Whether you are buying dyed products as thread, fabrics or weavings, it's important to follow some simple rules to keep them as long as possible. here are some informations about how to care for your products.

And a blog article on this topic!

I'm often asked if natural dyes are durable. The answer is yes if you take care of them. All dyes, whether natural or synthetic, will eventually fade a bit, they will evolve over time according to what you do with them, but natural dyes can stay bright for a long time! I regularly run tests on my dyes for lightfastness. Nevertheless, ultra-violets can alter the shades of dyes over time, I recommend to keep your dyed goods away from sunlight when you are not using them.

Wool and silk threads

Basic rules are: no aggressive synthetic detergents, no machine wash, no softeners and no drying in the sun! Natural dyes don't mix well with synthethic detergents, use natural detergents like pure soap without perfumes, softeners or other things.

White vinegar (1-2 table spoons for 2 litres of water) will soften wool but avoid using it on cochineal-dyed products, this dye is quite ph6sensitive. Don't soak it for too long and rinse well after that.

Natural dyes can wash off a little bit on the first wash, especially rich colors like madder, indigo, woad or cochineal. It's normal and doesn't affect the durability of the dye. Dark indigo, cochineal and madder can rub off a bit on your hands and tools (tablets, needles...) when you work with the threads, this is normal as well.

Natural dyes don't bleed onto other fabrics in our modern sense. The dyes attach themselves to fabric in specific conditions that I use , depending on the plant used and the recipe, it would be wondrous if you would achieve those specific conditions in a wash!

Fabrics

Fabrics dyed by me have a final rinse in a washing machine, so you can use a machine to wash them, again with no synthetic detergents or softeners! Do not spin them too fast or rather d'on't spin them at all. Dry in the shade.

If you have a stain, I recommend testing the detergent you use on a small portion of the fabric (and don't use aggressive ones!). Marseille soap or even neutral mild shampoo usually work best.

Tablet weavings

This products are not washed but as the threads are dyed by me, there is no risk of shrinking. You can sew on the bands directly, on a pre-washed fabric.

Wool or silk tablet weavings can be hand-washed, in cool water, without wringing. Don't wash them in a machine or use a dryer, including those sewn on a costume!

Synthetic detergents and natural dyes don't mix! They are full of chemicals that can interact with the natural dyes.