Found an old shirt? Here’s how to look after it

Washing

• Does it need a wash at all? For older shirts, a light mark can often come off with a sponge and a little mild soap. The less it goes through the wash, the better. Source: Classic Football Shirts
• Look before you wash. Read the care label, then check the sponsor, name, number and badges. If anything is already cracking or lifting, take the most careful route: hand wash, or leave it be. Source: The Soccer Archive
• Cold, inside out, gentle. Turn it inside out and use cold or cool water — a hand wash, or the hand-wash or delicates cycle with a low spin. Many specialists say never above 30°C. Source: Classic Football Shirts · TOFFS
• Bright colours? Spot test first. Dab a little water and detergent on a hidden bit and blot it to check the colour doesn’t run. Source: Classic Football Shirts
• Mild detergent, and not much of it. No bleach and no fabric conditioner — conditioner can lift prints and patches. Source: Classic Football Shirts · The Soccer Archive
• Don’t wring it. Squeeze gently, then roll it up in a towel to soak up the water. Source: Classic Football Shirts
• Dry it flat, in the shade. No tumble dryer and not on a radiator (a print can stick to it). Lay it flat on an airer, out of direct sun — light fades colours and weakens fibres over time. Source: TOFFS · Canadian Conservation Institute

Storing

• Clean and bone dry first. Museums only put textiles away clean and dry, and moths go for soiled fabric first. Source: Canadian Conservation Institute · English Heritage
• Cool, dark, dry — and steady. Conservators keep textiles away from extremes of heat and humidity: damp brings mould, heat makes fabric brittle. That’s why the loft, garage or a hot car boot are the worst spots. A wardrobe or under a bed indoors is much kinder. Source: Icon (Institute of Conservation) · Collections Trust · Football Shirt Collective
• Acid-free tissue, not the ordinary kind. Ordinary tissue, cardboard and wood give off acids that can yellow fabric. Use acid-free tissue to pad folds and keep layers apart; if you’re not sure what the shirt is made of, choose unbuffered tissue. Source: Gaylord Archival · Smithsonian MCI
• Breathable covers, not plastic garment bags. A cotton garment bag (or a clean old cotton pillowcase) keeps off dust and light. Thin plastic covers, like dry-cleaner bags, let moisture build up. If you use a lidded box to keep moths out, line it with acid-free tissue and make sure the shirt is completely dry. Source: Canadian Conservation Institute
• Hanging: padded, never wire. Hang only shirts in good condition, on a wide padded or shaped hanger. Wire hangers don’t support the shoulders and can rust and mark the fabric. Give shirts a bit of space rather than squashing them in. Source: CCI Notes 13/5
• Folding: fewer folds, and never across the print. Fragile, heavy or knitted shirts are better stored flat. Fold as little as you can, pad each fold with tissue, and keep folds away from the sponsor, name and number. Source: Canadian Conservation Institute · Football Shirt Collective
• Check for moths now and then. Look in folds, under the collar, under the arms and behind labels. If you find any, English Heritage’s advice is to seal the item in a freezer bag and freeze it at −18°C for at least two weeks, then leave the bag closed for a day while it warms up. Source: English Heritage

Prints, names and numbers

• Often the most fragile bit. The shirt itself can be in great shape while a 20- or 30-year-old sponsor or name set has gone brittle. Heat and rubbing are what do the damage. Source: The Soccer Archive
• Cracking or peeling? Don’t pick at it, scrub it or put it through the machine. If it matters to you, ask a specialist before trying glue or heat at home. Source: The Soccer Archive
• Keep prints from rubbing. Inside out for washing, a sheet of acid-free tissue over the print when stored, and no folds through the lettering. Source: TOFFS · Canadian Conservation Institute

What collectors look at

Wondering what yours might fetch, or buying one as a gift? These are the things buyers usually check. None of them is a price on its own — every shirt is different.

• Original tags. Is the neck label and wash tag still in? A brand-new shirt with its swing tags is listed as BNWT (brand new with tags).
• Size. Check the size on the label, and measure armpit to armpit — older shirts don’t always fit like modern sizes.
• Condition. Stains, holes, pulls, fading and cracked print all get noticed. We group sales as BNWT, Excellent, Good or Fair — see how we price.
• Is it right for the season? The maker and sponsor should match the season the shirt is meant to be from. Our club kit histories list both, season by season.
• Original or remake? Official reissues and copies are common. Our spot a remake checklist walks you through it.
• “Match-worn” needs proof. A match-worn or player-issue claim needs provenance — where the shirt came from, and ideally photos matching it to a game. A certificate on its own is supporting evidence, not proof. Source: Walkouts · Memorabilia Match Worn

Sources

• Canadian Conservation Institute — Basic care: textiles; Hanging storage for costumes (CCI Notes 13/5); Caring for textiles and costumes
• Icon, the Institute of Conservation — Caring for costume and textiles
• Collections Trust — Textiles fact sheet
• English Heritage — Understanding clothes moths; Clothes moths: prevention and control
• Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute — Acid-free tissue for textiles; Gaylord Archival — Archival storage of textiles
• Shirt specialists — Classic Football Shirts, The Soccer Archive, Football Shirt Collective, TOFFS, Classic Notts Shirts, Casual Football Shirts, Kit Queen, Walkouts, Memorabilia Match Worn

Care advice is general. For a shirt that’s rare or precious to you, a textile conservator can advise on that specific piece. Last checked 29 Oct 2026.