The Black Purple Care Guide 2026: Wash, Dry and Rotate Your Mass & Slim Pieces
The dryer buzzes. You pull out a tangle of towels, jeans and, somewhere in the middle, the shapewear shorts you paid almost ninety dollars for, now twisted around a zipper. You smooth them out and wonder: was that allowed? Will the waistband still stay put tomorrow?
It's a fair question, because a firm, stretchy garment lives or dies by how it's washed. The Black Purple, the small Toronto brand that sells the Mass & Slim line, publishes care notes on each product page and a separate washing article on its blog. Olivia Reviews pulled them together in October 2026, including the places where they don't quite agree.
Quick take: Every Mass & Slim piece is machine washable on a gentle, cold cycle. The grey shorts and leggings are listed as dryer safe on low heat, the black compression leggings should be hung to dry or put on a low setting, and the brand's blog goes further, recommending a mesh bag, no fabric softener or bleach, and air drying. Rotating two or three pairs is the brand's own suggestion for daily wearers. If you are about to buy, see today's The Black Purple deals first.
Know what you're washing
The Mass & Slim range splits into two fabric families, and their labels differ:
| Piece | Listed fabric | Wash | Dry (product page) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grey Shapewear Shorts | 53% polyamide, 33% polyester, 14% elastane | Gentle, cold | Low heat; dryer safe |
| Grey Shapewear Leggings | 53% polyamide, 33% polyester, 14% elastane | Gentle, cold | Low heat; dryer safe |
| Grey Waist Shaper | Bamboo viscose with embedded Tourmaline® beads | Gentle, cold | Low heat |
| Black Compression Leggings | 61.3% polyamide, 28.5% polyester, 10.2% spandex | Gentle, cold | Hang dry, or low temperature |
Every piece has small beads knitted into the fabric, which is one more reason to keep these garments away from rough laundry companions.
The washing routine, step by step
Combining the product pages with the brand's blog post "How To Care And Wash Your Shapewear So It Lasts," the routine looks like this:
- Bag it. The blog recommends a mesh wash bag (also called a lingerie bag) to stop the garment getting knocked around and snagged on buttons, zippers or hooks.
- Choose the gentle cycle. Shapewear is tough enough to wear all day, the brand says, but should be washed like other delicate garments.
- Keep the water cool. Product pages say cold water. The blog allows cold or warm and warns that hot water can damage the specialized fabrics.
- Skip the extras. No fabric softener, no chlorine bleach and no harsh detergents, according to the blog.
- Hand washing is fine too. The blog notes that washing by hand in cold water and hanging to air dry is one way to make shapewear last longer.
Drying: where the advice splits
This is the one place The Black Purple's guidance isn't consistent. The grey shorts and leggings pages call them "machine washable and dryer safe," with low heat for longest wear, and the FAQ says the same. The black leggings page says to hang dry or use a low temperature if you use a dryer. The blog article, meanwhile, says not to put shapewear in the dryer at all, because hot air can damage elastic fabrics, just as hot water can.
The practical takeaway: the dryer on low is permitted by the product pages, but air drying is the option every source on the site is comfortable with. If you want your pieces to keep their snap as long as possible, hang them.
Putting them on without stressing the fabric
Care isn't only about laundry. The black leggings' product page describes a gentler way to get them on: turn them inside out, bunch up the legs, then roll them smoothly up over your hips and thighs. That beats yanking at the waistband, which puts all the strain on one seam.
Expect a break-in period. The brand says the firm fabric is meant to feel tight when new and relaxes after three or four wears, molding to your body. Its Shipping & Returns page repeats the point: shapewear "may feel snug at first" and adapts over time. The sizing guide for the black leggings adds that if you're between sizes, or new to compression, sizing up helps comfort.
Rotate, don't overwork one pair
The brand's sizing guide recommends rotating between two pairs "for freshness and long-term use." The 3-pack FAQ makes the same case from the laundry side: three pairs let you wear a clean one every day while the others are being washed or drying. It also prevents the temptation to throw a pair in a hot dryer just to have it ready by morning.
| Option | Price seen (Oct 2026) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Shapewear Shorts (single) | $87.95 (was $99.95) | Trying the fit first |
| Shapewear Leggings (single) | $97.95 (was $109.95) | Pants and scrubs days |
| Shorts 3-Pack | $199.85 (vs $263.85) | Daily dress and skirt wearers |
| Leggings 3-Pack | $229.85 (vs $293.85) | Daily pants wearers |
| Shapewear Bundle (shorts, leggings, waist shaper) | $199.85 (vs $263.85) | Rotating styles rather than duplicates |
One caution: all three pairs in a 3-pack come in the single size you pick. If you need different sizes, the brand says to order single pairs instead.
→ Check the latest The Black Purple coupon codes and deals
Everyday wear questions the brand answers
- With or without underwear? The FAQ calls it personal preference.
- Under what? Shorts suit dresses, skirts and shorter hemlines; grey leggings go under pants, jeans and scrubs; the black leggings are designed to be worn on their own.
- Storage? The brand doesn't publish storage instructions, so Olivia Reviews has none to pass along beyond keeping pieces away from the heat the care notes warn about.
The brand also lists safety precautions: never wear the garments over open wounds or on swollen, inflamed or irritated skin, and don't wear them after recent surgery or during pregnancy. If you have a medical condition, talk to a doctor before using any compression garment.
When it's the size, not the wash
If a piece still feels wrong after its break-in wears, the fix is an exchange, not a new laundry trick. The Black Purple offers free size exchanges within 60 days and a 60-day money-back return, and its Shipping & Returns page says you can wear an item once or twice to test the fit as long as it's clean and hasn't been worn regularly. Email info@theblackpurple.com with your invoice to start. Wrong or damaged items should be reported within 14 days with an invoice number and a photo, and the brand says you can keep an item it sent by mistake.
Standard shipping is free, with delivery estimated at three to five business days on the Shipping & Returns page. The FAQ quotes four to seven business days via USPS, so allow a little slack.
Ways to save
- SIMPLY10: shown on the site for $10 off your first order.
- 2ORMORE: a site banner offers $20 off when you buy two or more items. The brand doesn't say whether codes combine.
- Multi-packs: the 3-packs and the 3-piece bundle each save $64 versus single pieces.
- Referral program: the footer advertises "Give $10 off to a Friend, Get 15% Cashback."
Offers change, so compare current The Black Purple offers before you check out.
The Black Purple care FAQ
Can I put Mass & Slim shorts in the dryer?
The product page says they're dryer safe on low heat. The brand's blog recommends air drying instead, so hang them if you want the most cautious approach.
Can I use fabric softener?
No. The blog advises against fabric softener, chlorine bleach and harsh detergents.
Why are my new black leggings so tight?
The brand says the firm fabric is meant to feel tight at first and relaxes after three or four wears.
How many pairs should I own?
The brand suggests rotating at least two pairs, and its 3-packs are pitched as a wear-one, wash-one, spare-one system.
Final verdict
Mass & Slim pieces don't ask for much: a mesh bag, a gentle cold cycle, no softener and, ideally, a hanger instead of the dryer. Roll the black leggings on rather than tugging them, give new pieces a few wears to settle, and rotate pairs so none of them gets overworked. If you are building that rotation, see today's The Black Purple deals first.
→ Check the latest The Black Purple coupon codes and deals
Olivia Reviews researched The Black Purple using its official website, product listings, blog care advice and published policies in October 2026. We haven't personally tested these products. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.