Help · Care guide

How to make a silk shirt last twenty years.

Silk and linen are extraordinary fabrics, but they don't tolerate the abuse synthetics do. Here's how to wash, dry and store yours so they keep getting better.

Mulberry silk

For shirts, co-ord sets, slip dresses, pyjamas and pillowcases.

Hand wash, cool. Fill a basin with cool water (≤30°C) and a teaspoon of pH-neutral, silk-safe detergent. Soak for 3 minutes, no longer.

Swirl, don't scrub. Move the piece gently through the water. Friction breaks silk fibres. Never twist or wring.

Rinse twice. Once in cool water, once with a splash of white vinegar — it restores shine and removes detergent residue.

Press, don't squeeze. Lay the garment on a clean dry towel, roll it up, and press the water out.

Dry flat, in the shade. Direct sunlight fades silk. Lay flat or hang on a padded hanger out of the sun.

Iron low, while damp. Lowest heat, reverse side, with a press cloth. Or skip the iron and steam — silk loves steam.

Store breathably. Padded hanger or folded in tissue. Avoid plastic — silk needs to breathe.

Avoid: hot water, bleach, regular laundry detergent, fabric softener, the dryer, and direct sun. For structured pieces with fused interlining (collars, cuffs), dry-clean instead.

Pre-washed linen

For everyday linen, mama + mini sets, dresses and trousers.

Machine wash, cool. Cold or 30°C, gentle cycle, with a mild detergent. Linen actually softens with each wash.

Skip the softener. Fabric softener coats fibres and reduces linen's natural breathability — you don't need it.

Don't overload. Linen needs space to move. A half-full machine washes it more gently.

Line dry where you can. Linen dries fast. Tumble drying on low works too, but line drying preserves the cut.

Iron damp, or don't. Iron on the linen setting while still slightly damp for a crisp finish — or embrace the natural rumple, which is half the point.

Hang or fold. Linen hates being squashed for months. If folded, rotate the fold line every few weeks to avoid creases setting in.

Avoid: bleach, very hot wash, prolonged direct sunlight (it weakens linen over years).

Stains and emergencies

Coffee, tea or wine on silk

Blot — never rub — with a clean white cloth. Rinse the back of the fabric under cool running water. If a mark remains after drying, dab with a tiny amount of mild silk detergent, rinse, lay flat to dry. If the stain has set, take it to a dry cleaner who specialises in silk.

Make-up on a collar

A drop of pH-neutral detergent on a damp cotton bud, dabbed gently. Rinse and air dry. Don't scrub.

Sweat on silk under the arms

Hand wash with cool water and a splash of vinegar in the rinse — vinegar neutralises odour and restores sheen. Long-term, silk worn against bare skin should be hand-washed every 2–3 wears, even if it looks fine.

Wrinkled linen, in a hurry

Hang in the bathroom while you shower. The steam relaxes the wrinkles. Done in 10 minutes.

Travel

Pack silk and linen rolled, not folded — fewer crease lines. Layer tissue paper between rolls of silk to stop friction marks. On arrival, hang in a steamy bathroom for 15 minutes; everything drops out.

Long-term storage

Silk

Clean before storing — moths are drawn to body oils. Fold in acid-free tissue, store in a cotton garment bag (never plastic), in a dark, cool wardrobe. Add cedar or lavender — never mothballs, which smell on silk.

Linen

Same principles — clean first, breathable bag, dark place. Linen handles being folded better than silk, but rotate fold lines every couple of months.

What we don't recommend

Dry cleaning silk every wash — the chemicals dull the fibre over time. Hand wash, dry-clean only when the piece is structured or for a deep clean once a season.
Tumble drying silk — heat shrinks and weakens silk fibres. Always lay flat or hang.
Storing in plastic — natural fibres need to breathe. Plastic traps moisture and yellows white silk.
Spraying perfume on silk — alcohol stains silk permanently. Spray perfume first, dress after.