Tips
Lycra is not immortal. But with the right care, it lasts far longer than a season. Here is what we do in the workshop—and what you can do at home.
A NovaRythm leotard is not an ordinary sports outfit. The specialized lycra we use—four-way stretch, woven in Italy—reacts differently to heat, detergents, and the mechanical cycles of a washing machine during spinning. What you do after each training session matters just as much as what we do in the workshop.
The rule that sums it all up: cold water, always. Lycra fears heat far more than dirt. At 30 °C you wash it; at 40 °C you shorten it. The fibers contract, the elastane weakens, and the whole garment takes on a slight grayish tint that nothing can correct afterward.
Why heat is the enemy
For heat-applied rhinestones, heat is a direct enemy—it gradually dissolves the adhesive holding each stone in place. In the workshop, we immerse sample garments in a tub of cold water with a small amount of very mild liquid detergent, without enzymes or optical brighteners.
The workshop protocol
For leotards with embroidery or dimensional appliqués, turn them inside out before immersing them. The embroidery is worked on the reverse side of the garment; turning them inside out protects the raised details from friction in the machine.
If you choose to use a washing machine, place the garment in a fine-mesh laundry bag and select the delicate cycle, 30 °C maximum. The spin cycle is the most aggressive step—avoid it completely if you can.
Take out the garment, roll it in a clean towel, and gently press. Then lay it flat in the shade. Never hang it by the straps—the weight of the wet garment stretches them irreversibly.
This protocol is not a constraint—it is simply respect for an item that was made with care. Every NovaRythm leotard represents several hours of artisanal work. Washing it correctly extends that care beyond the workshop, into your hands.
