The characteristics of natural silk let your skin breath through the fabric. Proper care and laundering is important to insure that your fine silk garments provide long lasting wear and maintain their natural characteristics and silky smooth feel.

While silk does need a little more Tender Loving Care than polyester or cotton, you and your body are worth the pampering that fine silk provides.

Machine Laundering:
If you choose to machine wash your garment: use cool water & gentle cycle. DO NOT wash with non-delicate garments.
The use of a mesh bag or pillow case is recommended to prevent undue stress of the delicate article.
Start the washing action at rinse cycle. If your machine is programmed to go through a complete cycle without interruption (like those in a Laundromat), just add a little Eucalan to the rinse - as you would any conditioner.
Use a mild detergent like Eucalan. Wash dark deep colors separately. 
Always wash garments unbuttoned.

1)DRY your silk fabric naturally by gently squeezing (don’t wring), roll in a towel, and lay it flat to dry. Prevent stiffness by occasionally shaking your silk while it’s drying. Don’t use a wooden drying rack, as the dyes & finishes can leave stains. Also, as with any fine fabric, never use direct sunlight to dry it. Doing so can damage the fiber and fade the color.

2)If Machine Drying is desired.  Please use low gentle cycle or Use the heatless AIR FLUFF setting on your dryer!

3)Steaming your silks is the recommended method of removing wrinkles. If a steamer is not available, you may iron your silk garments inside out, using the gentle heat setting.

You can add pure white vinegar to your rinse water to neutralize traces of alkali and dissolve soap residue. To retain your silk’s natural luster, don’t soak it for more than 3-5 minutes, avoid washing it in very cold or hot water, and never use any harsh detergents that contain bleaches or brighteners.

How can I avoid having the colors run?
FIRST - Check for color fastness, then dry on rack or hang to allow air circulation and avoid wicking.

How to tell if something is color fast?
Moisten a clean, white cloth.
Press firmly on colored area in an inconspicuous place. (If color is not "fast" it will transfer to cloth, so wash at own risk or have dry cleaned. Dark colors are prone to bleed into light colors such as black, navy, dark green, burgundy, and red.)

Hand Washing
You may launder your fine silks by hand washing them. Please note Professional Dry Cleaning is recommended.   In today's hectic world, many people find it easier to hand wash their fine silks.

1).HAND WASH the garments in a sink or tub in COOL water. Never use HOT water.
2).DO NOT USE ANY BLEACH OR BLEACHING AGENT
3).Use a mild, gentle detergent that will wash away cleanly and will not leave a film or residue on the garment. Soak garment in solution of cool water and mild detergent for approximately 15 minutes. Iris Silks recommends Eucalan.
4).For stained or heavily soiled garments, let the garment soak in a mixture of cool water and mild detergent for several minutes.
5).Agitate the garment gently, washing it thoroughly.
6).Rinse thoroughly in clean, cool water.
7).Dry by absorbing excess water with an absorbent towel. NEVER wring or twist the garment, as that might stretch and ruin the delicate silk fabric.
8).Hang the garment on a plastic hanger or line or dry flat, letting it air dry completely. Smooth out any wrinkles or folds while fabric is still damp.
9).MACHINE DRYING is not recommended  to lengthen the life of your silk garments. If you do machine dry please use low gentle cycle!
10).Always wash garments unbuttoned.

Pressing and Ironing
Steaming your silks is the recommended method of removing wrinkles. If a steamer is not available, you may iron your silk garments inside out, using the gentle heat setting. This works best on damp garment.

Stains and Spills

Pre-spotting:
In general it is better to soak the entire garment unless you can test the fiber on a swatch or seam; pre-spotting agents can cause dyes to run.

Bleach:
NEVER USE CHLORINE bleach on silk fibers.  Strong detergents carry bleaching agents that will fade the color or alter the feel of the silk.
Fabric Softeners:
NO! NO! NO! These can make the dye run or add a waxy finish to the fibers. They may also contain bleach, whiteners or brighteners, which may affect change in the colors.

An Ounce of Prevention:
Let your perfume and hairspray dry before dressing. Substances containing alcohol can damage your silk fabric.

Stain Removal

1.Grease (includes butter, oil, polish, wax) Use a liquid detergent and neutralize with vinegar before washing. If using a spot remover, test on an inside seam first.

2. Non-grease includes alcohol, blood, tea, food. Some stains can be permanently set by heat, so be sure the stain is gone before washing/drying at hot temperature. Blot the stain or run cool water through opposite of the stain. For stains on protein fibers press mild liquid detergent like Eucalan onto back of stain and soak in cool water.

Dry Cleaning Is Recommended

For best results, pure silk garments should be dry cleaned. Iris Silks recommends that you dry clean all of your fine silk garments to extend the life of the garment, and keep it looking its best. This method of laundering has been found to increase the life of the garment, allowing it to maintain its natural characteristics, and look better for a longer period of time.

You may use any professional Dry Cleaner located near your home.

Caring For Fine Silk Fabric-Caring For Fine Silk Fabric