Care
Instructions

Air it between wears. Wool often needs a rest more than a wash. When it does need cleaning, follow the label: hand-wash cool with a wool detergent, or dry-clean. Never wring. Press the water out in a towel and dry flat, away from direct heat.

Fold knitwear rather than hanging it, and store it clean in a breathable bag. Moths are drawn to worn, unwashed wool.

Many silks are dry-clean only, so check the label first. If hand-washing is allowed, use cold water and a gentle detergent, don’t wring, and dry out of direct sunlight. Steam out creases, or iron on the reverse at a low setting.

Wash cool and inside out, with similar colours. Skip the tumble dryer: heat shrinks and wears the fibres faster. Linen irons best while still slightly damp, and it softens with every wear.

Brush after wearing with a soft clothes brush, hang on a wide, shaped hanger and give it a day’s rest. Spot-clean small marks and steam out creases. Dry-clean only when it’s really needed: cleaning too often is harder on cloth than wearing it.

Small bobbles form where fibres rub, under the arms and along the sides. It’s normal for natural fibres and often lessens after the first few wears. Lay the piece flat and lift the pills gently with a cashmere comb or fabric shaver. Never pull them.

Sew it back on before it falls off. Leave a little slack under the button and wind the thread around it a few times to form a shank, so it sits properly over the buttonhole.

Don’t cut it. Turn the piece inside out and ease the pulled loop back through with a crochet hook or a blunt needle, then gently stretch the area to even out the stitches.

A good local tailor or invisible mender can re-stitch hems, patch linings and close small holes. For a piece you love, it is almost always worth it.