Care Guide

We all want to make our clothes stand the test of time. So we've put together this  Care Guide to help you care for your garments more ethically, sustainably and consciously.

Stretch denim is usually a mix of cotton with elastane, polyester, spandex, and more recently lyocell. The old school ‘shrink to fit’ advice does not work here! Due to the properties and dye process of these materials, the best way to care and clean for your stretch denim jeans is to hand wash them. As a rule on all denim products, turn inside out before cleaning (this is a much gentler way to care for the fibres). Submerge the jeans in cool water with a mild detergent and let them soak for at least 15mins, and no longer than 30. Rinse, rinse and rinse again. We advise doing this under the tap with cool water, thus protecting the fibres and the dye. Do roll them up to rinse excess water and DON’T wring them, this would tear and break the fibres in your jeans. Dry flat where possible and keep away from direct sunlight. Before your jeans are fully dry, around 90%, iron them on a cool setting inside out. This helps reduce stretch and seals the fibres. However, we are well aware that busy lifestyles make hand washing your jeans time consuming, so if you do want to use your machine, follow these rules to ensure longevity and life in your jeans! Detergent - less is more and the milder the better. Keep your fabric softener away from your jeans as too much of these chemicals can cause unwanted product build up. If your machine has a hand wash cycle, then use that. Cool wash inside out, on their own and no higher than 30. Try to remove your jeans from the drum as soon as possible, before a spin if you can. And if you think you can dry them in the dryer to shrink, think again! The man made fibres in your jeans do not react well to this process. They’ll stretch, wrinkle and curl. The best advice we can give you is less is more. Less detergent, less washing and less heat! To keep your jeans fresh between washes, try a 1/2 cup of vinegar in the drum or keep them well ventilated. You could even try a DIY fabric freshener. 2 tbsp of baking soda and 2 cups of water in a spray gun will do wonders to freshen up your new stretch denim jeans!

Raw Denim

This is where caring for your jeans becomes a bit more tricky - depending on how you want them to look. Raw denim has more of a tendency to stretch, move, fade and shrink. So really, you can decide on the overall look of them; i.e. to fade and give them a vintage feel, don’t turn them inside out before washing. To keep an even fade after washing, do turn them inside out. We advise on the latter, as the fade on Raw denim will happen over time. Especially around those most used areas - knees, bums and pockets. Like all denim, the best way to care for them is to submerge and soak them in cool water with a mild detergent. Soak for at least 15mins, make a cuppa and wait. After no more than 30mins in the tub or sink, triple rinse your jeans in cool running water. Never wring them - this will break and put strain on the natural fibres. Roll them and dry flat on a towel or hang them in your bathroom if possible. We get that time isn’t always there, so if you do need to put them in the washing machine, then follow these rules to make sure your new jeans are going to stand the test of time! Detergent - less is more and the milder the better. Keep your fabric softener away from your jeans; too much of these chemicals can cause unwanted product build up. If your machine has a hand wash cycle, then use that. Cool was inside out, on their own and no higher than 30. Don’t let your raw denim go through the spin cycle. If you cannot get them out before the spin then remove them from the drum as soon as possible. This will ensure that the ‘vertical crease lines’ do not appear. However, these further add to the vintage effect of ageing denim so it’s really up to you how you want them to look! Roll to dry as above or air dry where possible. Before your jeans are fully dry, at around 90% or still slightly damp, iron them inside out on a hot heat, cotton setting––this will protect the shape and minimise shrinkage in the fibres.

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Linen

Like cotton, linen is a natural fibre which is derived from a plant. However, the benefits of linen to the planet are huge, primarily, it is very sustainable. Linen has a much lower impact through its production process, meaning its a more eco-friendly material which is stronger, more durable and easier to care for after you’ve bought it. With every wash, your linen will become softer and more absorbent, and it won’t lose its shape or have any fibre damage. Not only is linen highly breathable, it reduces heat retention and is very quick drying as well. Its such a versatile fabric!

Caring for your linen clothing is relatively easy, whether you hand wash your items or pop them in the machine, the rules are the same; keep it mild and keep it cool. Due to the quick drying ability of linen, there really is no need to spin it, and the added benefit to that is of course - less creasing. Dry it flat or hang it, the strength of the fibre can cope with either! And thankfully, linen can easily handle the heat off an iron. A medium heat should do just fine, and always iron inside out to preserve any dye. For deep dyed linen clothing, we would recommend washing them on their own, for at least their first few washes.

Want to hear something else really cool? Linen has a built in insect repellant, so there is really no need for you to worry about those pesky moths or little bugs. We know, right?! All your linen really needs is some air to keep it ventilated, and a whole lot of wear! There really is no need to be afraid of this eco-friendly, intelligent fibre.

*Some of our clothing is classed as a ‘linen mix’, meaning that others fibres are mixed with the linen, such as cotton and more recently, Lyocell. Please do check your garment’s content and washing guidelines before cleaning.

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Lyocell