How to take care of silk clothing?
Silk has long been associated with grace, poise and grandeur. Numerous tales woven around a fairy or a princess with her silken robes are an inseparable part of our childhood memories. This is enduring proof of the magical appeal of silk and clothes made of silk. But unlike most stories in real life, it is possible for you and your silk clothes to live happily ever after. All it requires is a little attention to the various aspects that go into the care of such silk clothing.
Why is it important to be very careful with silk clothing? For starters, silk is expensive and poor maintenance can burn a hole in your pocket in addition to causing a heart break. Silk clothes go hand in hand with the most memorable occasions in your life- be it your first prom dress, your wedding gown, the dress for your daughter’s christening, grandma’s heirloom scarf and the like. So the silk clothes adorning such occasions need to be cherished as dearly as the memories themselves. Silk clothing is normally found with embellishments like sequins, lace work and fine embroidery which also require careful care. Even everyday items of clothing fashioned out of silk can be mixed and matched with a wide range of materials to create outfits that define elegance and class. Silk is a material of choice in the design of several items of formal attire. Upholstery made of silk like curtains and window treatments can enrich the décor of any living space.
The versatility of silk is possibly due to the wide variety of silks available in the market. Silks range from heavy brocade or taffeta at one end of the spectrum, tending to soft, wispy china silk at the other. Materials like crepe, satin and silk for daily wear are examples of varieties that fall in between. So the mantra is pretty simple! When the tag says dry clean, simply do so! If the tag says nothing, dry clean. Dry cleaning circumvents the problem of shrinkage in case of pure silk articles. In the case of dresses with lining, dry cleaning prevents fit catastrophes by preventing differential shrinkage of silk outers and non silk inners. Even in case of prewashed silk which claims to be resistant to shrinkage, home washing fraught with risk.
When you take off a silk dress, never air it by laying it down or on a chair in order to avoid wrinkling. Hang it on padded hangers since wooden ones may stain the dress! Store them away in garment boxes with tissue paper linings to maintain drape and fall. Mothballs are damaging to silk; use cedar chips instead! If you do decide to tempt fate and wash your silks at home, use mild detergents sans bleach in a gentle, no spin wash cycle. Dry by laying on a series of dry towels away from direct heat and sun. Low heat and fast ironing over a layer of tissue paper for extra protection works best for silk. A little care will ensure that your silk clothing retains its gloss and sheen for a long, long time!
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