Almost everything we sell is natural fibre, mostly handloom cotton, with some linen, tussar and raw silk. Looked after properly these fabrics outlast anything synthetic. Here is what we tell our own customers.
Cotton and handloom cotton
- First wash cold, on its own. Handloom and natural dyes let go of a little colour on the first wash. This is normal and settles after one or two washes.
- Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, or hand wash. Mild detergent, no bleach.
- Turn inside out and dry in the shade. Direct Chennai sun fades colour faster than anything else.
- Warm iron. Cotton irons best while slightly damp.
Linen and cotton linen
- Hand wash cold, or gentle machine cycle in a mesh bag.
- Do not wring. Press the water out and dry flat in the shade.
- Linen creases. That is the fabric, not a fault. A warm iron on the reverse takes it out.
Raw silk, tussar and modal silk
- Dry clean for the first clean, and for anything embroidered or with zari.
- After that, gentle hand wash in cold water with a mild liquid detergent is fine for plain silks.
- Never wring or brush. Roll in a towel to take the water out.
- Iron on low, on the reverse, with a cotton cloth in between.
Embroidery, mirror work and zari
- Turn inside out before washing, always.
- Dry clean is safest. If you wash at home, hand wash only and keep it away from anything with hooks or zips.
- Iron around the work, not over it.
Storing between seasons
- Store dry and completely aired. Damp is what causes those spots.
- Cotton bags, not plastic covers. Natural fibres need to breathe.
- Keep silk away from naphthalene balls. Dried neem leaves work and do not leave a smell.
- Refold zari and silk pieces once or twice a year so the creases do not set into the same lines.
Unstitched sets
Wash the fabric before you take it to your tailor. Cotton and linen shrink a little on the first wash, and it is better that happens before it is cut.
Something gone wrong?
Message us on WhatsApp at +91 63694 39328. We stitch these pieces ourselves, so we usually know what can be saved.