How to Care for Your Pillow Strap
We and some of our testers have put Pillow Straps through their paces. Like any piece of gear, a little care goes a long way toward keeping it in great shape season after season. Here's everything you need to know about caring for your Pillow Strap and an update.
Washing Your Pillow Strap
To clean your Pillow Strap you can machine wash in cold water in a garment bag on a delicate cycle. The key is to use a garment bag as this keeps the elastic strap or trifold opening from getting tangled around other items or caught in the machine, which is the main risk during a wash. Cold water is important too as hot water and heat degrade the fabric over time, leading to a loss of elasticity. Use a mild detergent, no bleach and you're good to go. We like plant-based soaps with no scent for our gear to be as gentle as possible and avoid smells animals find interesting.
When we first launched, we took the conservative approach to our care guidelines and recommended hand washing only. After two years of washing our own Pillow Straps in cold water on a delicate cycle in a garment bag after trips alongside the rest of our gear, we've encountered no issues and are confident enough to update our guidance.
Hand washing in cold water still works great too if that's your preference.
Drying: Always Hang to Dry
This is another important part of the care routine. Always hang your Pillow Strap to dry. Never put it in the dryer. This is generally good advice for most outdoor gear though.
The enclosure and elastic strap relies on its stretch properties to work properly. Heat from a dryer can break down elastic fibers over time, causing the strap to lose its tension. We want your Pillow Strap to have the longest life possible, and skipping the dryer is the simplest way to make that happen.
The good news is that the fabric dries quickly after a spin cycle or squeezing it out (don't twist). Hang it up after washing and it's usually ready to go in a few hours.
Storage Between Trips
No special storage requirements here. Just make sure your Pillow Strap is clean and fully dry before you pack it away for any extended period. Storing it damp can lead to mildew or odor, same as any piece of gear.
Care Labels and Packaging
Changes to the website have been made and are as follows, but for a period of time the labels may not reflect our new guidance. It will take a while for the product labels and packaging to match.
Machine wash in a garment bag in cold water with mild detergent, or hand wash in cold water. Hang to dry.
If you bought your Pillow Strap before this update, the same guidance applies to yours too. Nothing about the product has changed, just our confidence in the washing recommendation.
If you have any questions about caring for your Pillow Strap, just reach out on our Contact page and we'll be happy to help.