Care Guide: How To Wash And Care For 9 Basic Fabrics
Natural fabrics
Proper fabric care is important to prolong the life of your product. Since shrinkage can occur in natural fibre fabrics, it is recommended that you pre-wash your fabric before using it for sewing.
- COTTON
Cotton fabric can be machine washed but is prone to wrinkling. However, since it is 100% cotton, it can be ironed at high temperatures without damaging the fabric fibers.
Cotton sateen has a higher fiber density than regular cotton, combined with the quality of the long fibers and the way it is woven, so the fabric will wrinkle less when you machine wash it.
For white cotton fabrics, you can wash them in warm water, while colored or printed fabrics should be washed in cold water to avoid fading.
Because 100% cotton fabrics are prone to shrinkage, avoid putting them in the dryer at high temperatures. The best way to dry cotton fabrics is to air dry them, or if drying is necessary, use the lowest drying level possible.
- LINEN – LINEN FABRIC
Linen is a fiber made from the flax plant that has been used since ancient times to make clothing, bed sheets, upholstery, curtains, etc. Like cotton, linen is a natural, durable fiber that does not stretch or shrink in the washing machine, however, it is best to wash linen in cold water.
Linen can be dried in the dryer on medium heat, although we recommend air drying linen items.
- SILK
Silk is a famously delicate fabric and is often taken to the dry cleaners for cleaning. However, you can safely clean silk at home if done correctly.
Silk should never be machine washed or tumble dried. Be sure to hand wash silk in cold water and use a detergent specifically designed for silk. After washing, do not twist the fabric to remove excess water. Gently squeeze and blot with a towel and then hang to dry naturally. Avoid using an iron on silk as the heat can damage the fibres.
- WOOL
Although it is always safer to wash wool by hand, as long as you are careful, there is no problem washing wool in the washing machine. Just make sure to use a wool cycle or cold water, wash gently and preferably use a detergent specifically designed for wool.
You should also be careful when drying woollens so as not to deform them. Do not wring the garment, gently pat dry using a towel to absorb excess water, then lay flat to dry instead of hanging on a hanger. Do not put your woollens in the dryer, as this will cause serious shrinkage!
- CASHMERE WOOL
Caring for cashmere is more or less the same as washing other wool products. Wash cashmere on a gentle cycle with cold water and a detergent suitable for cashmere. We also recommend placing cashmere in a mesh bag to reduce direct impact on the fabric.
Again, you should dry cashmere like any other wool: do not wring, use a towel to absorb excess water, and lay flat to dry.
- VIYELLA
Viyella (also known as winter cotton) is a machine washable cotton-wool blend. Viyella should be washed on a gentle cycle and with a wool-friendly detergent to be safe.
You should not put Viyella fabric in the dryer and dry it flat for best results.
- LEATHER AND SUEDE
Leather and suede are fabrics made from animal skin (most commonly cow and sheep) and do not accumulate dirt like other fabrics.
For leather, you can use a soft brush or clean cloth to dust off the dirt. For more stubborn stains, use a leather cleaner (for treated or untreated leather, depending on the type) and treat the area.
Suede can be more difficult to clean than leather, especially since even water can damage the fabric. You can use a suede brush and periodically brush away dirt to keep your suede in good condition. If you do get water or another liquid stain, blot it immediately with a clean cloth or paper towel. Be sure not to press too hard, as this will push the stain deeper into the fabric.
Because both leather and suede can be difficult to clean properly without damaging them, we recommend taking your leather and suede items to a professional cleaner.
- SYNTHETIC FABRICS (Polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, acetate, etc.)
There’s no denying the popularity of synthetic fabrics like polyester in the clothing industry, due to their low production costs and versatility. In recent years, it has been discovered that washing synthetic fabrics releases microplastics into the ocean. Our tips below can help reduce the amount of microplastics shed when you wash your synthetic clothes.
Wash in cold water. Washing in hot water weakens fabric fibres and releases more microplastics into the water. Washing in cold water also has the benefit of reducing energy consumption, which is better for the environment.
Wash your clothes less often. Washing your clothes less often means less microplastics ending up in the ocean. Spot clean and air dry your clothes to increase the time between washes.
Reduce your washing machine's spin cycle. The faster your washing machine spins, the more friction it creates in the fabric fibers and the more the fabric begins to unravel.
Use a filter or wash bag specifically designed to filter out excess microplastics shed from synthetic fabrics. There are now a range of products designed to reduce the shedding of microplastics during the wash cycle and we recommend using them when washing synthetic garments.
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SEMI-SYNTHETIC CELLULOSE FABRICS (Rayon, lyocell, modal, viscose, bamboo viscose, etc.)
Semi-synthetic fabrics are textiles made from processed plant pulp. Because semi-synthetic fabrics such as rayon and lyocell tend to shrink and fade, we recommend washing semi-synthetic fabrics on a cold cycle and hand washing if possible.
Because semi-synthetic fabrics are prone to shrinkage, it is best to air dry naturally and not use a dryer.
Learn how to care for your fabrics
While it may be tempting to throw all your fabrics into the washing machine, how you wash different fabrics makes a big difference in how long they last. Try to learn how to wash your products for each type of fabric.
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Source: translated and compiled by LVER – LaVieEnRose from Kok Fabric USA