FABRIC CARE
Not sure how to care for your beautiful clothes or home textiles? That’ s ok! We are here to help
All fabrics are precious and need to be handled with care, so we have put together a few guidelines with some facts about the fabrics we use to help you care for your new and/or existing products. One of the rules I have in my household is that it’s always a good idea to pre-wash any fabric items we are going to use as some shrinkage may occur and any chemicals used in the making of the fabrics is gone before touching our skin. Another generic rule is wash light and bright colours separately, as some colours may run in the first few washes.
Please keep in mind that these tips I am about to share with you, are only guidelines and there is always going to be variations in fabrics. Always follow the care label instructions sewn on each garment, as we do not accept claims on garments, which have been laundered incorrectly. If you do have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us, as we are always happy to help.
Our Fabrics
- LINEN
- COTTON
- HEMP
Linen is one of the easiest fabrics to care for. It is a common misconception that linen needs extra care or can only be dry-cleaned. Linen is made from the fibres of the flax plant, cultivated and used as a textile for thousands of years before the existence of dry cleaners and the detergents we use today.
Linen can be machine or hand washed on low temperature, lukewarm or cold water. Make sure the machine is set to a gentle cycle as this will protect the fibres from dancing around in the machine Even better, use a laundry bag to wash your linen clothes in as this will keep the fibres tighter together.
You can tumble dry your linen clothes if your machine allows you to select a cool temperature and remember to remove your clothes when still damp to avoid them going stiff and really crinkled. Put them on a hanger in a shady place or lie them flat to finish the drying process. If you wish, you can iron linen, though there is no need for it unless it is really crushed. If you do need to iron, it is recommended you do it while it is slightly damp using a medium-hot iron with the steam setting.
Cotton has a long and interesting history throughout the world. Did you know, it is one of the oldest fibres known to humans? It is believed that a cotton plant was growing wild in East Africa however; it was first cultivated in Pakistan for the use of textiles, bindings for sandals and harnesses for elephants. Australia has it’s own history and was introduced to Cotton with the First Fleet but didn’t establish itself as a commercial crop until the 1850’s.
My love for cotton grows everyday and the main reason is because as a Mum of 4, it is so easy to care for. If you look after your cotton textiles they will stay looking and feeling beautiful after each wash.
It is always best to check the care label to see which cleaning method is best suited for your garment. Cotton can either be machine washed, hand washed or dry cleaned. If machine-washed is mentioned, please use the appropriate wash cycle on your machine. The use of hot water can cause your Cotton to shrink, the same as using high heat when using your dryer. If your dryer allows you to choose a low-heat, winning. Cotton is a little bit like Linen, if you want to iron on a high heat do it while the fabric is slightly damp and you can totally use the steam option. These days in my house, as soon as the load is complete I hang them on hangers and put them in a shady place to dry. This means, I rarely need to pull out the iron and my cotton clothes stay looking beautiful.
Did you know Hemp is one of the oldest crops used by humans? Many, many years ago, the locals of Spain and Russia needed a material with strength for the use of nets and traps for hunting. They continued to explore fibrous plants like hemp and were able to create textiles. Mind Blowing… As we know hemp is one of the strongest, most durable natural fabrics known to man. If we love it like we love a hot chocolate on a winter’s day then it will wear in, not out. You only need to wash your hemp products if they become smelly; airing them out between wears is better. A natural antibacterial and super breathable fibres means it will fight against germs and odour. The bonus of hemp if you do need to wash it now and then, is that it’s very much the same as Linen and Cotton. Have your machine on a cool to warm cycle with similar colours. If you feel the item is a little delicate, put it in a wash bag to protect those fibres from jumping around. We also want to avoid as much as possible putting our hemp textiles in the dryer. They are more prone to shrinkage and going out of shape so our clothesline is going to be your best friend. You can also choose to lay your garments flat somewhere in the shade. An iron can be used on a hot setting as this will help any fibres bounce back from their party in the machine (textile berocca) and ironing the garment inside out will avoid any damage or discoloration. Last tip, I promise. Fold, fold and fold. If you choose to hang your hemp garments you may see some growth. This is more likely to occur with knits, jersey’s and heavier garments but it’s always best to be safe.
