Clothing Care: Special Fabrics Care

Special Fabrics Care

Wool | Cotton | Linen | Silk

Wool

Care for your wool garments properly, and they'll go out of style long before you can wear them out .... and if you buy finely custom tailored luxurious fabrics, you can not only wear them forever, but even pass them on.
 

• Give wool garments a 24-hour rest between wearings. Hang on shaped or padded hangers, leaving lots of space. In general, wool fibers will shed wrinkles and return to their original shape.
   
• Space wool clothing when hanging; do not hang garments tightly together.
   
• Empty pockets, remove belts and hang with closures zipped and buttoned.
   
• Brush wool to remove surface soil. Use a damp sponge for knits and finer fabrics.
   
• Clean wool garments periodically, not frequently, to avoid premature fiber wear. Dry clean once a season or when stained, and especially before storing.
   
• Always steam when pressing wool. Use the wool setting. Avoid pressing wool totally dry. When possible, press on the reverse side of the fabric. When necessary to press on the right side, use a press cloth to avoid a shine. Lower and lift the iron, don't slide it back and forth. Prevent imprinting inside detail by placing a piece of brown paper or tissue paper under folds, seams or darts.
   
• Refresh wool garments quickly after wearing or unpacking by hanging them in a steamy bathroom (great travel tip). Moisture from the steam will remove wrinkles.
   
• If wool gets wet, dry the garment at room temperature away from heat. If there's a nap, brush with the nap.
   
• Remove spots and stains promptly. Spot clean with cool water or a spot cleaning agent immediately (see stain removal guide for more). When spot cleaning, test the method on an inconspicuous area first to avoid an expensive mistake. 
   
• Prior to long-term storage, clean wool garments thoroughly. Keep moths away by storing wool with fresh cedar blocks.
   
• Allow wool clothing to rest at least 24 hours before repeat wearing to prolong garment life.
   
• Empty pockets when hanging woven garments and fold knit garments flat to prevent shape distortion.
   
• Never wring or vigorously rub wool garments.

Cotton

Cotton can be easily laundered. It can withstand high temperatures (boiling water does not hurt the fiber). Any good detergent can be used to wash cotton.

• Chlorine bleach can be used safely on cotton whites. Use color safe bleach on dyed cottons.
   
• Since cotton fibers are fairly inelastic cotton fabrics may wrinkle easily. And, fabric may need frequent pressing.
   
• A higher heat setting is needed in the dryer to dry cotton. Cotton will take much longer to dry than less absorbent fibers.
   
• Cotton can be ironed with a hot iron, and does not scorch easily.

Linen

Here's another beautiful but relatively high-maintenance fabric. Some linens are washable, while others are dry clean only.

• Linen jackets, suits, and dresses must be dry cleaned to keep their inner construction (facings, lining, shoulder pads, etc.) intact.
   
• If you want your linen shirts and shorts to have that same crispness, then have them dry cleaned. However, if you prefer a more relaxed look and feel to your linen, wash them at home.
   
• Linen fabrics may need frequent pressing. Linen is notorious for wrinkling. However, the more you wash linen, the less wrinkled it gets, because washing makes it softer. 
   
• Washable household linen, handkerchiefs, and linen apparel can be washed easily and become softer with use.
   
• White linens should be dried in the sun, if to help them to keep their whiteness.

Silk

Silk is special. The care you give your silk garments will repay you in prolonged garment life.

Silk is a strong fiber but can be weakened by perspiration, deodorants and sunlight. Silk is absorbent so it dyes easily, but some dye colors tend to bleed and fade in water and during stain removal procedures. According to dry cleaners, red, green, blue and purple dyes are especially prone to problems. Sunlight or even artificial light will fade silk items and turn white silk garments yellow.

Only pre-washed silk is washable. Dry cleaning is generally preferred, since laundering detergent and dyes in other clothes may adversely affect silk fabric. To prolong the beauty and life of silk garments, follow these guidelines in use and care.

Care Tips for Washable Silk

• Do not over wear a silk garment before cleaning it. Wash or dry clean soon after garment becomes soiled.
   
• Some silk garments must be dry cleaned; others can be hand washed. Whether the garment is washable or dry cleanable depends on the dye, finish, garment style and construction. 
   
• Wash each garment separately as dyes may bleed. The dyes used on some silk are subject to color loss and dye bleeding. This may occur in normal wear or during stain removal. 
   
• Perspiration will degrade silk, and perfumes and deodorants will affect the fabric color. Chafing, splitting, and shredding occur in normal wear, especially in lightweight or tight fitting garments.
   
• Air dry the garment away from sunlight until damp dry. Use a padded or plastic hanger to distribute the weight of the wet garment. Please lay flat and dry in the shade.
   
• While damp, press the silk item from the wrong side with a dry iron at a warm (silk) setting. A steam iron at a low setting may be used, being sure the iron doesn't "spit," which would cause water spots. Iron the fabric dry. Use a press cloth when doing touchups on the right side of the garment. 
   
• For long-time storage, silk should be sealed against light, air and insects. Please store with a moth repellent.
   
• Use garment shields to prevent permanent stains from perspiration. Chloride salts found in perspiration and deodorants can weaken silk fibers and, depending on the fabric construction, cause splitting at the underarms as well as staining. Perspiration can damage certain dyes.
   
• Use care in dressing and grooming to avoid staining silk items. Silk fabric is easily damaged by alcohol-based products such as hair spray and perfumes, and chemical products such as nail polish remover. Apply perfume and hair spray before putting on a silk garment as the mist from such products may cause stains.
   
• If you spill something on your silk garment, don't put water on the spotted area. Water may set the stain or cause a permanent ring. Take the item - even a washable silk item - to a dry cleaner as soon as possible. Tell the cleaner what you spilled, where the stain is and how long it has been there. These factors are important because the stain's type and age determine garment handling and spotting procedures.

Hand Washing Silk:

• For items without linings and without embellishments attached, careful handwashing is permissible, with cool or lukewarm water with a mild detergent or mild soap. Strong alkaline detergents weaken silk.
   
• Handle silk garments gently. Don't wring or twist the garment because silk is weaker when wet. After thorough rinsing, roll the item in a clean bath towel to remove excess moisture.

Machine Washing Silk:

• Insert item in a net bag and set machine for a 'delicate wash'.
   
• Don't use presoak products or chlorine bleach; both will damage silk.
   
• Chlorine bleach should never be used on silk.
   
• Do not spin dry.

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Visits for Apr 2013 to Jun 2013

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