Caring for and Washing Stone Island: The Complete Guide

A well-cared-for Stone Island piece will last for years — and keep its value. But between garment-dyed cottons, coated nylons, knitwear and thermosensitive fabrics, every material has its own requirements. Here is our complete guide to caring for and washing your Stone Island pieces without damaging them.

The golden rule: read the care label

First of all, check the label inside your piece: it has the final word. Stone Island uses very different materials from one model to the next — the same treatment may suit a cotton sweatshirt and damage a coated jacket. The advice that follows sets out general principles: the label on your garment always takes precedence.

Before washing: three essential habits

• Remove the compass badge: attached by its two buttons, it comes off in seconds — that is precisely why it is removable. Everything you need to know is in our article on the Stone Island compass badge.
• Close the zips and press studs: left open, they snag and distort the fabrics during the cycle.
• Turn the garment inside out: washing inside out protects the colour, the prints and the embroidery.

Washing: gentle and at a low temperature

Wash cold or at 30°C maximum, on a delicate cycle, with similar colours and a mild detergent — no bleach or harsh stain remover. On garment-dyed pieces, a slight change in colour over successive washes is normal: it is the characteristic patina of garment dyeing, prized by connoisseurs. Hot, repeated washes, on the other hand, prematurely degrade both colours and materials.

The right care for each type of piece

Cotton sweatshirts, polo shirts and T-shirts

Wash cold, inside out, and air-dry. The tumble dryer is the main cause of cotton shrinkage and faded colours.

Jumpers and knitwear

Wool cycle or hand wash depending on the label, dry flat to avoid any distortion, and store folded rather than on a hanger. All our advice is in the Stone Island jumpers guide. And to refresh your knitwear, every Stone Island jumper in our selection is authenticated and measured flat.

Down jackets and quilted pieces

A gentle wash strictly following the label, then thorough drying to restore the loft of the filling — a down jacket stored damp loses its insulation. Store on a hanger, uncompressed. More details in the down jackets guide.

Technical jackets and coated fabrics

For Raso Gommato, coated nylons and other treated materials: a gentle cold wash, never iron directly on the coating, air-dry. If in doubt about a complex or valuable piece, dry cleaning remains the safest option — making sure to point out the nature of the material.

Thermosensitive pieces

Excessive heat is the enemy of thermochromic pigments: wash cold, no tumble dryer, no ironing on the treated areas. We explain how they work in our article on Stone Island thermosensitive jackets.

Drying, ironing, storage

Drying: in the open air, in the shade — direct sunlight fades colours. Ironing: gentle, inside out, never on coatings, embroidery or the badge. Storage: wide hangers for jackets, parkas and down jackets; flat or folded for knitwear; a breathable garment bag for valuable pieces stored away for the season.

Good care also preserves value

A Stone Island piece in fine condition resells very well: care is the number one factor in its pre-owned value. It is one of the criteria we check on every piece — along with its actual size, measured flat — before offering it for sale.

Frequently asked questions

Can you machine-wash a Stone Island piece?

Most cotton pieces can go in the machine on a cold, delicate cycle. For coated or technical materials and delicate knitwear, rely on the label — and on a dry cleaner if in doubt.

Should you wash the compass badge?

No: remove it before every wash using its two buttons. Repeated machine washing wears its embroidery and dulls its colours.

The colour of my piece is changing over time — is that normal?

Yes, on garment-dyed pieces: the colour lives and takes on a slight patina — it is a characteristic of the process, not a defect. A gentle cold wash slows this change.

Taking care of your Stone Island pieces

Good care starts with a fine piece: browse our full Stone Island selection, both new and authenticated pre-owned — every garment is checked and its condition precisely described.