How to take care of your hand dyed silk

Silk fiber is a natural protein. It's structure is the same as your hair, so David's advise on taking care of your silk is,

“Don't do anything to your silk that you would not do to your hair.

• NEVER! use bleach any other stain remover on your hand dyed silk! These are usually caustic enough to damage the fiber and strip the color from your silk clothes.

NEVER ! use harsh soaps or detergents. This includes Woolite. Woolite is fine for synthetics, but it is not made to wash natural fibers that have been hand dyed. Most dish detergents are also too harsh, especially Dawn. Avoid soaps that have color enhancers or treatments.

We do not recommend dry cleaning. Again, the chemicals used in dry cleaning are pretty harsh and may affect the fibers and dyes in your silk.

We do not recommend washing in a washing machine. You may hear friends say that they put their silk in a laundering bag and wash it on gentle cycle. We do not encourage this. Laundry detergents too often contain stain removers, whiteners, and other water conditioners that may harm the fabric and dyes, and leave spots.

DO hand wash in cold water with a mild soap. Shampoo works great! Anything that you can use on your hair is fine for your silk, but steer clear of dandruff and other medicated soaps, and shampoos with color enhancers. All natural and handmade soaps are fine Palmolive and Ivory dish soaps are gentle enough, but be very careful if using any other brands.

Hang dry your silk away from direct sun.

You may iron your silk by pressing it on the wrong side while it is still slightly damp. Set the iron to a medium setting. Most irons have a setting for silk. If you want a smooth look but don't want to iron, send it to the cleaners to be pressed only. Be sure to specify that you do not want it cleaned.

Step by step instructions for washing silk:

1. Fill a basin with cool water.

2. Add a little mild soap/shampoo, and mix it around with your hand.

3. Immerse the silk and allow it to soak for 3 or 4 minutes to let the soap interact with dirt and other residue.

4. Swish the silk around with your hand for a minute or so to remove the dirt and residue.

5. Remove the silk from the soapy water, and rinse it under cold running water to remove the soap.

6. Squeeze excess water out using a towel, then hang to dry.

7. Store folded in a drawer. You can also hang your silk on a padded or flocked hanger without clips. Use lavender sachets to keep insects away.

Enjoy!