Breathable, soft to the touch, and easy on the skin, cotton is a fabric that makes clothes you want to wear for a long time. Lucky for you, it's also a durable material that can withstand years of wear and wash. But to achieve such longevity, it's gonna need some care.
So, how do you maintain the look and freshness of your cotton clothes? Here's a guide.
Washing
Washing keeps your clothes fresh. If you're not careful, however, it could be what ruins them. Cotton has some rules:
Use Cold Water
Compared to hot water, cool/cold water is gentler and less damaging on cotton, especially if you're dealing with brightly colored clothing. Cool temperatures preserve the fabric's strength and won't fade the colors.
Washing cotton in hot water (>30°C), on the other hand, causes its fibers to relax and swell, which can lead to permanent shrinkage. It also causes dyes to bleed and wash out much faster.
Mild Detergents Over Harsh Ones
Printed cottons don't go well with harsh detergents, and neither do the natural fibers. Using bleach or a detergent with brighteners or strong enzymes will damage the fiber and cause your clothes to fade faster than you can say pause.
Thus, you want to clean your cotton garments with neutral or mild detergents. But what if you're dealing with stains?
This is where pre-treating comes in handy. Before washing, pre-treat the spot with a stain remover, but be gentle to avoid scratching off the print.
Choosing the Wash Cycle
Don't scrub too hard if you're washing by hand. If you're using a machine, you want to select the gentle wash cycle. You should also turn your clothes inside out to reduce color fading and protect the zips and/or buttons.
Drying and Ironing
High temperatures will shrink cotton fibers and cause their dye to fade, even during drying. To avoid this:
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Air dry your clothes in the shade. Too much exposure to direct sunlight will hasten fading
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If you must use a dryer, do so at the lowest heat setting
If crisp is your style, ironing is just as important as the previous steps; in which case, you want to iron your cotton garments while they're still damp or use a steamer with distilled/scented water. This makes it easy to flat out the wrinkles while avoiding shrinkage from the heat.
Style to Last a Lifetime
Wildrose makes 100% cotton shirts and dresses. Decorated in the age-old style of block printing and secured by ornate corozo buttons, our elegant garments are designed to make the wearer stand out on any occasion. And with only a little bit of care, you're guaranteed a lifetime of style and comfort.
