- Our handwoven cotton dresses should preferably be washed by hand. We recommend the natural and age-old method of getting them cleaned. Soak well and use a mild detergent, wash clean with plenty of soft water to rid all the detergent suds and hang out to dry in indirect sunlight without wringing too hard. That’s it.
- Alternatively, city dwellers may use a washing machine. We recommend washing the fabric at 30° C to keep the shape and size intact and prevent possible shrinkage. Dry in indirect sunlight and avoid the harsh sun always.
- A mesh bag should be used for delicate items. It safeguards the fabric from snagging or twisting too much in the tougher machine cycles.
- Handwoven small items (including scrunchies, neckpieces etc.) should NOT be cleaned in a washing machine. Do give them a little of your tender loving care and hand-wash with a mild detergent only. Hang them up to dry in shade with minimum pegs to retain the original shape and size.
- A stain on a favourite garment is upsetting. Try to address it soonest without panicking. In case of a fluid and non-chemical stain, wash the area with plenty of clean water as quickly as you can. There are many natural and chemical agents available nowadays to take care of stains. Use just a tiny bit of stain remover to dab and soak the stain before you wash it.
- White cotton clothes (excluding the area of coloured embroidery) respond wonderfully to bleach.
- We always recommend a patch test on an inside seam beforehand to ensure it doesn’t affect or spoil the colour of the garment.
- Darker colours and natural-dyed pieces should be hand washed separately in cold water.
- To dry, it’s a good idea to hang them in the shade flipped inside out. We do strongly suggest NOT wringing your clothes as it may cause severe damage to the garment. Gently squeeze out excess water and put out to dry on clothes hangers. If you must use pegs, ensure they do not leave rust stains or other marks on the fabric.
- Do NOT scrub too hard while hand washing.
- Do NOT use bleach on coloured clothes and coloured embroidery.
- We do NOT recommend the use of dryers for cotton clothes. The heat from the tumble is likely to make the garments lose their size and shape, leading to shrinkage.
- Simply leave them out to dry. You’re being gentle to the Earth by reducing some amount of carbon footprint. This is certainly more eco-friendly.
Naturally Dyed Fabrics
Indigo, along with other natural dyes, is used in certain Earthroute garments that are entirely created using environmentally- friendly resources and materials. These garments, as also the others, need to be treated with care and tenderness. As these dyes are all-natural derived from unadulterated, non-chemical, non-commercial sources, they do not damage the environment. In fact, Indigo has healing properties for the skin. It aids in keeping the body cool during summers which is such a relief for hot, tropical climes.
Wash and Care
- Wash dyed garments separately, using cold water and preferably a gentle pH-neutral soap.
- Clothes should be left hanging to dry, instead of putting them into a machine dryer which uses more energy and electricity and adds carbon footprint to the environment.
- Do NOT dry these garments in direct sunlight. It often results in excessive colour fading making the piece look faded.
- Fabric colour will tend to spread and bleed into the water. It’s 100% natural. A small noticeable fade of colour may also occur over time. This too is natural and adds to the charm of the clothes. For instance, well-worn indigo clothes are eternally in trend.
- Indigo and/or other naturally dyed pieces of clothes should be preserved after wash in a muslin bag preferably. The muslin protects your garments from sunlight and fading.