CARING FOR YOUR CLOTHES

At The Chestnut Collection, we believe in buying beautiful items that you’ll love forever, that’s why we’ve included some advice on how to take care of your clothing when you bring it home.

Taking proper care of your garments can add years to their lifespan, which is great for both the environment and your wardrobe. From washing silk to essential leather maintenance, keep reading for our definitive guide on caring for your favourite purchases.

GARMENT CARE

SILK

Most silk garments are dry clean only, while others can be hand washed. Always read the care label before attempting to clean a silk garment.

Garment shrinkage is often a result of water being too hot. So gentle hand washing in cold or lukewarm water will reduce the likelihood of shrinkage happening. Do a small patch test in an inconspicuous area of the item to check for potential shrinkage and colour fastness before you hand wash, and never mix colours in case the dyes transfer from one garment to another.

This step-by-step guide to hand-washing silk garments will help them last for years:

Step 1: Using a clean bowl, dissolve a small amount of suitable detergent into lukewarm water at a max temperature of 30°C.

Step 2: Add the garment and gently agitate it, very lightly rubbing any stains.

Step 3: Gently squeeze the excess washing water out (do not wring or twist as this can damage the fabric).

Step 4: Rinse the garment in lukewarm water until all soap residue has been removed. You can add a few tablespoons of distilled white vinegar to the rinse water to neutralise alkali traces and dissolve soap residue.

Step 5: Lay the garment on a clean dry towel and gently press the water out of the fabric by rolling it up in the towel.

DRYING SILK

Gently pull damp garments to shape, then lay flat to dry. Silk garments can be air dried but it is important to keep them away from direct sunlight (to avoid fibre damage or colour fade).

AVOID

Drying silk clothing directly on a wooden drying rack, as the wood finishes can leave stains.

Drying on a radiator as the heat can cause the silk to shrink and cause the fabric to dull.

Using a tumble dryer as it will most likely damage the silk.

To minimise the need to iron silk garments, hang them in the bathroom when you have a shower as the humidity will help the creases drop out.

If it is necessary to iron silk, follow these steps to avoid damage:

HAND WASH

If your care label instructs to hand wash:

Step 1: Using a clean bowl, dissolve a small amount of suitable detergent into lukewarm water at a max temperature of 30°C.

Step 2: Submerge the item and gently agitate with your hands, ensuring the soap is evenly distributed.

Step 3: Leave to soak for up to 20 minutes.

Step 4: Rinse the item well with cool water. Do not wring, instead, press the water out of the item

DRYING

Step 1: Hang or line dry. Please read the care label as to whether to avoid direct sunlight due to the garment colour/print.

Step 2: Do not dry with heat or in a tumble dryer as it may cause gradual shrinkage.

Step 3: To remove the creases, turn the item inside out and apply a warm iron on reverse.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR CASHMERE

We love Cashmere and want you to get the most out of yours. We hope this guide will help you maintain the quality of your cashmere.

Contrary to popular notions, pilling on cashmere is not a sign of poor quality or a design fault. Pilling is a natural characteristic of the long fibres and can be easily removed using a cashmere comb, electric depiller or a sweater stone. Avoid depilling precious cashmere pieces too often though as this may result in holes.

Do not hang cashmere as it will de-shape your garment. To keep dreaded moths at bay, hanging rosemary in your wardrobe is an effective organic solution.

Our guide to washing your cashmere items:

Step 1 Cashmere falls into the hand wash only category. For best results, first clean out the sink to ensure there are no other cleaning products in there that may damage your cashmere. Alternatively, use a clean washbasin. Once clean, fill your sink or basin with cool water.

Step 2 Add the recommended amount of fine-garment detergent and briskly run your hand through the water to distribute the detergent and generate suds. Investing in a specialised fine garment detergent will maintain the sumptuous, sink-into quality of your cashmere pieces, although baby shampoo works equally well.

Turn your garment inside out and submerge the sweater, gently squeezing the suds through it. Spot treat any problem areas with a squirt of neat detergent and massage gently with fingertips. Rinse and repeat where necessary and allow the garment to soak for 10 minutes.

Step 3 Drain the sink and rinse your sweater with cool water until the water rinses clear. Gently press water out and place it lengthwise on a clean, dry bath towel. Roll up the towel and press with your palms to squeeze out excess water – avoid the urge to wring or twist.

Remove the sweater from the towel and smooth it out into its original shape. Lay the garment flat on a dry towel and allow it air-dry, or use a drying rack if you have one. Button up cardigans and pull pockets straight and ensure that sleeves and hems are laid flat to avoid wrinkles.

Step. 4 Once dry, fold your cashmere with tissue paper to absorb any excess moisture.

LEATHER

Protecting all your favourite leather pieces is truly worthwhile. If you want to preserve your precious leather handbag from the elements and ensure it lasts for seasons to come, leather balsam will restore and protect all the leather surfaces. For best results, gently work the balsam into the leather using a soft cloth and polish immediately. If a leather bag gets excessively wet it is important not to dry it too quickly or to let it get ‘bone’ dry as this will lead to the leather hardening and potentially breaking. Dab some balm onto a cloth, gently rub over the item and then wipe away any excess. Dry in an airy room, but not directly on a heater.

Overfilling your bag may cause it to lose its shape and cause damage to the straps or handles.

Store your bag filled with some tissue paper and in its original dust bag to protect it when not in use.

SUEDE

Remove dust and dirt before cleaning. A crepe brush should be used to gently and carefully remove any marks in the suede. Suede is a natural dyed product and cannot be entirely colourfast, so some loss of colour may be experienced during wear.