How to wash
Feather & Hay textiles are made with natural fibres and the traditional method of weaving on a floor loom. I take care during each step: from selecting high quality raw materials to hand dyeing yarn. Careful calculations are made to ensure they will last for many years but it is important to care for your textile correctly to ensure the magic & beauty stays within each woven thread. Read on to find out how to wash your hand woven textile.
There isn’t a magic science or complex set of instructions when washing hand woven textiles. It is as simple as being gentle and taking time when washing them. I have added a video as I know it can be a worry to know exactly how gentle you need to be. I hope this gives you confidence to look after your textile well so that it lasts for many years.
It is possible to machine wash some hand woven textiles but Feather & Hay suggests hand washing. This gentle way of washing will ensure that colours stay bright and fibres are kept at their best.
Watch the video
Instructions: how to wash your hand woven textile
Use the following instructions to clean your Feather & Hay textile:
1. Ensure the water is tepid, you should be able to put your hand in easily, warm to touch not hot.
2. Feather & Hay uses Mangle & Wringer’s Pure Laundry powder at half the usual detergent allowance. This is best applied to any detergent. Choose a gentle detergent – either a non-bio or one made for wool and delicates.
3. When washing a hand woven textile, it is important to treat the fabric gently. This is particularly important with any textile that has wool: friction, heat and water can make the fabric felt. Although I do suggest care don’t be afraid of your textile! Look at the video to see how best to handle fabric. You can rub the fabric to get dirt out just take a little more time and care with each step.
4. Rinse the textile several times to make sure all the washing detergent has been removed. The water should be clear.
5. Do not wring the fabric to get the water out. Again look at the video to see how you can gently squeeze the water out of your textile. Think ‘half turn’ then gently squeeze to remove water. I do this in sections, squeezing the water out, repeating until the textile does not drip.
6. It is best to line dry. If you are worried about pegs making a mark use small scrap pieces of fabric over your textile where the peg goes.
All you need is a little more care and attention to keep the magic in your hand woven textile allowing it to be loved and enjoyed for may years to come!