Fabric prevails supreme in the hearts of all the fashion fanatics. Be it your favourite pair of bedcovers or exclusive apparels; be it timeworn or newfound, every fabric has a unique sense of worth and charm. In the hustle and bustle of life, taking care of fabrics is no less than a trouble! But worry not, a little attention and expert advice will be plenty to keep your fabrics/products hale and hearty.We need to clean them right! So, to be up to speed on what fabric is handled how, leaf through our complete fabric care guide to give your fabrics the life they deserve.

Fabric Care for Cotton

Properties

Most of home furnishings is 100% pure cotton. Handwoven cotton fabric has the added value of allowing more air penetration and is therefore cooler, softer, more absorbent and breathes better. Handwoven cotton fabric also has a textural beauty and visible character which is not present in other fabric qualities. Cotton is a very strong fibre, even when wet, so it holds up very well to repeated laundering.

Shrinkage

During the dyeing and printing processes, the yarn and then the fabric is repeatedly washed. This helps to ensure full dye penetration, removes any residual surface dye and also reduces shrinkage in the final tailored product. Depending on how you care for the product, additional shrinkage ranges from 5-7% for printed fabrics and 7-10% for woven products.

Laundering

We prefer that you refer to the specific care instructions on the product, however here are generalized care instructions. Because cotton is so strong when wet, caring for cotton is very simple and the more you wash it, the softer and more absorbent it becomes. The following tips will help you extend the life of the product.

• Machine wash cold on gentle cycle.
• Wash items with like colors and turn your products inside out, especially dark colors.
• Some colours may require to be washed separately the first few times.
• Keep the zippers and buttons closed to avoid snagging other items in the wash.
• If you choose to use bleach, use non-chlorine bleach which is less harsh on your fabrics and on the environment. However, we recommend that do read individual wash care labels attached to the product.
• Tumble dry low heat. Remove items promptly from dryer, preferably when still damp.

Ironing

Press with a warm to hot iron while damp. If the item has dried, use a spray bottle to dampen the fabric.

Cotton Fab Tips

• Treat the mulish stains with a spot-wash technique beforehand (Gently rub the stained area with a wet cloth soaked in a mild soap)
• Titled with a shrinking limitation, don't dry cotton under direct sun
• If you want to get rid of the wrinkles in a snap, iron the fabric in a moist state

 However, some of the cotton blends like Jute, Jacquard and Kota Doria might need some special care.

Jute

Crafted with coarse and organic fibres, gently rinse the Jute fabrics in cold water using a soft liquid cleansing agent, exposing it to a minimal sunlight. In case the fabric bears intractable stains, then dry cleaning is the only choice you have.

Jacquard

Brush off the dirt from Jacquard fabrics with a horsehair brush before immersing them in cold water. In case of stains, apply the spot-wash technique

Kota Doria

Owing to the delicate blends of cotton and silk yarns, Kota Doria should be hand-washed only with mild detergent.

FABRIC CARE FOR SILK

Properties

Selected villages in India have been processing the silk threads from "silkworms" or caterpillars for thousands of years. The various fibre and fabric properties depend on the type of worm or moth, the food that it eats and the way in which the fibres are processed. We use several blends of silk, such as Raw Silk, Tussar, Matkaetc, which are indigenous to India and processed and spun by hand without the use of harsh chemicals. Silk is the strongest natural fibre, has a beautiful drape and is naturally crease resistant. The drawback of silk is that it loses its strength when wet and therefore needs to be treated gently during laundering.

With a lustrous and delicate feel, silk is one fabric that takes an exclusive spot in every house. Having an air of class and richness about it, this fabric should be handled with extra care. With dry cleaning being the best choice for rich colored silk fabrics, special washing techniques can be a money-saver for you.

Laundering

Please refer to the specific care instructions on the product.
Dry Clean only, Ironing, use cool or warm iron if needed

Types of Silk

With silk having a pool of infinite varieties, each kind has its own maintenance outline, such as follows. Like a local language, silk type also changes with a little distance travelled. In India especially, almost every state has its own variant of silk. Some of the most common silk types across the world are:

Mulberry Silk: This variety is the most common silk available in the world. It is obtained from silkworms which are fed from the Mulberry Bush. China, Japan and Korea have this silk in abundance. Since the worms are killed in their cocoons in order to extract long fibres, it is considered as an unethical way of obtaining silk.

