How should ESD jackets be laundered?

Question: Can you Wash An ESD Jacket?

I want to ensure my ESD jackets have a long service life.  How should ESD jackets be laundered?

Wash An ESD JacketESD jackets come in many shapes and colors, not to mention fabrics, so it can be very difficult to choose the right jacket for your application.  You have tried all the samples, haggled with salesmen, and have placed your first order…and now the question is: How do you wash your ESD jackets to ensure long life?

Answer: ESD Jacket Laundry Care

Here are a few tips to Wash An ESD Jacket:

  • Wash in cool or cold water (90°F maximum) with any commercially available liquid detergent
  • Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Bleach can cause deterioration in the conductive components of your garments, and fabric softener may interfere with moisture absorbency as well as mask any soil release finish it may have.
  • Wash different types of garments in separate loads. Avoid cross-contamination of fabrics by only washing like garments together. This will also prevent stiff or abrasive fabrics from hurting more sensitive garments.
  • Hang dry your garments when possible. Many ESD-safe garments are temperature sensitive, so you do not want to hurt their conductivity during the drying process. Also ESD-safe garments tend to dry fast.
  • If you must use a dryer, tumble dry only on lowest setting.
  • Avoid ironing if you can, as the heat may hurt the ESD-safe properties of your garments. This is another reason why it is best to hang dry, as you will have to iron your garments less.
  • If you must iron, only iron on lowest setting.

Ensure Your Jacket Has a Long Life
There are many types of ESD jackets available, in fact the ESDA classifies them into Three ESD Jacket Categories.  Durability is a huge factor in deciding on an ESD jackets. You should ask the manufacturer for test information, like the 100 wash test we preform on our ESD jackets.

Choosing an higher quality jacket (and most likely paying more) upfront, will be more cost effective in the long run.  Buying a lower cost jacket, only to have them fall apart after a few washings is not desirable.

View our high quality, durable 9010 Series ESD Jackets.