How to care for Silk & Delicates

Silk has numerous advantages, here are some of them:

• Aesthetic - Silk fascinates with magnetic radiance and light reflection.
• Excellent air permeability and thermoregulation - in silk clothes the skin breathes easily, in the summer silk gives a cool, in the winter it keeps warm.
• Abrasion resistance - no deformation, does not shrink, elastic stretching.
• Hygienic and hypoallergenic – silk does not allow for the emergence of parasites, it does not infest dust mites. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on human skin health, it stimulates cell regeneration.

Always carefully read the care label placed inside the garment and follow the instructions. Some items may only be suited for dry cleaning.

Most woven and delicate fabrics can be carefully hand washed, and when they can, here´s a little guidance:

 Key points:

• Only handwash, and wash rarely
• When not used, store on a hanger in your closet, preferably in a dark place.
• Do not expose your silk to unnecessary heat or sunlight.
• Stain wash when possible instead of washing the whole garment.

Handwash: 

Put your delicate wear in a big bowl with lukewarm water and a drop of washing liquid for delicate materials.

(Tip: Like human hair, silk is a protein fiber, so if you can´t get a detergent, a drop or two of shampoo will do)

Move the clothing gently in the water so that water and detergent flows through the material.  The less you wring or in other ways stress the fabric, the better. Press your hands together so the water is pressed out. Then rinse properly a couple of times. Use the same temperature for washing and rinsing and don´t wring the item. To remove excess water lay the woolen item in a towel and roll it into a sausage, pressing it lightly. Lay it flat on a towel to dry in a warm place. In winters time a heated floor is ideal, in summertime you can lay it flat outside. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can possibly damage the color.

Stain wash:

If you get a stain, we highly recommend removing it separately and as fast as possible.

If the stain is in a difficult place, take a kitchen bowl and spread out the area where the stain is, on top of the bowl. Pour lukewarm water down into the bowl, now running through the stained area. If you are quick to perform this “operation” shortly after getting the spot or stain, preferably still wet, this can be a little trick of genius.

If the spot is a spot coming from grease or oil, gently put a drop of uncolored dishwash soap on to the stain and rub it gently, pouring over more water afterwards, to get rid of the soap.

General recommendations for woven fabrics:

• Wash less and reduce your environmental footprint. Only wash when it is really needed, often some fresh air and some spot cleaning can do the trick.
• Avoid washing over 30 degrees and wash with similar colors, with the inside out. Washing with lower temperatures will make your clothes live longer and you will save energy, and money.
• Use only little detergent and avoid fabric softener and bleach. This way you will keep our water clean. Choose Eco labeled options (like The Swan).
• Use a laundry bag for finer materials (silk, tencel, wool etc) always with the inside out.
• Hang to dry instead of tumble dry. This also makes your clothes smell fresh and clean.
• When ironing use as low heat as possible and preferable use a steamer instead, as this is not as rough to the fibers.  
• Repair when broken. Most likely you can put on a loose button. Try to fix it instead of throwing away a perfectly fine pieces of clothing.
• Follow the care labels for instructions and be aware that it is an indication of the highest temperature allowed.