TEXTILE CARE GUIDE
A handloom masterpiece is woven to endure for generations. With gentle, mindful care, pure silks, real zari, and botanical dyes retain their luster, texture, and brilliance across decades.
Dry Clean Silks
Always entrust pure Kanchipuram and mulberry silks to a professional dry cleaner to preserve real zari luster.
Muslin Cloth Wrap
Never store silks in plastic bags. Wrap in unbleached white cotton muslin to let the natural protein yarns breathe.
Shade Dry Only
Direct tropical sun oxidizes organic vegetable dyes. Always dry cottons and Kalamkari indoors or in shaded breeze.
Periodic Refolding
Every 3–4 months, unpack your sarees and refold along different lines to avoid permanent crease stress on zari.
Kanchipuram Pure Silk & Real Zari
Washing & Cleaning
Never hand-wash or machine-wash Kanchipuram sarees. Water causes pure silk fibers to contract and weakens interlocked korvai borders.
Ironing & Heat
Always iron on the reverse side on lowest silk heat setting, placing a thin cotton cloth between the iron and the zari to preserve gold sheen.
Storage & Perfume
Never spray perfumes, deodorants, or hairspray directly onto zari. Keep away from metal hangers—hang on padded wooden bars or fold in muslin.
Srikalahasti Pen Kalamkari (Vegetable Dyes)
First Wash
Dry clean for the very first wash to allow the organic mordants (myrobalan, alum) to set firmly into the cotton weave.
Subsequent Care
Hand wash in cold water with gentle eco-friendly liquid soap. Do not soak for more than 5 minutes. Do not wring or brush.
Shade Curing
Dry immediately in shade flat or on a line. The subtle earthy fragrance of milk and myrobalan will mellow naturally over time.
Pochampally Ikat & Bagru Block Prints
Washing
Wash separately in cold water for initial washes. Indigo and madder red dyes may yield slight excess surface tint initially.
Drying
Invert fabric inside-out before line drying in a breezy shaded area. Never tumble dry in heated machines.
Ironing
Iron slightly damp or with light steam on medium setting to release creases smoothly while maintaining crisp handloom structure.
Monsoon Protection & Natural Pest Repellents
During damp monsoon months, humidity can tarnish metallic zari threads. Avoid chemical naphthalene balls in direct contact with fabrics, as sulfur compounds cause silver zari to blacken. Instead, place dry neem leaves, cloves, or cedar wood blocks in the corners of your wardrobe. Air out your silks on a dry breezy afternoon once every season.
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