There's nothing quite like trying on a fresh new shirt or slacks off the rack. However, when you get home don't give in to temptation and just wear the clothing without washing it first.  It turns out that there are a lot of potential nasties lurking in our "new" clothing and if we don't wash them before long-term us then we put ourselves at serious risk.

1. Avoid health risks by washing new clothes.
2. Unwashed promo clothing can damage brand reputation.
3. Clean promo clothes uphold brand image.

Off-The-Rack Clothing Can Be Dirty

Although promotional apparel bought from a store or warehouse looks clean and indeed can be fine to try on for a short time, there's always a chance that the clothes are hiding something more insidious like, for example;

• Lice - Head lice are very easily transmitted between someone's hair and clothing they try on, often without noticing. Lice don't live very long (one or two days) away from a host, but they a very easy to spread.
• Scabies - Microscopic (you won't even notice them) the mites behind scabies can cause an allergic reaction when they lay eggs in your skin - also easy to pass onto clothing.
• Formaldehyde - Used to keep clothing mould-free while in transit, traces of formaldehyde can cause strong allergic reactions and eczema in people when it comes into contact with their skin.

All these reactions are quite major, and the good news is that just trying on a shirt or pants isn't likely to get you in trouble - but if you do buy clothing and wear it immediately without washing then the prolonged exposure could leave you susceptible to a nasty surprise!

Avoid Bugs With This Important Cleaning Tip

So how do you best dodge these disgusting potentially problems? Simply put, you need to clean your new personalised clothing before use. To get the best results you will need to;

• Wash Your New Clothing in Hot Water - Obviously if your clothes are cold-wash only you may need to rinse and heat press instead to kill the bugs, but for most clothes a soak and subsequent wash in hot water should be enough to destroy any nasties lurking in your new outfit.
• When In Doubt, Wash Again - That's right, once isn't always enough and it's often sensible to give your clothes two washes in hot-to-warm water before they're ready to wear. You don't even need soap for this, just ensure the water is warm enough to kill any critters dead!

Unwashed Promo Clothing Implications 

Promotional clothing is meant to put a brand's best foot forward. But unwashed clothing might tarnish this image due to:

• Irritated Customers: Symptoms from unwanted agents on clothes can cause customer discomfort, leading to a negative brand experience.
• Poor Reviews: Unhappy customers may express their irritation on social platforms, impacting potential customers.
• Lost Opportunities: This negative word-of-mouth can lead to missed sales opportunities for the brand.
• Harmed Brand Reputation: Continuous bad experiences can harm the brand reputation irreparably.

Maintaining Brand Reputation

Ensuring clean, safe promo clothing is crucial for your business reputation. Here are ways to do so:

• Educate Customers: Inform customers about the need to wash new clothing before use.
• Use Good-Quality Fabric: Superior fabric is less likely to harbour harmful microorganisms.
• Choose Reliable Suppliers: Offer promo clothing sourced from suppliers prioritising hygiene.
• Quality Control: Regularly inspect the clothing condition for any signs of infection or infestation.

Takeaway

When it comes to promotional clothing, businesses play a crucial role in safeguarding customers. It could be the difference between a successful campaign and severely damaged brand reputation. So, prioritise hygiene and wash the new clothing before use - not only to protect your skin but also the image of your beloved Cubic Promote Australia.

Idea first spotted here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/532353/very-disgusting-reason-you-should-always-wash-new-clothes-wearing-them