What colour-fastness actually means

Fabrics are rated on a scale from one to five for how much colour they lose to washing, rubbing and light. We hold a minimum of four on wash and rub for everything we sell.

Rub fastness matters more than people expect, especially on dark denim. A low rating is why some jeans transfer onto pale upholstery.

Light fastness is the one to check for anything you will wear outdoors often. Deep reds and purples are historically the hardest to hold.

None of this is exotic testing — any competent mill can supply the figures. Ask for them.