Textile Care
Costume items should be washed as little as possible. Many are handcrafted. Some are vintage or made with recycled fabrics and will not withstand a modern washing machine.
Allowing clothes to "air" well (hanging them in the fresh air) after use will reduce the amount of washing needed - and prolong their life. Imported textiles may not be dyed using modern colourfast dyes or industrial processes. It's part of their beauty and character, making them ideally suited to the tribal "grungy" look that we love.
If you decide to wash, take care.
General Guidelines
Turkomen Coats
Do not wash Turkomen coats. Seek advice about dry cleaning or use incense to infuse.
Mirror Cholis, Belts, Veils, rugs, saltbags
Do not wash these items.
Coin Bras
Coin bras can be lined with felt and felt replaced as necessary.
Cotton Skirts, Silk Skirts, Silk Pantaloons, Cotton Headwraps Velvet cholis
Firstly remember these are costume items and are not made for everyday wear and tear. It's recommended that you wash items before you wear them, especially headwraps (if you want to avoid a strange coloured forehead!). On subsequent washes, check all items for lose threads or damage and make repairs before washing. Expect colours to run, so wash colours separately.
Costumes shouldn't need a vigorous clean, just a freshen up.
- Rinse: Cotton items can be put through a cold rinse and a very gentle spin before washing the first time.
- Wash: Use a small amount of a washing powder especially formulated for colours (without bleach). Remember you won't need a lot.
- Drying: To keep a nice crinkle effect in the fabric, twist it and dry this way. You can secure with string. When dry gently pull the fabric into shape.
For one-colour silk items, treat as above but hand rinse and wash and dry flat. For silk items with contrast bands, washing is not recommended.
