Caring For Your Silk Pillowcases and Silk Sleepwear

“I love silk, but all that hand-washing and dry cleaning, I don’t have time for all that extra work!” 

In my line of work, I tend to hear this a quite a lot. Rest assured, I’m here to share the good news! Yes, mulberry silk from The Ethical Silk Company requires just a little bit of love and attention, but it Is strong as well as beautiful and surprisingly easy to look after. Silk is the strongest of natural fibres. This natural material needs to be cared for like any other, in order to maintain its strength and durability. There’s a reason why we call our beloved baby cot sheet the ‘gift for life’, we know it can last a lifetime.

Our 100% natural, eco-friendly silk can be easily washed, dried and ironed. Just follow our handy guide to getting the best from your silk products and you’ll have family heirloom to pass on to future generations.

  1. You can machine wash your silk on a low-temperature, gentle cycle. Use the time-reduction setting on your machine, if you have it.

  2. Wash like colours together.

  3. Use a delicate detergent such as Ecover Delicate Laundry Liquid.

  4. A mesh bag will protect your silk from any possible snagging in the machine.

  5. Avoid the fabric conditioner/softener! It is not necessary for silk. In fact, it leaves behind a coating on your laundry, that with repeated use makes it impenetrable to water and detergent (same goes for your sports gear by the way).

  6. Silk dries very quickly. Hang to dry, out of direct sunlight.

  7. For best results, iron from damp, on reverse, using low setting. Trust us – it gives the nicest finish and is the easiest way to dry.

  8. Tumble drying is not recommended (or needed as silk dries so quickly)

 

If you’re still dubious, you can always hand-wash your silk, using lukewarm water and a mild detergent. A good alternative is a non alkaline soap or even baby shampoo! Do not soak. Wash your silk gently through the soapy water for a just a few minutes.

Rinsing can take a bit of time, but adding a few tablespoons of white vinegar to the water is recommended as it neutralizes alkali traces. Do not wring it out afterwards as this can damage the fibers. Roll your garment gently into a towel to extract the water. And continue as before to dry.

Now that you know how to look after it, tempt yourself with a peek at our mulberry silk pillowcases and silk pyjamas!

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