Raw Silk: A widely used, unprocessed form of silk that can be woven into different fabrics.

Tussar Silk: Also called as Wild Silk, this silk type is exclusive of India and radiates a rich gold sheen.

Art Silk: Short form for artificial silk, it is an inexpensive alternative to silk. Produced from a synthetic fibre like Rayon to get a resemblance of silk.

Pashmina Silk: Combined with Pashmina wool to get a fabric that defines elegance. Extensively used to produce scarves, stoles, home furnishing and more.

Tanchoi Silk: Woven using a technique that blends silk from two countries, China and India.

Mashru Silk - Crafted with a dominance of silk and few cotton yarns, the silky shine on the outside and a soft cotton touch on the inside makes this fabric demand extra care. The fabric should be dry-cleaned only.

Modal Silk - The softness and satin like shine makes this fabric unique in its own way. Having highly lustrous and extremely light weighing qualities, Modal silk should be dry-cleaned only.

Chanderi Silk - Blessed with a light weight and sheer texture, the Zari yarns intricately interlaced with Silk threads calls for some special attention. If the label says "Dry Clean only" then one should stick to professional assistance.

Silk Care Guide

Dry Clean recommended

Washing

• Hand Wash in Cold Water
• Delicate Cycle & Mild Detergent for Machine Washing
• Shortest Spin Cycles
• Always Separate Colors
• No Tumble Dry
• Do not Bleach

Drying

• Hang to Dry
• Avoid direct Sunlight
• Avoid wooden drying racks

Ironing

• Use Low Setting on iron
• Iron while the clothes are still damp
• Press the garment inside out while ironing
• Keep a press cloth between the garment to avoid shine

Storing

• Store silk fabrics flat or cover with clean white muslin and pad with white tissue in case the garments are hung
• A natural anti-moth repellent works well to keep those naughty larvae from having a hearty meal!
• Make sure your silk clothes are absolutely clean and dry prior to storage

Fabric Care For Synthetic Blends

The artificial fibres used in crafting synthetic fabrics make it compatible with an easy care. Be it hand-wash or machine, these fabrics holds a great strength and shine for a long period of time.

Fab Tips

• Wash these fabrics in cold water only
• Watch out for Dark colors, they bleed a little in the first few washes
• Drying these in a dryer can put you in trouble (since they are sensitive to heat, keep them away from high temperature)
• When ironing, always place a moist cloth between the iron and the fabric to get a fine crease and smooth shine

Fabric Care for Linen

Made from fibres of the flax plant, linen is one beautiful, comfortable, absorbent and durable fabric. It ages gracefully and grows lustrous with every wash, provided it's taken well care of.

There is a misconception that linen fabric is high maintenance and is only suitable for dry cleaning. The fact is, linen is one of the oldest natural fabrics and has been in use since the Christian Era. This means that linen has been around long before dry cleaners!

It is perfectly fine to hand wash or machine wash linen gently. Hot water and hot iron could do more harm than good. Linen is ever so wrinkly and resists ironing. A non-uniform nubby texture and crush is a tell-tale of real linen and lends the fabric a distinctive appeal.

Linen Care Guide

Washing

• Unfold linens before washing
• Do not overload the machine
• Wash at max 40°C
• Gentle cycle, mild detergent
• Do not tumble dry
• Avoid Chlorine bleach. (It's harmful and causes yellowing. Use Oxygen Bleach/hydrogen peroxide for white linens)

Drying

• Line dry your linens
• Do not over dry
• Hang dark color clothes in shade

Ironing

• Iron with steam on slightly damp linen
• Iron on reverse

Storing

• First things first. Clean before storing!
• Good ventilation keeps linens fresh
• Use bags of cotton, muslin or even better – bags of linen for wrapping your linens

Rayon Care Guide

Washing

• Hand wash in cold water with mild detergent
• Can be dry-cleaned
• Machine wash only if the label says so
• Wash dark colors separately
• Avoid bleaching

Drying

• Line / Air dry in shade
• If you want to hang, do so only on a non-metal hanger

Ironing

• Iron while still damp to ease the wrinkling
• Low heat setting
• Iron inside out with a pressing cloth to protect it

Storing

• Pack only clean and dry clothes
• Store in a flat manner on an acid free paper
• Keep storage clean