Fabric And Garment Care

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General Washing Tips

General Washing Tips To Extend the Life of Your Fabric Streve Design Clothes

Use Front -Load Washers

These machines have no agitator, and are gentler on your garments than top load machines. You will not only save energy and water on the more efficient front-load washers , your clothes will last longer and look better.

Use a Clothesline

Using a clothesline will save money on your utility bill, while being easier on the environment. Reduce dryer use with a clothesline.

Whether you use an indoor drying rack or an outdoor clothesline , this natural drying is better for your garments than clothes dryers. Your clothes will dry without static cling or shrinkage and they will last longer.

Wash in Cold Water

Using cold water will save 80-90% of the energy costs in washing. Biodegradable natural laundry detergents clean better and are better for the environment.

Natural fibre clothing does not have to be cleaned after every wear because these fibres are anti microbial. Body odour is not locked into these fibres and easily dissipates.

Hang in a bathroom for a few hours and let the air circulate around the garment before you store it in your closet. This is one of the most important techniques to extend life to your clothing and cut down on your time spent washing.
Silk can be worn up to 6 to 8 times before a cleaning using this technique.

Care of Leather, Suede and Shearling

The natural properties of this luxury item make it very low maintenance and if you take a few precautions these items will last in your wardrobe for a lifetime.

Pre-Treat your leather and suede garments at the time of purchase and periodically thereafter with Style 16 Leather and Suede Protector.
Store in a breathable garment bag on a large ,rounded wood or plastic hanger.

Dry Leather, Suede or Shearling Carefully . After light rain or snow, you should blot dry your garments with a damp towel . Allow your garment to dry at room temperature away from any direct heat.The bathroom is a good place for this.
Suede or Suede Shearling can be brushed when dry with a suede brush. Only brush when completely dry otherwise the nap of the suede will be marked.

Periodically regular suede benefits from a brushing with a suede brush. An old towel can be used if you do not have a suede brush. Suede has a natural nap that runs in all directions and for this reason suede can be brushed up ,down
and sideways. New suede will shed for a time because of the small hairs and eventually it will stop.

Pressing. Most wrinkles will fall out when left to hang overnight. A steamy bathroom will also help. When pressing use a dry iron set at a low temperature with brown wrapping paper used as a press cloth. Press lightly and quickly to prevent overheating and shining.

General Wear. Whenever possible a scarf worn inside the neckline will keep hair and body oil, perfume and cosmetics away from the leather.

Professional Dry Cleaning Recommended
Dry clean your leather and suede garment only when absolutely necessary and only by a professional leather cleaner. Professional leather cleaners use products that contain special cleaners and oils to clean and condition.

Shearling should be professionally cleaned regularly as solvents and salts can damage your garment if left for an extended amount of time.

Care of Silk

Silk is best hand washed in cool water with a mild silk -friendly soap such as Woolite or baby shampoo. Leave to soak around 5 minutes. Swish the garment slowly and gently. Rinse with fresh water. To help keep its hydrated feel you can use a small amount of hair conditioner. ( this is optional) Roll in an old towel and hang to dry or lay flat on a dry towel. If you wish to iron silk only use the silk setting.

You can wash Streve Design Silk Dupioni shirts and dresses in the washing machine , but only on delicate mode since silk is a very soft and delicate fabric. A mesh bag can be used . Use only lukewarm or cool water for washing and use a very low spin cycle. White vinegar can be used in the rinse to remove soap and restore lustre .Use only ¼ cup. Hang to dry. Silk Dupioni can be pressed on a silk setting while still damp . Turn the garment inside out while pressing.

Do not spot clean silk. Always wash the entire scarf or garment.
If you notice an oil stain or mark ,try sprinkling baking soda over the spot. Leave overnight and dust off. This method can lift out oil based stains if used within a few hours.

If you wish, Silk clothing can be sent to a dry cleaner for cleaning and a professional press. Only do this once a season.

Store silk in a cool dry place and avoid plastic bags and cardboard boxes.

To freshen a silk garment , hang it in a steamy bathroom. Never hang silk outside to dry , only hang to dry inside! If sunlight hits the silk at an angle there may be some uneven fading.

Care of Linen

Linen becomes softer and more absorbent after each wash, which makes it an excellent investment piece. Wash linen in lukewarm or cold water on the gentle cycle of the washing machine and use a mild detergent to protect the fibres. You can hand wash if you wish. Linen is an easy care fabric that can be tumble dried on low temperatures. Remove from the dryer while still slightly damp and press with the iron on a medium hot iron on a steam setting. White linen is better ironed on both sides, whilst black linen should be pressed only on the reverse side. Linen dries very quickly.

Store linen in a cool dry place,avoid plastic bags , cardboard boxes and cedar chests. Linen has inbuilt insect properties so you should have nothing to fear from moths.

 

Care of Wool

Clean wool less frequently.
Spot treat instead of washing . Wet a bar of natural soap and gently work into the stained area. Rinse area and lay flat to dry on a towel.

To freshen a wool garment or scarf , hang it in a steamy bathroom.

Care of Tencel
Tencel can be hand washed ,using the gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Hand to dry . Machine drying is not recommended but a brief tumble in the dryer with a towel will soften the fabric.
Tencel will shrink about 3% in its first wash and will not shrink after this. For this reason all Streve Design Tencel garments have been preshrunk.
Only use a warm iron on Tencel because it is made from wood. Too much direct heat will scorch the fabric.

 

Care of Tencel

Care of Tencel
Tencel can be hand washed ,using the gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Hand to dry . Machine drying is not recommended but a brief tumble in the dryer with a towel will soften the fabric.
Tencel will shrink about 3% in its first wash and will not shrink after this. For this reason all Streve Design Tencel garments have been preshrunk.
Only use a warm iron on Tencel because it is made from wood. Too much direct heat will scorch the fabric.