How to Wash and Dry Print Swimwear Without Fading

Quick answer

Rinse your print swimsuit in cool water within 30 minutes of swimming, wash it by hand with a gentle detergent, and dry it flat in the shade. Skip the washing machine, hot water, and direct sun. That routine is how you wash print swimwear without dulling the colors that make a limited-edition piece worth keeping.

A print swimsuit lives or dies by its color. When a print fades, the piece looks old even if the fabric still fits well. The good news is that most fading is preventable, and it happens for predictable reasons: chlorine, sunscreen, hot water, and UV light.

This guide gives you a five-step routine that works for any printed swimsuit, including limited-edition pieces like The Bare L'Art Blue Bottom. You will also see which fabric details in your swimwear affect how carefully you need to treat it.

Why prints fade faster than solid swimwear

A print sits on the surface of the fabric, so it takes the first hit from chlorine, salt, sunscreen, and heat. Solid-colored suits hide fading longer because the color runs through the yarn. Prints do not have that buffer, so the same pool session that leaves a solid suit fine can visibly dull a print.

Sunscreen is the sneaky one. Many formulas contain oils and avobenzone that can stain or lift print pigments, especially on lighter backgrounds. That is why the rinse step matters more for prints than for solids, and why you should never leave a printed suit rolled up in a hot bag after a swim.

• Chlorine and salt weaken the print bond over repeated exposure.
• Sunscreen and body oils can leave a yellow or cloudy cast on light prints.
• Heat sets stains and speeds up color loss, so never use hot water.

What to check before you wash

Before you wash, look at the care label and note the fabric. Recycled sculpting fabric and metallic knit fabric, for example, need gentler handling than basic nylon-spandex. Both appear in Form and Fold pieces like The One Paint and The 90s Rise Glow Bottom, and both respond well to hand washing and flat drying.

Also check for hardware. Adjustable straps, an adjustable back band, or a hidden underwire bra can snag a print if you wash the suit with anything abrasive. If your suit has these details, wash it alone or with other swimwear only.

• Read the care label first; it overrides general advice.
• Note whether the fabric is sculpting, metallic knit, or textured; all three prefer hand washing.
• Zip or fasten any hardware so it cannot catch the print.

Step 1: Rinse immediately after every swim

Rinse your suit in cool water as soon as you can, ideally within 30 minutes. This removes most chlorine, salt, and sunscreen before they bond with the print. If you cannot rinse right away, at least keep the suit out of a hot car or sealed bag.

Use plain cool water. Do not add soap yet, and do not wring the suit. Just let water run through the fabric until it feels clean. This one habit does more to prevent swimsuit fading than any product you can buy.

• Common mistake: leaving the wet suit in a plastic bag for hours.
• Checkpoint: the rinse water should run clear before you move on.

Step 2: Hand wash with a gentle detergent

Fill a sink or basin with cool water and add a small amount of gentle detergent. Submerge the suit and gently squeeze the water through the fabric for about a minute. Pay attention to the underband, straps, and lining, where sweat and sunscreen collect.

Do not scrub the print, and do not use bleach, fabric softener, or enzyme-heavy detergent. These break down the elastane that gives swimwear its stretch and can dull the print at the same time.

• Common mistake: using hot water because it feels more sanitary.
• Checkpoint: if the water looks very soapy, rinse and repeat with less detergent.

Step 3: Rinse and remove water without wringing

Rinse the suit in cool water until no suds remain. Then lay it flat on a clean towel and roll the towel up, pressing gently to absorb excess water. This removes water without stretching the fabric or cracking the print.

Never wring, twist, or hang a wet swimsuit by its straps. Those actions stretch the elastane and can leave permanent marks in the print, especially on metallic knit fabric like The 90s Rise Glow Bottom.

• Common mistake: wringing the suit to speed drying.
• Checkpoint: the suit should feel damp, not dripping, before you lay it out.

Step 4: Dry flat in the shade

Lay the suit flat on a clean towel or drying rack in a shaded, well-ventilated spot. Direct sun is the fastest way to fade a print, so keep it out of UV light even if the suit feels dry on top. Flip the suit once halfway through drying so the lining dries too.

Avoid dryers, radiators, and hot cars. Heat damages elastane and sets any remaining sunscreen residue into the print. Most swimwear dries in a few hours this way, and the print stays true.

• Common mistake: drying on a sunny balcony or in a hot dryer.
• Checkpoint: the suit is fully dry when the underband and lining feel dry to the touch.

Step 5: Store it clean and flat

Once the suit is completely dry, store it flat in a drawer or folded loosely in a breathable bag. Do not store it damp, and do not hang it by the straps for long periods. If you rotate between several suits, keep printed pieces separate from anything with hooks or rough textures.

For limited-edition prints that will not be restocked, this step protects your investment. A suit that is rinsed, hand washed, shade dried, and stored flat will hold its color far longer than one that goes straight from the pool bag to the drawer.

• Common mistake: putting the suit away while still slightly damp.
• Checkpoint: smell the suit; if it smells like chlorine, rinse it again before storing.

Your five-step print swimwear care routine

1. Rinse within 30 minutes: Use cool running water to flush out chlorine, salt, and sunscreen before they bond with the print. If you can only do one step, do this one.
2. Hand wash with gentle detergent: Use cool water and a small amount of gentle detergent; squeeze the water through the fabric, never scrub the print. Skip bleach, fabric softener, and enzyme detergents.
3. Roll in a towel, do not wring: Lay the suit flat on a towel, roll it up, and press gently to remove excess water without stretching the fabric. Wringing is the fastest way to crack a print and stretch elastane.
4. Dry flat in the shade: Lay the suit flat on a rack or towel away from direct sun, flipping once so the lining dries fully. No dryers, radiators, or hot cars.
5. Store clean and completely dry: Fold loosely in a drawer or breathable bag, keeping printed pieces away from hooks and rough textures. If it smells like chlorine, rinse again before storing.

Print swimwear details that affect care

• The Bare L'Art Blue Bottom: Fully lined with second skin lining and made from recycled sculpting fabric; this exclusive print is limited edition and will not be re-stocked. Because the print will not be re-stocked, a careful wash-and-dry routine protects a piece you cannot replace. The second skin lining also dries more slowly, so give it extra time in the shade.
• The One Paint: Features recycled sculpting fabric, seamless construction, and a hidden in-built underwire bra; the low scoop back and adjustable straps are engineered for D+ support. The hidden underwire and adjustable straps mean you should wash this piece alone or with other swimwear, and never twist it, so the hardware does not snag the print.
• The 90s Rise Glow Bottom: Made with metallic knit fabric that sculpts the body, with comfortable flat elastic and brief to mid rear coverage; limited edition and will not be re-stocked. Metallic knit shows water spots and creases more than flat fabric, so drying it flat in the shade, without wringing, keeps the surface smooth and the print intact.

Print swimwear fades for preventable reasons, and the fix is a short routine rather than a special product. Rinse after every swim, hand wash with gentle detergent, dry flat in the shade, and store clean. Do that, and a limited-edition print like The Bare L'Art Blue Bottom or The 90s Rise Glow Bottom will keep its color for many seasons.