Carhartt men’s pants are crafted for the hardworking man in the family, and our women’s pants will hold up to any job, no matter how rugged. They’re wearable equipment built to endure down the generations, so don’t be alarmed by the initial stiffness of your Carhartts. What’s the best way to break in your Carhartts?
CARHARTT PANTS: BASIC CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Here are some basic care guidelines for your Carhartt pants.
CANVAS
For canvas pants, do not use bleach. We recommend you machine wash them on the cold cycle, tumble dry on medium heat and remove your garments from the machine promptly once dry.
DUCK
For duck pants, do not use bleach. We recommend you machine wash them on the warm cycle, tumble dry on medium heat, and take them out of the machine promptly once dry.
DENIM
For denim pants and jeans, do not use bleach. We recommend you machine wash them on the cold cycle, tumble dry on medium heat, and take them out of the machine promptly once dry.
FIRE-RESISTANT (LINED, UNLINED, DENIM, TWILL, & CHAMBRAY)
We recommend you machine wash your fire-resistant clothing on the warm setting, not exceeding 140° degrees (60° C). Do not use chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide bleach, softeners or starch. Tumble dry on low heat and take them out of the machine promptly once dry. You may iron your fire-resistant pants with low heat. These items are also dry-cleanable.
ZIPPER CARE
General Guidelines
Always make sure you completely open the zipper when dressing or undressing. An incomplete zipper opening may damage the element or slider. When closing the zipper, the slider will move smoothly if the hook & eye or the top button is fastened beforehand.
Proper Ironing Procedures
It’s important to make sure that you’re not getting your zippers too hot. Zippers have an appropriate ironing temperature according to their materials. Also, make sure to completely close the zipper, lay down the slider pull-tab in the regular position and place an ironing cloth on the zipper.
CONCEAL® – 320°F (160°C)
FLATKNIT® – 302°F (150°C)
VISLON® – 266°F (130°C)
Coil Zippers – 320°F (160°C)
Proper Laundry Procedure for Zipper Care
Make sure that you completely close all your zippers when using the washing and dryer machines. Incompletely closed zippers can become entangled with other laundry items and result in element or slider damage, or damage to other fabrics. Because the long or slim slider pull-tabs may catch or break in the drum holes, we recommend using a laundry net for these items. After the dryer process, do not operate the zipper until the garment temperature cools down to normal. Strong alkaline detergent or chlorinated bleach may affect zipper operation. If this happens, use softeners, paraffin or wax to regain the smoothness. Do not presoak a garment with zippers in washing solution or it may cause significant damage.
BREAKING IN YOUR CARHARTT PANTS
Myths
There are a lot of opinions and myths out there on the best way to break in your Carhartts. We’ve heard stories of people dragging them behind trucks, hugging porcupines, and using cement mixers to break in our gear. Our products are tough, but you don’t have to go that far.
Facts
You can try washing them a few times, following our recommended guidelines. Be careful not to use any bleach or fabric softener that could degrade the integrity of your Carhartts, especially when caring for your FR pants.
If all else fails, try working in them.
