How to Wash a Photo Blanket

by William Kenny

Knowing how to wash a photo blanket will help you get the most out of your MYPICTURE blanket. Our simple guide tells you how!

Our photo blanket is special. This isn’t a mass-produced picture blanket from the high street, but a one-of-a-kind custom item. And it comes with a premium photo reproduction in ultra-crisp definition.

So a lot of our customers get in touch because they’re wondering if the blanket needs special care. Most importantly, can it be cleaned in the washing machine?

We’ve got good news. It absolutely can.

How to Wash a Photo Blanket – In Brief

Our photo blankets can be washed in the machine – no need to wash by hand or dry-clean. Choose a setting no warmer than 30°C, and avoid the most vigorous spin cycles. Dry on a clothesline, or use the tumble-dryer on the low setting.

Simple as that.

Though of course, the research and development involved in creating our machine-washable premium photo blanket was far from simple!

So if you want to know more about the MYPICTURE photo blanket – such as what it’s made of and how it’s printed – just keep reading.

What is the Photo Blanket Made Of?

​​

Our photo blanket is a luxury item even by the standards of the customised printing sector. It’s constructed from not one but two layers of material, to give it extra depth and visual texture. The two layers are:

• Polar fleece. The base layer is a soft but durable fleece that does the hard work of keeping you warm and holding the structure together, no matter how much vigorous use your blanket gets!

• Premium plush. The second layer is what tips the photo blanket into “full-on indulgence” territory. The downy plush produces a beautiful ripple effect – and it’s as silky as a chinchilla’s fur.

Note: The premium plush layer is slightly more delicate than the polar fleece. That’s why we recommend a 30°C limit on the washing temperature.

How is a Photo Blanket Printed?

We’re often asked: how do we achieve such lifelike photo reproduction? And how does the blanket stay colourfast even after regular machine washing?

The answer: we use a special printing technique called dye sublimation. (It’s also known as thermosublimation because it uses heat to transfer the dyes onto the printed fabric.)

Here’s how it works:

1. Your photo is printed (in reverse) on heat-resistant transfer paper

2. The transfer paper and the blanket fabric are placed in a heat press together

3. The resulting pressure, along with the high temperature, turns the print dyes into gas

4. The gas seeps into the blanket fabric and then solidifies into the material fibres

And the result?

The dyes bond permanently with the fabric fibres. That means not only that the colours are as rich and vibrant as possible, but also that your photo print lasts a lifetime!

More Blanket Care Tips

So, follow our simple washing care advice (just to recap: machine wash at no more than 30°C; no vigorous spin cycles; mild temperatures only if you tumble dry) and your blanket should take care of itself.

But it’s worth reading the following extra advice to help you get the absolute most out of your blanket:

1. Use mild detergent unless you need to get rid of extensive soiling.

2. Avoid fabric softener and (especially) bleach. Your blanket’s plenty soft enough already. And bleach could wreak havoc with your photo print.

3. Don’t iron, steam or dry-clean. Any heat treatment is best avoided once your blanket’s been printed.

4. Wash with similar colours i.e. apply the same basic precautions for your blanket that you would for coloured garments.

REACH Certification

Just a note about health and safety, as this is something we take very seriously here at MYPICTURE.

Our photo blankets are fully certified under the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulatory system. REACH was established by the European Chemicals Agency, and is the strictest law yet dealing with the production and use of chemical substances.

All the chemicals that are used in making MYPICTURE products follow REACH rules for both the UK and EU.

That means you can enjoy your photo blanket in full confidence that it will be completely safe for you and your family.