Please ensure you always follow the care instruction label on each of our products carefully.

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Pay careful attention to the type of fabric that your garment is made of, because that will help you determine how you should proceed.

 

Pretty much every delicate fabric can be damaged by your home washing efforts. That includes suede, leather, velvet, taffeta, rayon, and anything with fur or down. Suits, pleated skirts, and anything with significant or oil-based stains are also too tricky to tackle alone. These are all best left to dry cleaning professionals.

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Cotton, linen, and durable polyesters are often safe to wash with a machine, but wool, silk, and some delicate types of cotton are best washed by hand.

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Hand Wash
 

Hand washing is essentially a slow soak for ten minutes followed by a rinse in warm water. To get rid of excess water, roll your garment up in a towel and gently press to absorb. Then, using a fresh towel, lay your garment out flat, preferably in the sunshine. After machine-washing, gently shake and reshape and lay out flat to dry.

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Machine Wash

 

Most of my garments are delicate and should be put in a garment bag and set on a gentle or hand wash cycle. If you have neither, you might be able to use the permanent press cycle on light.   Always wash in lukewarm or cold water.
 

Jersey Fabric

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Jerseys have elasticity in them. If it is hung, the weight of the item may stretch and pull it down. You’ll eventually lose the shape of your garment. Always fold jersey or knit garments.

 

Be gentle when dressing. Always open the buttons and undo zippers before putting on and taking off clothes.

Wool Fabric

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Give wool garments a 24-hour rest between wearing. Hang on shaped or padded hangers, leaving lots of space. In general, wool fibres will shed wrinkles and return to their original shape.

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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. 

 

Refresh wool garments quickly after wearing or unpacking by hanging them in a steamy bathroom. 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. 

 

Keep moths away by storing wool with fresh cedar blocks. 

 

Dry clean once a season (or when stained), and especially before storing. 

 

When ironing a wool garment use steam for pressing. 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. 
 

Never use the dryer!

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Avoid the dryer for most delicate and jersey fabrics. That dreaded machine will only transform your garments into tiny, saggy shadows of their former selves.