Fabric care

Silk:

On the label of silk products you will always find a recommendation for dry cleaning, I have never encountered a different recommendation yet.

Here is how I wash my silk shirts and dresses:

For my projects I choose silk of a very high grade, so I am not afraid to hand wash it, although on the label I will still put on what is recommended by the manufacturer.

• The water temperature about 30 degrees,
• washing liquid for silk,
• don’t soak, silk is a protein that shouldn’t be soaked in water, I put it in a bowl and wash it,
• I avoid rubbing and squeezing the fabric to minimize shrinkage of the material and the formation of other damage,
• For colored silks I always add a little vinegar, it prevents depigmentation of the fabric,
• I add a small amount of fabric softener to the rinse,
• after washing and rinsing I gently squeeze, shake, slightly stretch and arrange the shape, dry on a hanger,
• I iron my clothes on the left side, at a low temperature (I follow the manufacturer’s temperature recommendations),
• If I want to get rid of creases on silk, steam ironing is enough for me, it is safer than traditional ironing with an iron.

If a stain has formed on the silk, please do not be tempted to wash and rub the stain locally, as this may cause discoloration.
Silk should always be cleaned in its entirety, never locally.
For more difficult stains, however, I recommend dry cleaning.
Protect silk from direct sunlight to avoid fading.
Do not use bleach to wash silk.

Silk fabrics such as jacquards, taffetas, shantung in the water will become soft and so almost “raggy”, please do not be frightened by this effect, after drying they will return to their stiffness again.

Wool:

On the label of woolen products you will most often find a recommendation for dry cleaning.
Many women give up on quality wool products because it is too time-consuming to take them to the dry cleaner after every wear.

How I wash my woolen clothes:

I can confidently say that both hand washing and machine washing will not damage wool if we follow the following general rules:

• constant wash temperature below 30 degrees, constant meaning the same for washing as well as for rinsing,
• woolen clothes should be washed on the left side (I wash everything on the left side),
• liquid dedicated to washing wool, always dissolve it well in water beforehand,
• I do not soak, wool does not like soaking in water, I put it in a bowl or washing machine and wash it,
• I avoid rubbing and squeezing the fabric to minimize fabric shrinkage and pilling,
• if I wash in the washing machine it is on a program dedicated to wool, or delicate wash and on the lowest speed, immediately after washing I take the laundry out of the washing machine, it shouldn’t lie there creased
• I do not use a dryer, I think that drying crumpled fibers is death to fabrics,
• For colored wools I always add a little vinegar to prevent depigmentation of the fabric,
• I add a very small amount of fabric softener to the rinse,
• after washing by hand and rinsing I gently squeeze, shake, lightly stretch and arrange the shape, sweaters dry spread out on a towel, and other clothes dry hung on a hanger,
• I iron my clothes on the left side and through a cloth, at a low temperature (I follow the manufacturer’s temperature recommendations),
• if I want to get rid of creases on wool, steam ironing is enough for me, it is safer than traditional ironing with an iron,
• I always iron wool through a cloth so as not to overexpose it.
• coats, due to their size, I always take for dry cleaning,
• woolen trousers, dresses, skirts and vests if they are made of 100% wool I do not risk and also take for dry cleaning, but if they have an admixture of, for example, polyamide or other synthetic fiber I wash on a gentle machine wash with the above rules,
• Chanel type wools I also always take for dry cleaning,
• Wool sweaters I always wash on a gentle machine wash with the above rules,
• If I wash in the washing machine then each item is on the left side, has zippers and buttons fastened, each piece is packed in a separate laundry bag, this protects the garment from rubbing and fuzzing.

Please keep in mind that wool, especially those in good grades, is resistant to dirt absorption and has self-cleaning properties.
If it so happens that a garment needs to be refreshed and there is no dirt or stains rubbed in, I suggest testing the old methods of cleaning.
In the past, wool coats and furs were cleaned by “rolling” them in the snow; today, I suggest packing our daily wool clothing in a bag and putting it in the freezer overnight, or hanging it out on the balcony in the winter – wool will self-clean at low temperatures.

