Light, airy and luxurious, silk is an ideal fabric to wear when you’re looking to dress up, be professional, or for a luxury piece of loungewear that you can enjoy at home.
Dry Clean
While you should always check the care instructions on any garment, many silk pieces labeled “dry clean only” can actually be hand-washed or washed on the gentlest setting in your washing machine. With that being said, when LW labels it’s pieces with Dry Clean Only we really mean you should dry clean only, this is because our pieces are meant to last and if dry cleaned they will retain their form and texture longer. We are great advocates of sustainability, so if it were to be possible to safely hand wash we would label this option as an option as well.
The Basics of Washing Silk Fabrics
- Check for colorfastness. Test a small area by dabbing with a wet, white cloth.
- Submerge your silk in a basin filled with cool water.
- Add a few drops of mild detergent and use your hand to mix it into the solution. Never use chlorine bleach. Let the item soak for at least 3 minutes.
- Rinse the silk under cold water
- Soak up the moisture using a towel. Never rub or agitate your silk.
- Hang it on a drying rack and keep it away from direct sunlight.
- Never tumble dry.
Wrinkles and Creases
Most wrinkles in silk can simply be removed with a steamer. A great steamer hack is to hang your silk in the bathroom and let it steam while you take a hot shower.
If you can’t steam the creases out, then here are a few tips on how to safely iron your silk:
- Turn the garment inside out. Use a low heat or silk setting.
- Iron silk only once it’s dry and be sure to put a 100% cotton cloth between the silk and the iron.
- Do not spray or wet silk while ironing, you may get water-stains.
Storing
Always store silk in a dry dark place. Do not store in plastic because the fabric needs to breathe and as you know using plastic is not good for the environment either. It’s better to store silk between layers of cotton fabric or in breathable cotton bags when folded, or hung in zippered garment bags to help your silk clothing retain its shape and keep it wrinkle-free for when you’re ready to wear it again.
Silk is a beautiful, luxurious fabric, so it is worth taking a few measures to care for it. By following these simple rules silk garments will retain their beauty and luster, providing pleasure for years to come.