How to Keep Dickies From Fading (Beginner Guide)

In short: To keep your Dickies work pants from fading, wash them inside out in cold water on a delicate cycle. Be sure to use a low heat setting in the dryer or air dry to prevent fading.

A pair of Dickies work pants are expensive. In this article, you’ll learn the correct care instructions on how to keep Dickies pants from fading and prevent the color from bleeding.

1. Check the garment care label

The best way to keep Dickies from fading is to check the garment care label. You’ll find one inside each pair of work trousers. Different materials have different care instructions.

Remember, it’s not a one size fits all approach! The care label will let you know the best way to wash each garment: water temperature, cycle speed (or hand-wash), and more.

For example, Dickies’ Multi-Pocket Trousers are made from a mixture of polyester and cotton, with knee pad pockets reinforced with synthetic fiber-based fabric technology called CORDURA.

CORDURA is durable and easy to care for but must be washed at a low temperature with mild detergent and air dried since it’s basically synthetic fiber-based fabric.

On the other hand, the Lightweight FLEX Trousers are made with Dickies FLEX technology, which contains elastane, which needs to be washed on a lukewarm permanent press cycle.

Checking the garment care label will keep Dickies from fading and shrinking.

2. Turn your garment inside out

To prevent fading, always turn your Dickies work pants inside out when washing, especially when you’re washing black and dark-colored garments.

Let agitation take its toll on the insides of your garments, and help preserve the colors you fell in love with on the outside. Seriously, don’t miss this simple but important step.

3. Wash dark-colored Dickies pants together

Sorting your dark-colored Dickies pants together with other dark-colored garments before washing helps prevent dye transfers and color absorption with lighter colors.

Additionally, separating your laundry by fabric type and weight can also prevent unwanted lint and pilling to your dark fabrics, which may cause a faded, aged appearance.

In fact, if heavy-duty fabrics like denim rub against more delicate fabrics in the wash cycle, it can exacerbate wear and tear on the more delicate item, leading to a distressed look.

4. Use cold water and a gentle cycle

After you have separated your dark-colored clothing and turned your Dickies pants inside out, turn on a short, delicate washing cycle in cold water.

Even if the care label calls for warm or hot water, cold water is your best choice to prevent fading. Warm water makes fibers more prone to releasing dye into the wash water.

Hand washing is your best method of washing your Dickies work trousers and keeping them from fading. However, it’s not always the most practical choice, so you could use a gentle cycle.

Usually used for delicate items, the gentle cycle agitates and spins, well, gently. Using the gentle cycle means you significantly reduce abrasion on your garments.

The shorter cycle and cold water temperature also work together to minimize the agitation to the surface of Dickies pants and help prevent the dyes from bleeding.

5. Air dry your Dickies pants

Air drying your Dickies work trousers can prevent damage and keep them from fading. To avoid exposure to sunlight, use an indoor drying rack instead of an outdoor clothesline.

However, if you must use your dryer to dry your work pants, use the tumble dry setting without heat. It can also work as an efficient and convenient alternative to air drying.

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