Fabric LARP Costume Maintenance, Storage & Repairs

We sell a great variety of clothing products at LARP Inn, in all colours and shapes. The number one rule with all fabric kit is reading any labels or instructions provided. If you're still left scratching your head, here are a few basic guidelines on caring for fabric costume.

Make sure your costume is completely dry before you pack it away. Many events involve getting soaked or covered in mud, and this can lead to damp and mildew if stored for long periods of time. We recommend storing your kit in a warm home environment. However, if you’re forced to tuck your costume away in the garage, loft or shed, make sure its stored inside a water tight container.

Many costume items leech a lot of dye! Always check the label before washing them and, when machine washing, never employ a higher temperature than advised! Moreover, we would strongly recommend washing clothing at least 10° lower than instructed and using Dylon Colour Catcher sheets. Wash items alone to avoid staining other fabrics. Many medieval inspired clothing items combine opposing colours, like checked tabards or lansquescent trousers. If you are washing items with different coloured fabrics (especially black and white) you should use multiple Colour Catcher sheets. Continue using the sheets until you wash the item and the Colour Catcher comes out clean.

Always check the label. Many of our clothing items cannot be put in a dryer. Items that can be put in the dryer, should be dried on a low temperature.

When air drying, give your items as much space as possible and thoroughly dry them. We advise cloaks, dresses and fitted costume items should be dried on sturdy hangers to help maintain their shape.

Lots of LARP costume is adorned with natural materials like wool, fur or leather. These fabrics ususally can't be washed in a machine. For more details on how to care for your leather costume see HERE! Wool is best brushed down to remove excess mud and dirt and then left to air thoroughly. Fur needs a similar treatment, and we would advise ensuring fur isn’t packed away, but hung on a coat hanger or stuffed so the garment maintains its shape.

Fabric clothing is the most common to suffer from rips, tears and general wear. Most people can fix damage themselves with a needle and thread, sewing machine or well-placed patch. We always recommend packing a small sewing kit with safety pins, buttons, needle and thread when heading to an event.

If you need more thorough repairs, we recommend getting in touch. We can do a fair bit here at Larp Inn and often have tools when we’re in the field. When we don’t have the tools or skills, we’ll happily put you in touch with another trader who can help!