How to Keep the 90s Crinkle Bottom Looking New

Quick answer

Rinse your crinkle swim bottom in cool water immediately after every wear, wash it by hand with a drop of mild detergent, and dry it flat in the shade. Never wring, never machine dry, and never leave it balled up wet. That routine protects the recycled textured fabric and the shape of the Rise Cactus Bottom.

Crinkle fabric is not fragile, but it is specific. The texture you bought the bottom for comes from how the recycled fabric is knitted and finished, and heat, twisting, and rough handling are what flatten it over time.

This routine takes about five minutes after each wear. Do it consistently and your 90s crinkle bottom will keep its shape, its coverage, and its surface long after a swimsuit that gets tossed in a hot dryer.

Why crinkle fabric needs its own routine

The Rise Cactus Bottom uses recycled textured fabric that shapes the body like a second skin, with bagged out front seams and a seamless flat finish to prevent bulge. That construction is what gives the bottom its smooth line, and it is also what makes heat and agitation the two things worth avoiding.

Chlorine, salt, sunscreen, and body oils all sit in the fabric after a swim. Left there, they dull the surface and weaken the stretch. A quick cool rinse removes most of it before it has time to set in.

• Checkpoint: if the bottom still smells faintly of chlorine after rinsing, rinse again before washing.

The five-minute after-swim routine

Rinse in cool water as soon as you reasonably can, ideally before you leave the pool or beach. Hold the bottom under running water and gently squeeze it a few times so water moves through the fabric rather than just over it.

Do not wring or twist. Squeeze flat between your palms instead. Then lay it flat on a towel out of direct sun until you get home to wash it properly.

• Common mistake: leaving a wet bottom in a plastic bag or rolled in a towel for hours. That is how odors and dull patches start.

How to hand wash without flattening the texture

Fill a basin with cool water and add a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Submerge the bottom and gently knead it for about a minute, focusing on the lining and the leg openings where sunscreen collects.

Rinse in cool water until no suds remain. If you use a washing machine, use a mesh bag on a delicate cycle with cold water only, and accept that hand washing is the safer choice for textured fabric.

• Skip fabric softener, bleach, and enzyme-heavy detergents. They coat or break down stretch fibers.
• Checkpoint: the water should run clear after rinsing, with no slippery feel left in the fabric.

Drying crinkle swim bottoms the right way

Lay the bottom flat on a clean towel or drying rack in the shade, reshaping the front and leg lines with your hands while it is still damp. Air moving across the fabric is enough; direct sun and radiators are not.

Never put it in a dryer, even on low. Heat is what collapses the texture and can distort the bagged out front seams that keep the finish seamless.

• If you need it dry faster, hang it from the waistband rather than the leg openings so the fabric is not stretched out of shape.
• Checkpoint: the bottom should feel dry to the touch at the seams and lining before you fold it away.

Storing it between wears and in the off-season

Once fully dry, store the bottom flat or loosely folded in a drawer, away from anything with hooks, zippers, or Velcro that can snag textured fabric. Do not hang it by the straps or waistband for long periods.

The 90s Rise L'Art Blue Bottom and the Rise Cactus Bottom are both limited edition and will not be re-stocked, so a little storage care protects something you cannot simply replace next season.

• Keep it out of a damp bathroom cabinet and away from direct sunlight, which fades prints over months.

Your crinkle bottom care steps

1. Rinse immediately after every wear: Hold the bottom under cool running water and squeeze gently until the water runs clear. Do this before you leave the pool or beach if you can. Checkpoint: no lingering chlorine smell.
2. Hand wash with mild detergent: Use cool water and a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Knead for about a minute, paying attention to the lining and leg openings. Common mistake: hot water and heavy detergent, which dull the fabric.
3. Squeeze, never wring: Press the water out flat between your palms. Twisting stretches the elastic and distorts the bagged out front seams. Checkpoint: the bottom keeps its original shape while damp.
4. Dry flat in the shade: Lay it on a towel or rack out of direct sun and reshape the front and leg lines by hand while damp. Never use a dryer, even on low heat.
5. Store dry and snag-free: Fold loosely in a drawer away from hooks, zippers, and Velcro. Keep it out of damp cabinets and direct sunlight. Next step: rotate between two bottoms so each one gets a full dry rest between wears.

What the catalog tells you about these bottoms

• The Rise Cactus Bottom: Recycled textured fabric shapes the body like a second skin, with bagged out front seams and a seamless flat finish. The texture and the smooth front line are the two things your wash and dry routine is protecting.
• The 90s Rise L'Art Blue Bottom: High cut 90s inspired shape with a seamless flat finish and an exclusive print, made from recycled sculpting fabric. Prints fade faster than solid colors, so shade drying matters more on this one.
• The 90s Staple Basil Bottom: Classic mid to low rise staple shape with a 90s leg line, bagged out front seams, and recycled sculpting fabric. A lower rise sits closer to sunscreen and sand, so rinse the waistband area first.

Crinkle swim bottom care comes down to three habits: rinse right away, wash by hand in cool water, and dry flat in the shade. Do those and the texture, the seamless front, and the fit you chose will hold up for as long as you own the bottom.