Caring for crepe fabric involves careful handling during washing and drying to preserve its unique texture and shape.
Gentle Crepe Care Tips
Crepe is a delicate fabric known for its distinctive crimped or puckered surface. Proper care is essential to maintain its appearance and longevity. Based on expert advice, here are key steps:
Washing Crepe
Often, crepe garments require hand washing or a delicate machine cycle. When washing:
- Avoid Soaking: Do not soak the fabric for an extended period. Prolonged immersion can be detrimental to the fabric's integrity.
- Reason: According to care guidelines, soaking for too long may cause the colours to fade or the fabric to lose its shape. This is especially true for natural fiber crepes like silk or wool, but applies to synthetics too.
- Use a mild detergent specifically designed for delicate fabrics.
- Wash in cool or lukewarm water, never hot.
Drying Crepe
How you dry crepe is just as crucial as how you wash it to prevent stretching and distortion:
- Dry Flat: After washing, gently squeeze out excess water. Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric forcefully, as this can damage the delicate weave.
- Then, lay the garment flat on a clean towel to dry.
- Reason: Avoid hanging it, as this could lead to stretching or misshaping, particularly for heavier garments or those made from natural fibers. The weight of the wet fabric can pull it down, altering its original form.
- If using a towel, you can roll the garment gently in the towel to absorb more water before laying it flat on a different dry surface or rack.
- Keep the garment away from direct sunlight or high heat sources, which can also cause fading or damage.
Ironing and Storage
- If ironing is necessary, use a very low heat setting or the silk/delicate setting on your iron. It's best to iron the fabric inside out or use a pressing cloth to protect the surface texture. Some creases may naturally fall out if dried correctly.
- Store crepe garments by folding them neatly rather than hanging, especially heavier items, to further prevent stretching.
By following these simple steps, particularly avoiding soaking and always drying flat, you can help your crepe garments remain beautiful and hold their shape for years to come.
