Why Corduroy Needs Different Handling
Corduroy's ribbed texture, called the wale, is created by raised fabric cords that can crush or flatten under the wrong care. Pieces like our Biskit Brown Cord and Chocolate Cord Baggy Full Pants, along with the Two Way Zipper Cord Winter Jacket, hold their character specifically because of that raised texture — lose it, and the piece loses what made it worth buying.
Turn Inside Out Before Washing
Always wash cord inside out. This protects the visible wale from rubbing against zippers, buttons, and other garments in the wash, which is the main cause of flattened, shiny patches on corduroy.
Cold Water, Gentle Cycle
Corduroy fibers are more prone to distortion under high agitation than denim or twill. A gentle cycle in cold water is enough to clean our cord pants without stressing the ribbed weave.
Never Wring or Twist
Wringing corduroy to remove excess water crushes the wale unevenly. Instead, press water out gently and reshape the garment while damp — especially important for the TWZ-1 and TWZ-2 winter jackets, where the cord panels need to dry flat to keep their shape.
Air Dry Only
Dryer heat is corduroy's biggest enemy — it can permanently flatten the wale and shrink the garment unevenly. Air dry all cord pieces flat or on a padded hanger, away from direct sunlight which can fade the color over time.
Brushing Out the Wale
If the ribs on a cord pant start looking flattened after wear, a soft-bristled clothes brush run gently along the direction of the wale can help restore some of the texture between washes.
Storing Cord for the Off-Season
When storing the TWZ jacket or cord pants for warmer months, fold rather than compress under other clothing, and keep them somewhere dry to prevent the fabric from developing a musty smell that's harder to wash out of thicker weaves.
Shop Corduroy at BLISS
Explore BLISS's cord pants and the Two Way Zipper Cord Winter Jacket, built with texture that lasts when it's cared for the right way.