Joueur de Paris is a French clothing and accessories brand built around art × sport × city, treating every design as a composition in its own right rather than mere decoration. Proper printed t-shirt care, along with careful attention to embroidered pieces, determines how crisp the design stays long after the first wash. Here are the steps that protect both the fabric and the design, wash after wash.
Why does a printed or embroidered t-shirt need special care?
A high-density print bonds into the fibres of the fabric, while embroidery works thread by thread right through the material. These two techniques respond differently to heat, friction and laundry products. Adapting your wash routine prevents a print from cracking or an embroidery thread from coming loose.
A plain t-shirt doesn't raise this issue: its surface stays uniform, with no raised areas or added material. As soon as a design comes into play, the garment's weak point shifts to that exact spot — the one you need to protect first, both when washing and when drying.
Washing a printed t-shirt without damaging the design
Turn the t-shirt inside out before putting it in the machine: the design no longer rubs directly against the rest of the wash. A cold or lukewarm cycle, combined with a moderate spin, limits the strain placed on the print.
- wash inside out, on a cold cycle or at 30°C maximum
- avoid bleach and silicone-heavy fabric softeners, which dull the colours
- don't overload the drum: the design needs room so it doesn't rub against the rest of the wash
- treat a localised stain by dabbing around the design rather than scrubbing directly on it
This approach applies just as much to a dark t-shirt as to a light piece such as the Joueur Lyon Cream T-Shirt, where the faintest trace of discolouration becomes visible much sooner. On a light shade, just as much attention should go to the collar and armholes — often overlooked — as to the design itself.
Caring for an embroidered piece, thread by thread (cap, beanie, polo, jacket)
Embroidery isn't vulnerable to the same things as a print, but it has its own weak points: the threads can loosen if they're pulled, and a cap's structure loses its shape if it goes through the machine.
- hand-wash an embroidered cap in cold water, without wringing it
- dry it flat or on a round mould to keep the curve of the peak
- for an embroidered beanie, hand-washing is enough too — avoid any vigorous wringing, which would stretch the knit
- for an embroidered polo or jacket, a gentle machine wash inside out is fine, as long as you skip the tumble dryer
Pieces from the Embroidered collection share this same principle: the thread runs through the fabric rather than sitting on top of it, but it's still sensitive to twisting and direct heat. A thread pulled by accident won't stitch itself back together — it's better to trim the excess close to the fabric than to keep pulling on it.
Drying, ironing, storage: the mistakes to avoid
The tumble dryer remains the number one cause of premature wear, for prints and embroidery alike. Air-drying — flat or on a hanger, away from any direct heat source — helps the design hold up.
If ironing is needed, always do it inside out, with a warm iron, and never place the soleplate directly on a print or embroidery. For an embroidered piece, laying a thin cloth between the iron and the embroidery protects the raised threads.
Fold your pieces rather than hanging them by the collar for long periods, to avoid any distortion of the collar or shoulders. Stored flat, in a dry place, printed or embroidered pieces keep their original shape for longer than when squeezed together on hangers.
Do these steps apply to the whole wardrobe?
Whether it's a t-shirt from the T-Shirts collection or a cap from the Caps collection, the principle stays the same: less heat, less friction, more patience when drying. A Pole Position White T-Shirt, for instance, keeps its crisp contrast as long as the design isn't exposed to a hot cycle or repeated spells in the tumble dryer.
Each piece is made to order, shipped within 2 to 4 days, with free delivery on orders over €69 and returns accepted within 30 days.
Can you iron a printed or embroidered t-shirt?
Yes, as long as you iron it inside out, on a warm setting, without placing the iron directly on the design or the embroidery.
Does the tumble dryer really damage the print?
Repeated heat from the tumble dryer speeds up cracking on a high-density print and loosens embroidery threads. Air-drying remains the better option.
Can an embroidered cap go in the washing machine?
No — hand-washing in cold water preserves the shape of the peak and the tension of the embroidery threads.