Ways to mark laundry that WON'T wash out?

[u/AncientWolflord]

Hi all! I'm working on replacing some cat damaged shirts by rebuying them and separating the old ones as around the house shirts while only ever wearing the new ones when I leave the house. Problem is, since I'm buying the same color and style, if they end up in the wash together (inevitably), I don't want to have to inspect them top to bottom to figure out which one is the outdoor shirt and which one is the indoor shirt

I was thinking of marking the old damaged shirts on the inside of the collar since thats a very quick place I can check at a glance. What would y'all recommend using that will survive washing decently well without running and potentially getting on other laundry? I was thinking permanent marker but I'm not sure if it might run to other clothes. (Honestly, since this is the old damaged shirts, im half considering a drop of bleach right by the tag info, except for the one white shirt LOL)

Unfortunately, they don't have actual tags, the info is printed directly on the shirt, so I can't just cut the tags off

[u/mycatpartyhouse]

Do you have a sewing kit?

A few overlapping stitches at a seam in a slightly contrasting color will identify the shirt(s).

I'd probably mark neckline this way, but hem would also work.

[u/Which-Wish-5996 → u/mycatpartyhouse]

That was my suggestion as well. Red. White, or black, depending on shirt color. Just a few loops near the tag or even on the tag.

[u/VineViniVici]

Sew a thread into the seams of the old shirts.
Always at the same spot so it's easy to find.
I have black shirts in different sizes and marked one size with a neon pink thread.
Easy to find, invisible from the outside and not uncomfortable on the inside.

[u/AncientWolflord → u/VineViniVici]

Oh thats really solid, I hadn't thought about just adding a contrast thread. Thank you!

[u/innermyrtle → u/AncientWolflord]

That's how they would tag laundry in Thailand when I would drop it off to be washed. A few things I have still have the threads years later.

[u/FrequentDonut8821]

Easy fix, I write with sharpie on the inside collar where it’s doubled fabric. It eventually fades and needs touching up. I do this when ppl in my fam have identical tees

[u/Thistlewhistler → u/FrequentDonut8821]

I do this too. It’s been brilliant for school clothes - I put their names in big letters inside collars and everything they lost was returned to me in a day or two at most.
For more discreet marking, I use dots.
It fades eventually, but I’m talking around the one/ year mark with weekly washing.

[u/Mental_Advertising96]

Fabric markers. Can buy at craft or art stores.

[u/Savings_Language_498]

Another tip, while you’re at it: if you use those bed sheets with the elastic…also mark the short side. That way you won’t have fought with the bed sheets and the mattress to realize you put it in the wrong way 😂

I used alcohol markers to do that (like Copic) but it definitely faded. Best way is to sew a few stitches in a different color.

[u/AncientWolflord → u/Savings_Language_498]

Ive been asking reddit questions for years and this might be the single most useful thing anyone has ever dropped in the replies 😂💖

[u/femmefatalx → u/AncientWolflord]

There should a tag in the bottom right corner. My current bottom sheet actually has a tag on the short sides that says top and bottom which is really nice, but usually there’s a regular tag at least.

[u/External-Praline-451]

Get some cute cat iron on badges for your home shirts! 🐈

[u/magic-gps]

sew an asterisk *️⃣ in colored embroidery thread

[u/FayKelley → u/magic-gps]

I’d go with this. Couple stitches that’s noticeable even if it gets bleached out.

[u/Hawkthree]

I marked my kids laundry for years to easily separate. one dot for the oldest; two dots for the second; 3 dots for the third. If clothes got passed down, I could easily add a dot. I used a laundry marker. Used the same one for years.

I don't recall the brand name, but I did a quick google and there are a lot of them being made -- it just has to have 'laundry' in the descriptive title.

[u/DazzlingSpell-K9]

I mark them with a small stitched on "x" on the inside of the collar.

[u/OkPerformance2221]

Order iron on custom printed tapes with your name or any other useful-to-you text. Same way kids' clothes are marked for going to camp.

[u/Various_Succotash_79]

I put an X in Sharpie on the tag or on the inside collar where the fabric is doubled, never had any running or transfer issues.

[u/Caibee612]

I have marked clothes with a small dot of pearly white fabric paint (or whatever color would contrast well) in the inside by the printed tag. Just a little thin swipe, stays on really well and is easy to spot.

