Caring for your clothes

Wondering how to care for your new Cotton Comfort eczema nightwear? Check out our top tips so you can get the most out of our long lasting clothing. 

Fit  

Before using please ensure you have the right size.  If made of organic cotton allow for some (up to 5%) shrinkage.  

If a garment is too roomy it will not be comfortable. Any skin on skin contact (e.g. underarms or between legs if the garment is too big) may cause discomfort and fit should be fairly close-fitting while allowing free movement without feeling tight. 

Sensitive skin and areas of eczema benefit from being covered and kept at a constant temperature. Wearing clothes that are too big can create friction as the material moves over the skin and folds which make some areas hotter (and itchier) as well as being uncomfortable to lie on. 

Washing 

To help you get maximum long lasting comfort we advise the following: 

1. Wash after each wear at the recommended temperature

Wash after each wear to prevent the build up of creams, dead skin and allergens. 

Organic cotton nightwear from Cotton Comfort should be washed at 60 degrees - a wash that is too cool or infrequent can result in a build up of creams, dead skin and allergens on the cotton fibre. This weakens the fabric and causes an uncomfortable ‘bitty’ appearance, shortening the useful life of the garment. 

If you have organic cotton garments from other brands we stock (e.g. Cottonique, Living Crafts) then we recommend washing them at 40 degrees. 

2. Wash inside out

This will clean it more effectively, especially if you are using any creams on your skin. 

3. Use a limited amount of SLS free non-bio and avoid fabric conditioners

Choose a non-biological powder or liquid that is free of SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) and ideally has the Allergy UK seal of approval.

SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) is a detergent which makes many products ‘froth’.  It is found in many washing powders, shampoos, soaps, shower gels and cleaning products.  It breaks down oils, disrupting and drying the skin barrier in sensitive skin so is best avoided for eczema sufferers.

Fabric conditioners should also be avoided as they coat the cotton fibres, reducing the level of breathability and absorbency of the fabric. 

4. If the label allows, tumble dry or iron on cool only

Our organic cotton nightwear allows for shrinkage of up to 5% but a hot dryer will reduce the size of the garment beyond this.  Some of our cotton garments use cotton covered polyester thread for strength and hot irons could result in these seams becoming uncomfortable. 

Garments made from Tencel or Silk may not withstand any tumble drying or ironing without damage or shrinkage so please check the product info. 

Wear  

Have 2-3 sets of eczema nightwear  

We recommend our rule of 3: 

• One set on the go 
• One in the wash  
• One spare. Maybe keep this in the fridge for hot nights? 

This will ensure you always have a clean set available and will extend the life of each garment. 

Labels  

The majority of our nightwear has labels on the outside that can be removed completely. Do check you have the right size before removing this as garments without labels cannot be returned. 

Night and day?  

Nightwear with closed integral scratch mittens are intended for nighttime use. We suggest limiting daytime use to itchy times when it is difficult to control the scratching e.g car journeys. Daytime use of closed mittens may hinder the natural development of a child’s hand/eye coordination skills. For daytime use, we recommend our open hand Eczema Scratch mitten T or our super soft organic cotton extra long gloves. These are both available for adults and kids.