Woolen sweaters will not look good if you keep them in a cramped environment.
The fabric will lose its fluffiness, become flat and get felted faster.
To avoid this effect, store wool sweaters flat on a shelf

Clothes moths are a threat to woolen clothes.
Be sure to put bags of fresh lavender or other repellents for these insects in your closet.
They especially like it when sweaters are stored tightly.

Natural fabrics have it that they sometimes get fuzzy – this is a natural process, especially in places where the fabric rubs against each other, such as under the arms.
A clothes shaver works perfectly in such cases.
The purer the composition of a sweater or other wool clothing (no admixtures), the greater the possibility of pilling.

Synthetic fabrics:

Our closets are full of polyester or polyester-infused clothes, and often we don’t even know it.
It is resistant to stretching, creasing, fuzzing, depigmentation, and very easy to care for, for which I, as a busy woman, particularly like it.
I probably won’t wear a polyester blouse, but pants or skirt no longer bother me, and the elastic very comfortable lining I outright love.
A small admixture of polyester fibers in wools will make clothes made from them more durable and serve us longer.
Of course, each woman decides which clothes and with what composition she reaches for, so my brand meets different needs.

How I wash my polyester clothes:

I can confidently say that I pull it off, throw it in the washing machine, wash it, spin it, dry it, steam it and wear it again.

• I wash in the washing machine at 40-50 degrees, as a rule the recommendation on the label is up to 60 degrees,
• any washing liquid will do, but proper to the color scheme,
• stains can be soaked, washed, use stain remover, and for whites bleach,
• washing at normal speed with spinning,
• immediately after washing, I take the laundry out of the washing machine, it does not lie there crumpled,
• I do not use a dryer, I think that drying crumpled fibers is death to fabrics,
• I add a very small amount of fabric softener to the rinse,
• I dry hung on hangers,
• polyester fabrics, in principle, I do not iron, steam is sufficient, but if ironing is necessary, it is always on the left side and through a cloth so as not to overexpose the clothes, at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer,
• If I want to get rid of creases, steam ironing is enough for me,
• in the washing machine, each item is on the left side, has zippers and buttons fastened, this protects the garment from rubbing, pilling and possible pulling.

Yes, polyester is the least demanding of all fabrics.
Let’s remember that both natural and synthetic fabrics are produced in different grades.
Not every wool, cotton or silk is perfect or even good as well as not every polyester is bad and low quality.

Cotton:

You can wash cotton clothes both in a washing machine and by hand.
The label on the garment indicates which method to choose.
Cotton is a natural material, it is light and airy, so it allows the skin to breathe.
It works very well both in summer, when you might sweat a lot, and in winter, when you need warmth and comfort.

How I wash my cotton clothes:

• I wash white shirts in the washing machine at 50-60 degrees, as a rule the recommendation on the label is up to 60 degrees, and colored cotton at 40 degrees,
• I always wash white shirts separately, this helps to preserve the whiteness and avoid yellowing or graying of the fabric,
• all the shirts that have decorations with crystals, stones or other, I wash by hand, and the dirtier areas such as the collar with face powder stains I wash with laundry soap first,
• laundry liquid dedicated to white and colors accordingly,
• stains can be soaked, washed, and a stain remover for colors or white fabrics can be used,
• washing at normal speed with spinning,
• immediately after washing, I take the laundry out of the washing machine, lightly stretch it, arrange it, fold it and leave it for half an hour, lying folded,
• I do not use a dryer, I think that drying crumpled fibers is death to fabrics,
• I add a very small amount of fabric softener to the rinse,
• I dry hung on hangers,
• iron according to the manufacturer’s recommendation,
• if I want to get rid of creases, steam ironing is enough for me,
• in the washing machine, each item is on the left side, has zippers and buttons fastened, this protects the garment from rubbing, pilling and possible pulling.

Clothes made from this fabric stay in shape for a long time – cotton does not wrinkle, stretch or lose density, as long as it is properly washed.
I always sort my laundry by color.

Cotton can shrink up to 6%, this is its natural behavior so it’s a good idea to choose clothes a tad larger rather than smaller.