Lorna Jane Care Guide 2026: How to Wash Your Leggings and Sports Bras So They Last
Your favorite leggings rarely die in the gym. They die in the laundry: one hot tumble dry, one capful of fabric softener, one wash tangled up with a fluffy towel. Then the black turns grey, the stretch goes slack and little pills appear on the thighs.
The fix is simple, and Lorna Jane spells it out for every one of its named fabrics. We went through the brand's Garment Care page, its Activewear Fabrics Guide and its Active Advantage terms on the New Zealand store in October 2026, and turned them into one routine you can stick on the laundry door.
Who This Care Guide Is For
It's for anyone who already owns a few Lorna Jane pieces and wants them to look new for longer, and for shoppers about to buy who'd like to know what looking after them really takes. Every instruction below comes from Lorna Jane's own care pages. One rule overrides all of them: the care label on your piece comes first, because the brand says it tailors washing instructions to individual products.
The Five-Rule Routine for Every Activewear Piece
Lorna Jane's Garment Care page boils it down to a few basics, and its Fabrics Guide repeats almost the same steps for each fabric:
- Wash cold, gently, with like colors. Use a mild detergent on a gentle cold cycle.
- Bag it. Put leggings and bras in a garment bag before they go in the machine.
- Skip the extras. No fabric softener, no bleach and no soaking.
- Hang it straight away, in the shade. Spin, then hang dry immediately; don't dry in direct sunlight and don't tumble dry.
- Never iron or dry clean. And avoid rough surfaces when you wear them.
The tumble-dryer rule is the one people break most. Lorna Jane frames it as better for the environment and a power saver too, but it's also what keeps the stretch in your stretch fabrics. Leggings that hang in the shade dry fast anyway: most of the brand's activewear fabrics are listed as quick-dry.
Why the Wash Bag Matters More Than You Think
The brand gives two reasons for using one. First, a wash bag stops stray fibers from "fluffy" items, think towels and sweatshirts, from attaching themselves to technical fabrics, which is how a smooth legging ends up looking fuzzy. Second, it stops bra straps and clasps from tangling with everything else in the drum.
Lorna Jane sells its own Lorna Jane Wash Bag and the Wash Me Real Good Wash Bag, both described as made for machine-washing leggings, sports bras and "those special Lorna Jane pieces that need some extra love and care."
Buy a wash bag if: you own more than two sports bras. The strap-tangle problem alone makes it worth it.
Keep Bright Colors Bright: The Salt Trick
Here's the tip most people miss. Lorna Jane says the vibrancy of some bright colors and fluoros may fade over time, and that some colors aren't colorfast. Its advice: before the first wear, pre-wash the piece in cold water with a spoonful of salt. Then keep washing pastels and brights only with similar shades. A sweet-pink bra that goes in with your black leggings won't stay sweet pink for long.
Fabric by Fabric: What Each One Needs
All of Lorna Jane's core activewear fabrics share the same care steps, but what they're made of explains why those steps matter.
| Fabric | Blend (per the brand) | What it's built for | Care watch-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nothing 2 See Here™ | 71% polyester, 29% elastane | Light-blocking interlock, 4-way stretch, moisture-wicking | Pre-wash brights; some colors may fade |
| Liberty | 81% nylon, 19% Lycra® elastane | Soft matte nylon, quick-dry, all-day wear | Matte finish shows fuzz; always wash in a bag |
| Bare Minimum | 81% nylon, 19% elastane | Brushed nylon, light compression, barely-there feel | Brushed surface: avoid rough benches and walls |
| LJ Elite | 75% nylon, 25% elastane | Sleek, cool to the touch, stronger compression | Highest elastane share: no tumble dryer, ever |
| Luxe Rib | 78% nylon, 22% elastane | Ribbed texture, matte finish, light compression | Wash with like colors to protect the matte finish |
The "care watch-out" column applies the brand's own rules to each fabric; it isn't extra advice the brand gives per fabric. When in doubt, the label wins.
One piece worth a special mention: the Malibu 12cm Bike Shorts are made from LJ Elite and, according to Lorna Jane, built with quick-drying fabric and swim-safe materials for "sweat to swim" workouts. Care is the same as the rest of the range: cold, gentle and in the shade.
Shop Lorna Jane Pieces by Fabric →
Thermal Pieces Need a Little Extra Care
Thermal styles such as the Lotus Thermal Flared Leggings have a brushed fleece finish against the skin. The brand's Thermal-Luxe fabric is described as 48% warmer than its Bare Minimum fabric. Lorna Jane is upfront that brushed fleece can pill when it rubs, and says that's normal wear rather than a fault. Its thermal routine:
- Hand-wash cold with mild detergent, or use the delicate cycle.
- Turn it inside out and always use a wash bag.
- Spin gently, then hang dry or dry flat in the shade.
- Limit friction: the brand names backpacks, sliding on the floor, crawling on your knees, rough seats and scrubbing at stains.
- If pills appear, use a good-quality fabric shaver on the surface.
Shop the Pieces (and the Bag) From This Guide
Four items from the Lorna Jane NZ store in October 2026. The NZ store prices in New Zealand dollars, so check the live price on the brand's site.
Prices change often; the brand's site always shows the current price.
Care and Your Amy Leggings Cover
Lorna Jane's Active Advantage program gives Amy leggings 12 months of cover from the purchase date for manufacturing faults, as long as you buy under your Lorna Jane account and keep proof of purchase. Read the terms closely, though: general wear and tear, misuse and alterations aren't covered, and the brand inspects each claim. In other words, a tumble-dried pair with a stretched-out waistband is on you. Following the care label is the simplest way to keep any legitimate claim clean.
Your Laundry-Day Checklist
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Cold, gentle cycle with mild detergent | Fabric softener or bleach |
| Wash bag for leggings and bras | Soaking |
| Wash with like colors | Tumble dryer |
| Hang dry in the shade straight after the spin | Direct sun, ironing or dry cleaning |
| Salt pre-wash for brights before first wear | Rough surfaces, especially on brushed and thermal fabrics |
Lorna Jane Care FAQ
Can I put Lorna Jane leggings in the dryer?
No. Every fabric in the brand's Fabrics Guide says do not tumble dry. Hang dry in the shade straight after washing.
Why are my leggings pilling?
Friction is the usual cause, whether from rough surfaces or from being washed with fluffy items. The brand recommends a wash bag and, for brushed thermal pieces, a fabric shaver if pills appear. On thermals, it calls light pilling normal wear rather than a fault.
Can I use fabric softener?
Lorna Jane's care instructions for its activewear fabrics say not to use fabric softeners.
Can I order from the NZ store in the US?
The brand says it can only ship an order to addresses in the country you choose. The NZ store ships within New Zealand, and the site's country selector lists other regions, including the United States.
The Bottom Line
Looking after Lorna Jane activewear takes only a few extra seconds a load: zip it into a wash bag, wash it cold with like colors, skip the softener and hang it in the shade. Add a salt pre-wash for anything bright and give thermals a gentler cycle, and your favorite pieces will keep their shape, color and stretch far longer. When it's time to add a new set, check our Lorna Jane deals page for today's offers first.
Refresh Your Lorna Jane Kit Today →
How we wrote this: SweatproofGear researched Lorna Jane using the Garment Care page, Activewear Fabrics Guide, Active Advantage terms and product pages on its official New Zealand website in October 2026. We haven't personally tested these products, and we only repeat what the brand states. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.