care guide
We are committed to making clothes last as long as possible and we hope you’ll join us in doing so. We design with longevity in mind to assure you don't have to replace your wardrobe every season. In 2015 landfills received 10,5 million tons of textiles. The most responsible thing you can do as a consumer iskeep your garments in play as long as possible.
STORING AND REPAIRING
Storing your garments correctly will prolong the lifespan of your item. Make sure to store your items away from direct sunlight, heat and damp. Don’t hang your knitwear, flat pack it and store it with lavender or mothballs to keep the critters away. Our garments are just like us, they need a rest and when they get the chance to, make sure you give them some room to breathe.
Mending an item if it has a small flaw and sewing on a button that has fallen off is super simple and will prolong the life of your garment.
Keeping in mind that we do only use natural fibres which do wear out and eventually biodegrade, and within reason, we can help you with this and offer a repair service for any garment that may require a bit of TLC. This service is available at our Cape Town store.
WASHING
The fashion industry is one of the most water intensive industries. Water is used throughout the production process and continues to be used once it finally reaches the end user. Washing your clothing makes use of a lot of water. We would never suggest that you don’t was your clothing but we would suggest spot cleaning an item when possible and airing your garment out. Hand washing also saves a lot of water and is also more gentle on your clothing.
When washing natural fabrics, you should always opt for a cold was, this is not only ore environmentally friendly, but necessary to assure your garment does not shrink. Use a gentle, natural laundry detergent. Your clothing will thank you by staying beautiful for longer.
The fabric we use has no polyester, acrylic or any synthetic content— all of which are forms of plastic — and currently constitute 60 percent of the material that makes up our clothes worldwide. We would suggest using an ‘Ocean Ally’ washing bag when washing synthetic garments. Click here to view this awesome product.
These fibres contribute to ocean plastic pollution in a subtle but pervasive way: These synthetics, along with synthetic-natural blends, leach into the environment through the wash cycle. Estimates vary, but it’s possible that a single load of laundry could release hundreds of thousands of fibres from our clothes into the water supply.
And these tiny fibres, less than 5 millimetres in length, can eventually reach the ocean. They add to the micro-plastic pollution that’s accumulating in the food chain and being ingested by all sorts of marine wildlife, and even us. Most of the plastic that’s in the ocean, in terms of number of pieces, is not in the form of whole products like cups or straws, but instead broken-down shreds of plastic. This pervades the entire food chain and the effects are disastrous.
Lastly, we suggest air drying your garments. It is much less damaging to your garments and uses no energy. Our garments do not require professional dry cleaning.
All of our garments have care labels, if you need more information
Learn how to care for specific materials below
Hand wash in cold water with your hand-washing detergent. Never wring, twist, or bunch up. Iron inside out. Do not tumble dry.
Hand wash in cold water with your hand-washing detergent. Never wring, twist, or bunch up. Iron inside out. Do not tumble dry.
Hand wash in cold water with Woolite. Never wring, twist, or bunch up. Lay garment flat to dry, do not hang as the fibres will stretch. Do not tumble dry. Always store wool items folded.
Hand wash in cold water with your hand-washing detergent. Never wring, twist, or bunch up. Iron inside out. Do not tumble dry. It is preferable to dry your garment flat but you could also hang your garment on a non-metal hanger to dry.
Cotton can be easily laundered. Any good detergent can be used to wash cotton. Since cotton fibers are fairly inelastic cotton fabrics may wrinkle easily. And, fabric may need frequent pressing. Cotton can be ironed with a warm iron. Do not tumble dry.
Cotton Knitwear: Hand wash in cold water with Woolite. Never wring, twist, or bunch up. Lay garment flat to dry, do not hang as the fibres will stretch. Do not tumble dry. Always store knitted items folded.
Hand wash in cold water with your hand-washing detergent. Rayon is weaker when it's wet than when its dry. Never wring, twist, or bunch up rayon. Do not tumble dry. Be sure to iron all rayon inside out to prevent it from shining. If you suspect that your garment has shrunk – iron it before you panic as this usually relaxes the fibers.
Hand wash in cold water with your hand-washing detergent. Never wring, twist, or bunch up. Hang to dry, iron on low heat, preferably on reverse. Do not tumble dry.
Leather improves with age and gets more character. To make it last longer it should be properly cared for.
Brush your shoes or bag lightly with a shoe brush to remove dirt and then rub them with a leather balm to keep the leather moist and nourished. If you scuff your shoe or bag you can polish the shoe with the appropriate colour polish to lightly cover the scuff.
Our shoes and bags are handmade but mistakes can be made and if this happens please contact us. If your heel comes off or if your sole loosens we will happily fix it for you.
Review our care tips in order to have your items age beautifully!
CLEANING
The general principle is simple: remove dirt build-up by wiping down with a cleaner made specifically for the leather in question. Remember the
hardware. Some bags or shoes have precious metal-plated buckles or other hardware. The same applies here, wipe with a damp cloth and dry carefully
Every other day, give the leather a brisk sweep with a soft dry cloth, this won’t take more than a few minutes, but will go miles towards preserving the appearance of your leather.
Use a leather cleaner to clean and protect your leather accessories. These often also provide effective salt stain removal. Remove stains as soon as you notice them. Crush white chalk, let it sit on the stain overnight and dust it off with a clean cloth.
Leather bags are susceptible to absorbing grease and oils so make sure you handle your leather item with clean hands.
CONDITION
Think of conditioning as a moisturizer for your leather, which will dry out over time. To prevent flaking and wrinkling, dab a bit of (leather) conditioner on a soft cloth and rub gently all over.
Condition the leather every month to keep your it looking it’s shiny best. For your waxy, oiled and natural finish leather items use a waxed leather conditioner: it cleans, nourishes and revives your leather accessories.
WEATHERPROOFING
Leather is permeable and can never be entirely waterproof, so avoid toting your favourite handbag or shoe in bad weather. Nonetheless, there are beeswax creams which function as a barrier against water.
Word of caution: beeswax may alter the hue of dyed leather, so test first on an inconspicuous corner.
A more breathable but less effective alternative: a spray protectant, which is virtually invisible on your bags.
STORING
Stash your bag and shoes in a fabric dust-bag and fill it with stuffing, to maintain its shape.
Keep the dust-bag along with packets of silica gel so your bag doesn’t get damp. Air once every two weeks to halt the growth of mold. Rotation is key. Everyday use of your bag or shoes will wear it out, so switch things up every month.
SOME FINAL TIPS
Let water spills dry naturally. High-heat measures like using a hairdryer will only cause he skin to crinkle beyond salvage. Prevent colour transfer by consciously resisting the urge to rest your bag against your jeans. Leather is basically a skin so avoid leaving it in the sun for too long as it can cause it to dry and change colour.