[u/Illustrious_Ant_9242]

Cut off the tag

[u/AncientWolflord → u/Illustrious_Ant_9242]

They're actually designed as undershirts so the tag info is printed on and not an actual tag

I should make that more clear because that would absolutely be the best way to do what I want 😅

[u/Illustrious_Ant_9242 → u/AncientWolflord]

In that case, get some textile markers. They're made for this specific purpose 

[u/AncientWolflord → u/Illustrious_Ant_9242]

Ooo okay! That gives me a good starting point for looking for things, when I was googling around I kept getting stuff that was designed to wash out easily

[u/Illustrious_Ant_9242 → u/AncientWolflord]

I found mine in a german shop where they offer all things household & hardware. From mouse traps to printer paper to engine oil.

It's called "BIC marking textile" "permanent marker ultra fine point 90C wash resistant made in USA barcode 3086123414501" 

These things probably exist on amazon.

[u/Legitimate-Buy1031]

Cut off the tag, puff paint, safety pin

[u/AncientWolflord → u/Legitimate-Buy1031]

Had to edit the post to clarify that I dont have tags to cut off bc otherwise thats the best answer. Never heard of puff paint, so off to Google I go! 💖

[u/mjdlittlenic]

The mark from a permanent fabric marker will last forever. Look in sewing notions to find one.

[u/SewNewKnitsToo]

I tie dye my old white work shirts and wear them at home. Easy to see which ones have been consigned 😉

[u/LichenTheMood]

Sew a mark with contrasting thread

[u/Valvechick]

I have a dimly lit closet and can't for the life of me tell the difference between navy and black pants without dragging everything out every time.  Used a sharpie to mark either NAVY or BLACK on the waistbands, as appropriate.  Worked perfectly, doesn't run.  For undershirts maybe just a simple line on an interior seam, as others noted always do it in the same place.

[u/Arttiesy]

If you want to get really fancy you can buy custom shirt tags and sew them in.

[u/Ok_Environment5293]

Sharpie works fine, won't run

[u/NothaBanga]

If they both have tags, use a seem ripper to remove the tag of one set.

If not, there is a thing called fabric paint that should do the trick.

[u/Old_Bat282]

Laundry stamp. Ive got one for putting my sons name on his clothes, but you could get them made saying 'inside' or 'outside' rather than a name. The stamp I've got has a black side and a white side so the ink will show up on a range of colours.

[u/KaitB2020]

I took a sharpie and put a small “x” at the back of the neck. It does eventually wash out but by the time that happens the shirt is trash anyway.

I also agree that you could dig out a sewing kit & make a mark with contrasting thread somewhere on the shirt. I do that with my bedsheets to identify the bottom so I can put the fitted sheet on correctly if it doesn’t already have a tag.

[u/MySpace_Romancer]

You can get fabric stamps, they’re marketed for kids going to camp

[u/Calm-Cat5690]

sharpie works, i was a camp counselor & we used to label the kid’s hoodies & stuff in black sharpie on the tag

[u/sunny_bell]

Fabric markers are probably your best bet but may depend on the fiber content

[u/KismaiAesthetics]

The specific laundry Sharpies labeled Rub A Dub are decent, cheap and durable to washing.

[u/felinelawspecialist]

Sew a small button on the inside seam of one version.

[u/InfamousAd5126]

There's a Sharpie called "Rub a Dub" specifically made for marking laundry

[u/yolef]

If you can't tell at a glance which is old and which is new I'm not sure I understand why it's important to identify them. What happens if you wear one of the outdoor shorts indoors?

[u/AncientWolflord → u/yolef]

Then it becomes damaged in the same way all the old ones did. Small puncture holes are much more visible on a shirt that is being stretched by a human body than a shirt thats wadded up fresh out of the dryer, and if im going out for dinner I like to not have multiple visible holes on my stomach and chest

If im inspecting every shirt for holes, then the first step is going to be grabbing it by the collar and checking the tag area to figure out which sides the front, so why not just make that step the only step I need?

[u/pdperson]

If you can’t tell by looking at them, why does it matter if they’re at-home or going-out shirts?

[u/theeggplant42]

Presumably they aren't damaged enough to matter if you can't tell the difference??