Looking after your tights. Tips from Heist HQ.

When it comes to keeping your Heist tights as good as new, we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to. As tights season gets into full swing, we thought we'd share our tips and expert tricks for tights contentment (no nail varnish, hairspray or freezers included).

First things first, size matters.

Sounds obvious, but ensuring your tights are the right size is really important to avoid damaging them. Not only will the wrong size be less than comfortable, but constant adjusting if they are too big, or overstretching the fabric if they are too small can lead to holes.

It's worth bearing in mind that we do size our tights differently to other tights manufacturers. Rather than sizing by height, your hip and waist measurements are key to finding the perfect Heist fit. This means that you may require a different size in Heist tights than what you wear in other brands. Check out the size charts on each product page, or drop our Customer Collective team a line if you need any help with sizing (we have it down to a fine art).

Roll, don’t pull.

Although it looks thicker than the rest of the garment, the waistband is one of the more delicate parts our tights because it is a little less stretchy. With this in mind, it's important to take extra care when putting the tights on. We advise rolling them up rather than pulling them on by the waistband.

To do this, bunch up the fabric of the tights and pop your foot in. Then grab hold of a bunch of leg fabric as well as the waistband and gently roll the fabric up. Try not to pull or or yank the waistband up.

We also recommend removing any jewellery when putting the tights on. Rings, watches and bracelets all have the potential to snag the fabric. Wearing jewellery such as toe rings or ankle bracelets with the tights is also not recommended.

Care when you wear.

Our tights are super soft, comfortable, and robust enough for day to day wear, but they are not ladder-proof. Sharp edges and rough surfaces can break the yarn fibre, which can lead to the dreaded laddering. As a general rule of thumb, the finer the denier, the more delicate the tights and the more care should be taken when wearing them. The Nude and The Thirty therefore require a gentler hand than The Fifty or The Eighty.

We recommend ensuring that toenails are short and any rough edges filed down before putting on tights. Some enclosed footwear, such as winter boots or shoes can be a little rough on the inside...so if you find that your favourite pair of boots seem to wear through your tights and develop toe holes, then putting a pair of thin socks over your tights should help avoid this and provide a protective layer between the shoe and the tights.

Washing is important.

Tights should be treated as delicates when you wash them. Harsh washing cycles and detergents can actually damage the intricate structure of the fabric, making it more susceptible to breaking.

Hand washing is the best way to prevent damage, but if you do use a machine then we recommend washing the tights inside-out, and ideally in a mesh laundry bag (not the dustbags we used to provide with earlier orders). Wash them separately from anything with hooks or zips that might catch or snag the fabric. Use a machine setting that uses cold or warm water with gentle detergent, on a delicate cycle such as wools or silks.

Air dry the tights, away from any heat sources. Placing them on a radiator to dry isn’t good for the yarn as it can make it more brittle. For the same reason, please don’t iron or tumble dry the tights.

Have we missed anything? Feel free to drop us a line with your best tights hacks!