How to take care of your silk garments

Silk is a natural material with a lot of great features. Its insulating qualities keep you warm in cooler climates. Silk also transports moisture and is therefore perfect to wear on a hot summer day. All silk garments are a dream to use, but they require some special care.

Storing silk garments

Silk fabric is fragile and easily worn down. That’s why it’s important to make sure that you don’t overcrowd your closet. Blouses and dresses made of silk are best stored hanging on sturdy, wooden hangers and not on thin hangers that will cause an unnecessary tear.

Read the care label

Some silk garments will stain from water. Remember to read the care label before washing it. If the instructions say not to wash with water, hand it to your nearest environmentally friendly dry cleaner.

How to wash silk garments

In general, wash your silk garment as seldom as possible, and when you need to wash them, we strongly recommend hand washing. Silk garments can also be washed on the wool cycle spin in your washing machine but remember that machine washing can make your silk garments lose shape and color. Learn how to handwash.

• Air often, wash less. Make a habit of airing your silk garments after use. This will make them feel and smell fresh again. Also try our Fabric Spray to refresh your clothes. Silk garments rarely need to be washed more often than a few times per year, depending on your frequency of use. The fabric is naturally resistant to dirt and dust. But be quick to remove spills before they become stains.


• Use and enzyme-free detergent. Silk fabrics consist of animal protein, and a regular enzyme-based detergent will dissolve the fabric, making it brittle. Instead, you should use a surfactant-based and eco-friendly laundry detergent like our Delicate Laundry Detergent.


• Wash on the wool cycle, if you can’t stand the idea of handwashing. Always use a laundry bag and never fill up the machine to more than half. You can wash together with wool garments, but keep in mind to never mix colors since silk can bleed color.


• Wash at 30ºC or lower. Never wash silk at higher temperatures than 30ºC. Most silk garments can be washed on a single instance at 40ºC on a regular cycle if you want to remove a grease stain. But we recommend being careful if you want to maintain the luster and color of the fabric.

Hang-dry in the shade

Silk is fast drying, thanks to its ability to transport moisture. Avoid hanging your silk garments in direct sunlight, it can bleach the fabric. Also remember to never tumble dry your silk garments. Read more about sustainable drying methods here.

Stain treatment

Be quick to remove spills before they stain your garment. Rinse with cold water and rub the stain gently (from the inside) with laundry detergent or bile soap if needed. Acetone or chemically pure petrol can be used on grease stains. Be careful and try it on a discrete spot before treating the stain, you don’t want the chemical to ruin your fabric. The most important thing is to act at once and not wait until your next laundry day. Please note that most stain removers found in stores should not be used on silk fabrics.

Steam your silk garments

Always steam silk garments when you want to remove wrinkles. When ironing, you’re at risk of scorching the fabric. The steam will gently remove creases and wrinkles and add luster to the fabric. The hot steam from a steamer also removes odors and kills bacteria.

And this is all you need to know about caring for silk. If you’re someone who isn’t afraid of giving your clothes some tender loving care, a silk garment is an investment made to last a lifetime.