to recommendations (30°C, no tumble dryer), it is minimal, and the knit returns to shape on the body. Significant shrinkage only occurs with high washing temperatures and tumble drying, and these types of shrinkage can be irreversible.
Can fabric softener be used for knitwear with elastane?
We advise against it. Fabric softeners accumulate on elastane fibers and, over time, reduce the elasticity of the knit, which is precisely the feature that allows the dress to sculpt the figure. Knitwear made of 95% cotton is soft without fabric softener.
How to dry a rib-knit dress so it doesn't stretch?
Only dry flat, spread out on a drying rack or towel, in its intended shape, away from heat sources. Wet knitwear hung vertically stretches under its own weight. Tumble drying is completely excluded.
What to do if the knitwear pills?
Gentle pilling in areas of friction is a natural characteristic of cotton, not a defect. You can remove pills in a few minutes with an electric fabric shaver, gently guiding it along the ribs. Preventatively: wash in a laundry bag, inside out, with liquid detergent instead of powder.
How often should rib-knit clothes be washed?
Less often than habit suggests. After one day of wear, airing it out overnight is usually sufficient. Washing after every wear unnecessarily wears out the fabric and wastes water. Wash only when the clothing genuinely needs it.
Can rib-knit be ironed?
Yes, though rarely necessary, as rib-knit hardly wrinkles. If you iron: do it inside out, up to 110°C (one dot), without stretching. A safer alternative is steam, using a steamer or holding the iron above the fabric.
Does Nudyess knitwear require special care?
Not special, just conscious care. Our knitwear (95% cotton, 5% elastane, 280–320 g/m²) is designed for years of wear, and with the care described in this guide, it will retain its shape, color, and elasticity for years. See our collection of rib-knit dresses or browse all rib-knit clothing; each product page includes a summary of care instructions.
Your dress will repay you for years
Knitwear care consists of five habits that become automatic after two washes: inside out, 30°C, low spin, flat drying, folding instead of hanging. In return, you get a garment that will look as good in three years as it does today, and you won't need to replace it. This is how we understand slow fashion: not as a slogan, but as a daily practice. It starts with choosing a good fabric and continues in your washing machine. If you have a care question not covered in this guide, please write to us; we'll be happy to advise and update this text. And if you're new to rib-knit, start with the history of the knit that came back from the 90s; you'll understand why it's worth taking care of.
