How to Store Football Shirts Properly

Football shirt collections have a habit of outgrowing their storage.

Five shirts fit comfortably in a drawer.

Twenty need their own section of the wardrobe.

A hundred and you're suddenly researching industrial clothes rails.

However many you own, storing football shirts properly can help protect them from unnecessary wear.

Clean shirts before long-term storage

Don't pack away a shirt that's covered in sweat, deodorant or dirt and expect it to be delighted about the arrangement.

If you've worn the shirt, clean it according to its care instructions and allow it to dry completely before storing.

Moisture is not something you want trapped with clothing for long periods.

Make sure shirts are completely dry

Not “pretty much dry”.

Completely dry.

If you're storing shirts in drawers, boxes or garment bags, check that there's no remaining moisture.

Allowing proper airflow before storage is sensible.

Hanging vs folding football shirts

Collectors disagree about this endlessly.

The truth is that either method can work if done sensibly.

Hanging

Advantages:

• Easy to browse

• Less folding

• Looks great

• Easy to organise

Disadvantages:

• Takes more space

• Poor hangers can distort garments

• Print can stick to adjacent shirts in certain conditions

Use appropriately sized, smooth hangers rather than sharp wire hangers.

Folding

Advantages:

• Space efficient

• Easy to place in drawers or boxes

• No hanger pressure

Disadvantages:

• Can create creases

• Printed areas can end up folded against themselves

• Harder to browse large collections

When folding valuable printed shirts, think about where the sponsor and nameset will sit.

Avoid excessive heat

Don't store your collection next to:

• Radiators

• Boilers

• Heaters

Heat is particularly unwelcome around old vinyl and heat-applied print.

A stable indoor environment is preferable.

Keep shirts away from prolonged direct sunlight

Sunlight can fade textiles and printed details over time.

Wearing your shirt outside is obviously fine.

We're talking about leaving a prized vintage shirt permanently displayed in direct sunlight every day for years.

If you're framing or displaying something valuable, think about where the sunlight falls.

Be careful when shirts have sticky namesets

Older printing can deteriorate.

Occasionally a nameset becomes tacky or sticky with age.

Do not fold another part of the shirt directly against it.

The last thing you want is to unfold your shirt and discover the number has bonded with the front.

Use appropriate protective separation where necessary.

Don't squash everything together

We've all done it.

One more shirt gets forced onto a completely full rail.

Then another.

Then suddenly every sleeve is crushed.

Give your shirts some breathing room where possible.

How should valuable shirts be stored?

For particularly valuable pieces, you may want a more controlled approach.

Keep them:

• Clean

• Dry

• Away from direct sunlight

• Away from excessive heat

• Away from damp

• Protected from unnecessary friction

Check them occasionally.

Long-term storage shouldn't mean forgetting the shirt exists for ten years.

Can you store football shirts in plastic bags?

Be cautious.

A sealed environment can potentially trap moisture.

If you're using protective garment storage, make sure the shirt is completely dry and use materials designed for clothing storage.

For serious archival storage, acid-free materials are preferable to random household plastic.

Watch out for lofts and garages

A loft looks like excellent free storage until you remember how dramatically temperatures can change.

Garages can also experience moisture and temperature fluctuations.

For valuable collections, an indoor wardrobe or room with a more stable environment is usually preferable.

Should football shirts be framed?

Framing can look brilliant.

Especially for:

• Signed shirts

• Match-worn shirts

• Favourite players

• Important club moments

But good framing matters.

Don't permanently glue a valuable shirt onto a backing board.

If the item is genuinely important, consider professional framing methods designed with preservation in mind.

Organising a large football shirt collection

Once your collection grows, organise it before chaos takes over.

Possible systems include:

By club.

By league.

By season.

By manufacturer.

By colour.

By country.

Or simply by stock number if you're running a football shirt business.

A spreadsheet or collection database can make finding specific shirts much easier.

Check your collection periodically

Every few months, have a look through shirts you haven't worn.

Look for:

• Print becoming sticky

• Peeling

• Damp

• Unexpected marks

• Insect damage

• Colour transfer

Discovering a problem early is significantly better than finding it years later.

Remember: these are clothes

Unless you own something genuinely museum-level, don't become so terrified of damaging your football shirts that you stop enjoying them.

Wear them.

Display them.

Talk about them.

Just store them sensibly when you're finished.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to hang or fold football shirts?

Both methods can work. Use suitable hangers when hanging and avoid folding fragile sponsors or namesets against themselves.

Can sunlight damage football shirts?

Prolonged direct sunlight can contribute to fading, so valuable shirts shouldn't be permanently stored in strong sunlight.

Can I keep football shirts in my loft?

You can, but temperature and moisture fluctuations make lofts less suitable for valuable collections.

Should I wash shirts before storing them?

Shirts should be clean and completely dry before long-term storage.

How should I store vintage shirts with fragile printing?

Keep them away from heat and moisture and prevent vulnerable printed areas from sticking or rubbing against other surfaces.