Garment Care & FAQs
How do I wash my garments?
Naturally dyed fibres can absolutely be washed! Every natural dyers personal clothing care routine will differ slightly but this is my advice.
+ Wash infrequently if you can help it. Sometimes a garment just needs a quick steam to remove wrinkles or maybe to be refreshed outside
+ Use a gentle/PH neutral laundry detergent like Tru Earth, Mrs. Meyers, or Eucalan, or Nature Clean
+ If you can, hand wash in cold water for delicate fabrics and hang to dry. For sturdy fibres, you can machine wash using cold water with a gentle/PH neutral detergent. I use cold water, and the regular or delicate setting on my home machine.
+ Avoid drying or storing in direct sunlight, shade is ok! UV rays can cause certain dyes to fade rapidly. Of course you can wear your garment out in the sun, but prolonged exposure to sunlight fades many natural dyes.
+ Yes you can put your garments in the dryer (cotton, linen, hemp, silk), I use a low setting and pull the garments out to air dry for the last little bit to avoid wrinkling! Air drying is always better and will prolong the life of your garment.
+ Yes you can use an iron! I press everything throughout the manufacturing process and have never seen a dye fade due to ironing.
+This is not care instructions for wool, I rarely use it in my practice and if I do, the care instructions will be outlined on the actual listing.
Will my garment fade?
Yes, but…
Natural colour is living colour and is susceptible to shifts in hue and tone over time, wear, and exposure to UV light.
The way I see it, all clothing fades and shifts eventually whether it’s naturally dyed or not. With natural colour the shift is a delight to behold. There’s something magical about the changes. A garment might not have the potent vibrancy of day one, but years later it has softened and become a bit more subtle, evolving like we are. To me this is perfectly acceptable, and I think for anyone considering wearing naturally dyed clothing they should be prepared to accept this as well. And! How exciting that with natural fibres, there is always the option to over dye or eco print and give the garment an entirely new life if you’ve come to find the shift is not to your taste!
What can I do if I stain my garment?
Get that stain soaking with some cold water and gentle detergent ASAP to prevent the stain from setting. Let sit for about 15-30 minutes, and gently dab at the spot before laundering. Do not scrub it.
If you have a stubborn oil stain, apply detergent directly to the spot and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Put a piece of cardboard under the stain and gently scrub in a circular motion before putting in the laundry.