Journal Category: Fabric library
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Silk: why the washing machine is the last place it should be.
Silk is a protein fibre, not a mineral one – closer in structure to your own hair than to cotton or wool. That single fact explains almost everything about how it should, and should not, be treated. Heat is the first thing to avoid. A washing machine’s spin cycle and a tumble dryer’s heat both…
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Red wine on silk: the first ten minutes.
The first ten minutes after wine meets silk matter more than almost anything that happens afterwards, including the professional clean. What you do in that window decides how much of the stain is still there to treat. The instinct to rub is the one to resist. Rubbing pushes the wine deeper into the weave and…
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Shearling and suede: why they take one to two weeks.
Shearling and suede are two of the more demanding materials that come through our doors, and both take longer to clean than most garments for reasons that have nothing to do with how busy the studio is. Suede is, structurally, leather with the flesh side facing out rather than the smooth side. That exposed, napped…