Made with love | Care with love
An aspect of slow fashion and natural fibers is more gentle and slow washing care. The garments are made with care, so caring for your garments will extend their life. Care labels have instructions on how to properly care for the garment from the experts - the people who made the fabric. Use this as a starting point to care for your garments. We will share our full guide here on how to care for your natural fiber wardrobe.
Machine Washing
Machine washing is the fastest and most effective way to clean a lot of garments, but can have adverse effects on the garments if not done correctly.
Select cold water setting. It is better for your clothing - by reducing fiber degradation and color fading. Heat breaks down natural fibers fast.
Select a delicate/gentle setting and use a mesh garment bag. This prevents snags, pulling, scraping buttons and reduces the machine friction.
Add a natural and biodegradable detergent free of artificial fragrance, bleach, optical brighteners, sulfates, and dioxane. Check the container for the correct water-to-detergent ratio.
Skip washing
Natural fibers are innately antibacterial - you will be surprised how little they actually need washing.
Spot clean as needed. If there are small marks or stains, or certain smelly areas, wash only the problem zone in the sink using a natural, biodegradable detergent.
Air out clothing for a quick refresh. As soon as you are done wearing them, you can let them rest, air out, and regain their shape for 24 hours between wears. Hang garments outside for a bit to get some airflow and naturally self-clean - or just lay flat or hang indoors.
Natural Dyes
Natural dyes are more sensitive to washing, PH, and sun than their chemical alternatives. As long as you keep that in mind, caring for naturally dyed pieces is easy.
Hand-wash naturally dyed garments in cold water.
Naturally dyed garments can be machine washed on cold and delicate settings. Always wash with like colors and know machine washing may cause more color fading than hand-washing.
Natural dyes are sensitive to PH and chemicals. Always use a PH-neutral, natural, and biodegradable detergent.
Hanging and Storing
Caring for your natural fiber clothing between wears is another part of the process to create longevity.
1.
Invest in wooden hangers. Cedar and walnut hangers naturally repel moths and help to maintain garment shape. For an even more gentle approach, you can fold your garments over the lower bar of the hanger. This also creates a clean organized look in your closet.
2.
When thoughtfully storing sweaters, you can give them a refresh with a simple air-out on a dry day; use a clean fabric shaver brushing lightly in one direction to gently remove pills; neatly fold them with cedar blocks, lavender sachets or wrap cedar or lavender soap in parchment paper, to naturally repel moths.
