It starts with the yarn
Every HOTEA piece begins with a decision most brands never make public: which yarn goes into the fabric. We choose ours before the silhouette is drawn, because a garment can only be as good as the fibre it is built from.
Our jersey and fleece use long-staple combed cotton, spun rather than carded, which removes the short fibres that pill and shed. Blended with a measured percentage of elastane, it holds its shape through training and returns to it in the wash. Nothing is added to soften the hand feel of the fabric artificially, so what you feel on the first wear is what you feel on the fiftieth.
The four fabrics in our collections
- ·Brushed performance fleece — a compact loopback knit with a brushed interior, weighted at 320gsm to drape without bulk. Used across our hoodies and crewnecks.
- ·Four-way stretch jersey — a fine-gauge knit with recovery memory, cut for pieces that move through a full range of motion without riding up.
- ·Recycled polyamide swim — dense, chlorine-resistant and woven from regenerated fibre, with a matte finish rather than a high shine.
- ·Compression rib — a dense, high-recovery knit cut slightly longer in the body so it stays in place through repeated wear and washing.
Washing
Treat performance fabric as equipment, not as laundry. Wash at 30°C on a gentle cycle with a small amount of mild detergent, and turn the garment inside out to protect the surface and any print.
- ·Skip fabric softener — it coats technical fibres and reduces stretch recovery.
- ·Use a mesh laundry bag for zips, cords and any piece worn as a set.
- ·Wash swimwear in cool water straight after use; salt and chlorine shorten fibre life faster than anything else.
- ·Never bleach, and keep printed pieces away from direct contact with an iron.
Drying and storage
Air-dry wherever you can. Heat is what breaks down elastane, so the tumble dryer is the single fastest way to shorten the life of a performance garment. Reshape the piece while damp and dry it flat or on a hanger away from direct sunlight.
Store folded rather than hung for heavy knits, which stretch under their own weight. Fold swimwear loosely and never leave it sealed in a damp bag — dry it fully first, then store it flat.
Repairs, then replacement
A loose seam, a missing cord toggle or a small pull in a knit is almost always repairable, and we would rather help you fix a piece than replace it. Contact us with a photo and we will advise on repair or arrange a replacement part where we can.
Looked after this way, our fabrics are built to hold their shape and shade for years of wear, which is the most sustainable outcome available to any garment.