I have heard for many years, that one should always wash, and dry, their graphically printed t-shirts, inside-out to help preserve the design. It supposedly prevents cracking, flaking, fading etc. However, rarely, does the care label inside the shirt instruct to do the “indise-out” thing.
I really don’t see how it could make much of a difference, especially in the washer. The drying part seems a little more plausible, though, because it may (or may not) create less friction. Dryers also tend to make things “fuzz up” e.g. it seems to “raise the grain” on 100% cotton. The majority of printed tees are 100% cotton AFAIK, so let’s ignore the “fuzz-pills” that happen to synthetic fibers, for now.
So, does the “inside-out” method it really work? If yes, how and why?
When your clothes slosh around in the washing machine, the fabric abrades against itself and against the agitator and the inside of the tub. This can cause premature fading on some fabrics, and can abrade the silk screened print on your t-shirt.