How To Care Of Your Silk Ready-to-Wear Pieces
Lightweight, lustrous and irresistibly smooth. Silk is among the finest of fabrics, coveted for its muted sheen and enticing velvet feel.
But a material of such delicacy means that it requires a higher level of care than most other fabrics. While materials such as cotton may be more forgiving when it comes to laundering and the effects of everyday wear, silk is much more sensitive to such processes, and so it is vital to consider how best to care for your silk garments.
Irvetta's ready-to-wear is crafted from lightweight pure silks, each piece elegantly cut to gracefully enhance the feminine form. From the muted lustre of silk palazzo pants crafted from crepe de chine to flowing kimonos imagined in seductively soft double georgette, every piece of Irvetta ready-to-wear will make an enchanting accompaniment to your luxury swimwear ensemble.
We have put together this guide so that you may enjoy a happy, long-lasting relationship with your Irvetta ready-to-wear pieces. Treat your silk with care, and it will love you back for years to come.
What is the best way to care for silk?
The three golden rules of caring for your Irvetta silk ready-to-wear and prolonging its lifespan are as follows:
Always dry clean
By doing so, you ensure that your pieces will retain their subtle lustre and delicate touch.
Dress last
Apply perfume, hair spray and other beauty products and allow to fully dry before donning your ready-to-wear pieces. This will help to prevent any staining or colour loss.
Store in a dark area
Prolonged exposure to sunlight and other bright light can cause streaks and fading, so it’s best to keep your silk behind closed doors whenever it isn’t being worn.
Can you handwash silk when it says dry clean only?
There is a school of thought that suggests silk can be washed by hand with no ill effects.
As each one of Irvetta's ready-to-wear pieces is crafted from 100% silk, it is incredibly delicate, therefore taking it to a professional for dry cleaning is the only truly safe cleaning method that we would recommend.
What happens if you put silk in the washing machine?
We would stress that this is certainly not safe for your Irvetta ready-to-wear piece. Putting your silk garments through the washing machine may result in shrinkage, wrinkling and permanent loss of that signature lustre.
How to get stains out of silk
The key rule to note is that if you get a spill, you should never rub your silk; this can cause discolouration due to the friction. In a pinch, you should blot the spill to help prevent staining.
For any noticeable stains, you should take your silk to the dry cleaner as soon as possible. Wherever possible, you should also inform them what caused the stain, as they can then decide the best course of treatment for your garment.
How to store silk
We earlier touched upon the importance of storing your silk in a darkened area in order to prevent discolouration.
As it has a tendency to crease, it is best not to leave it folded for too long, and should never be bunched up. We recommend suspending your ready-to-wear on a hanger in order to keep it wrinkle-free.
If you know you will be storing your silk garments for a prolonged period of time, we would also suggest placing them in a breathable fabric bag, accompanied by a natural moth repellent. As silk is a protein, this is a necessary step to ensure its safety during longer term storage!
How to get wrinkles out of silk
Despite its soft and supple nature, silk has a habit of developing wrinkles when improperly stored. Due to the delicacy of the fabric, it’s necessary to take extra care when attempting to get these out.
The best way to smooth out any wrinkles from your silk ready-to-wear piece is by using a steamer, as this avoids the risks posed by ironing (for example burning and unwanted creases).
After steaming, make sure to place your garments on a clean hanger and store in a cool, dark place.
Can silk be ironed?
We strongly recommend using a steamer to remove any wrinkles from your Irvetta ready-to-wear piece, but in the event that you do not have access to a steamer, you may be tempted to reach for the iron.
If you choose to iron your silk items at all, ensure that you do the following things:
- Only iron when the fabric is completely dry
- Place a cloth between the silk and the iron as a protective layer
- Turn your garments inside out
- Set the iron to its lowest heat setting (or silk setting)
- Do not wet the silk at all while ironing, or you may leave water stains
Finally, never put your silk ready-to-wear in the dryer in an attempt to remove wrinkles.
We would like to highlight that carefully considering how you clean, wear and store your silk (and, in fact, all of your clothing) is an important step towards sustainability. In the world of fashion, we are gently moving towards an era of “less is more”; of clothing that is designed to last, to be savoured. In this way, we can help to reduce the unnecessary waste that comes with having to repeatedly replace items in our wardrobe.
By opting for timeless trends and high-quality fabrics, along with taking the correct steps to care for your garments, you are choosing to support a cycle of sustainable fashion. It may seem like a small act, but it is one that the planet thanks you for.