A good pair of leggings should hold its shape for years. Most don't — not because the fabric failed, but because of what happened in the wash. Recycled polyester and elastane blends are durable, but they're sensitive to three things in particular: heat, friction and residue. Get those right and a legging keeps its compression, its colour and its opacity almost indefinitely.
Here's the routine, and the reasoning behind each step.
Why do leggings pill?
Pilling is abrasion, not wear. Those small fuzzy balls form when the surface fibres of the fabric rub against something rougher than themselves and break, then tangle. The usual culprits are denim zips, towel loops, Velcro and the drum of a tumble dryer.
This is why the single most effective thing you can do is wash leggings inside out. The outer face — the side you see, the side that shows pilling — is then protected, and the sweat-facing inner surface gets direct contact with the water and detergent, which is where you actually want the cleaning to happen.
Wash them with other smooth synthetics. Never with denim, towels or anything with a hook, zip or Velcro fastening. A mesh delicates bag costs very little and removes the decision entirely.
What temperature should you wash leggings at?
Cold. Always cold. Elastane is the fibre that gives a legging its stretch and recovery, and heat degrades it — permanently. Every hot wash costs you a little of the snap that pulls the fabric back to shape after you squat in it. That's how a legging ends up bagging at the knee and seat.
Cold water also holds colour. If you own leggings in anything other than black — a butter yellow, a brown, a petrol — cold washing is the difference between a colour that stays saturated and one that goes chalky by spring.
Does fabric softener ruin activewear?
Yes, and this is the mistake most people don't know they're making. Fabric softener works by coating fibres in a waxy film. On cotton that feels lovely. On performance fabric it's a disaster: the coating seals over the moisture-wicking structure, so sweat sits on the surface instead of moving through it. The legging stops breathing and starts holding odour.
Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent instead — ideally one formulated for sportswear, which contains enzymes that break down body oils rather than just masking them. And use less than you think. Excess detergent doesn't rinse out fully and leaves its own residue.
Should you tumble dry leggings?
No. Tumble drying is heat and friction at the same time — the two things that kill a legging fastest. It's what cooks the elastane, loosens bonded seams and lifts the fibres that go on to pill.
Lay them flat or hang them somewhere ventilated. Performance fabric is thin and dries fast; most pairs are ready in a few hours. A pair of our Soft Skin High Waisted Leggings in 80% recycled polyester and 20% recycled elastane will air-dry faster than a cotton t-shirt.
How often should you wash leggings?
After every workout, if you sweat in them. Sweat and body oils break down elastane over time, so leaving them in a gym bag for three days does more damage than the wash itself.
For leggings worn for errands, a walk or a flight rather than training, every two or three wears is fine. Airing them out between wears genuinely helps.
How do you get the smell out of leggings that won't wash out?
Soak them in cold water with half a cup of white vinegar for thirty minutes, then wash as normal. Persistent odour is almost always trapped residue — old detergent, old softener, body oil — rather than fresh bacteria. Vinegar strips the residue. Skip the softener afterwards or you'll reintroduce the problem.
What about leggings you already own that have pilled?
A fabric shaver will take the pills off without damaging the weave, as long as you work gently and keep the fabric flat and taut. It won't restore lost stretch — nothing will — but it makes a pilled legging look presentable again. Then start the routine above and the pilling won't come back.
The short version
- Inside out, every time
- Cold water only
- Mild detergent, no fabric softener
- Wash with smooth synthetics, never with denim or towels
- Air dry flat or hung — never tumble
- Wash after each sweaty wear; don't leave them damp in a bag
None of this is difficult, and it's the difference between replacing leggings every season and owning the same pair for years. If you're buying a pair to keep, it's worth starting with fabric that's built to last — our legging range is cut in recycled four-way-stretch blends with high-rise waistbands designed to hold, and the Soft Wrap Legging adds pockets and a wrap waist without a front seam.