Hehehe.. It's spelled as lextra not laxtar.

Now it has a new name, called Senscilia. New technology as well such as no plastic film on top of the patches/namesets and nice watermark features on the surface of the stitched area.
Nope.

EPL was once sponsored by Carling since the 1993-1994 season (second season). Look at the EPL trophy and you would see 'The FA Carling Premiership':


But before this, although it was sponsored by Carling, the Carling brand wasn't printed on the trophy. Take a look at the first time ever the EPL was not won by United but Blackburn:


But you can see the ribbons on the trophy had Carling sponsors...

It was sponsored by Carling up until the 2002-2003 season:


During the 2003-2004 season, EPL introduced a new EPL style of badge where Barclays took advantage over their sponsorship deal by applying the barclaycard brand on to the EPL patch:


That was the first time ever the EPL allowed sponsors to be placed in the patch. Prior to that, the patches were standard design.

So to answer your question, the BPL term was used since 2002-2003 season.
Well.. you can wash your jerseys using washing machines.. but again, from my experience and others who shared their nightmares with me.. it's best to individually wash them by your hands.

Here's why:

1. I pasted this info already at the first page, funny that some of you guys didn't notice it. This is what happened to one of my friend's Fulham jersey after washing it in the washing machine:


2. This is what happened to alister88's jersey:


Lextra or PU.... it's risky.

It's just risky.. you can continue to wash them using washing machine but using your own hands is much better.. You have 100% control over your jerseys.

And again, my advice is if possible, is to not leave them damp for a long time and then dry them............ The best way from my experience is to spin dry them for 1 minute only (not too long) and then you can iron them... It makes the jersey clean, smooth and help bond the glue of the nameset/patches/sponsors even better from the ironing (but you have iron them beneath the sponsors/nameset/patches.. which is to terbalikkan first the jersey).