At Kindling, we believe in long lasting timeless clothing that makes you feel good. We choose our fabrics with longevity in mind, using natural materials and partnering with amazing seamstresses for our manufacture. However the way we care for our clothing pieces is just as important. Each fibre and fabric requires a little bit of understanding as to its properties and best care methods. We hope you find our care guide useful!
COTTON
Cotton is a natural, biodegradable fibre that has been used for thousands of years. To manufacture cotton, the fibres of the cotton plant’s seed pods are cleaned and spun into threads. They can then be made into a variety of fabrics, including corduroy and denim.
Cotton is versatile and retains colours well, meaning it’s great for beautiful prints and bold colours. Not only is it breathable, comfortable and durable, it is also super easy to care for.
HOW TO WASH
Wash your cotton on a cool setting in the machine, preferably on a gentle cycle with similar colours. Try to not wash your cotton garments too much, this will help them to maintain their shape and colour for longer.
HOW TO DRY + STORE
Shake out your garment to reshape it a little and peg it up or lie it flat - then there should be no need for ironing! Hanging it up in the shade will also prevent the colours from fading.
LINEN
Linen is one of the world’s oldest fabrics. It is produced from the fibres of flax plants, making it very strong, antibacterial, and highly durable. Linen is also great for the environment, it is biodegradable, doesn’t use much water, and every part of the flax plant is used in its production, including the seeds and oils.
We love linen because it not only feels luxurious but is also very breathable, so it’s great at keeping you cool in summer. It is a strong fabric and although it may feel stiff at first, your linen garment will become softer and softer as you wash and wear it.
HOW TO WASH
It’s best to wash your linen garment inside out so as to prevent surface fibres from breaking. Wash on a cold, gentle cycle with like colours. Try not to overfill your washing machine so that the garments have room to properly soak up the water.
HOW TO DRY + STORE
Avoid putting your linen in the dryer. After you’ve washed it, shake out the garment to reshape it and hang or peg it up to dry - this way it won’t be too creased and there’s no need for ironing. Store linen hung up in your closet to avoid creases.
CORDUROY
At Kindling we love corduroy! It’s soft, strong, super durable, and it feels and looks great. Corduroy, like velvet, is usually made from heavy cotton cloth. The striped ribs in corduroy are known as “wales”. These wales make the fabric strong and durable. The wale count indicates how many wales there are in an inch, so the higher the wale count the thinner the stripes. Standard corduroy is usually around 10-12 wales per inch, while “pincord” fabrics have a wale count above 16.
HOW TO WASH
It’s best to turn your corduroy garments inside out to wash, and close any zips or buttons. Wash on a cold, gentle cycle with like colours. Try not to overfill your washing machine to avoid any friction that could wear down the surface of the corduroy.
HOW TO DRY + STORE
Shake out your garment and smooth down any pockets or seams and hang it out to air dry. Corduroy is best stored hung up.
DENIM
Denim is a strong, long lasting and hard wearing material. It is created using a twill weave and double set of cotton yarns. Denim was traditionally worn as workwear by farmers, railway workers and miners, which is testament to its sturdiness. The strength of denim fabrics means that (with a little bit of care), your denim garments will last you for a long time.
HOW TO WASH
One of the best things about denim is you don’t need to wash it much, in fact, the less you wash it the better! Washing sparingly helps to avoid fading in the fabric. When you do wash your denim garment however, we recommend using a cold wash and a gentle setting with a mild detergent. Close any zips or buttons and turn the garment inside out. Wash with like colours and avoid overfilling the machine (this will help to lessen creasing).
Particularly for dark denims, avoid spot cleaning as this might remove areas of colour from your garment.
HOW TO DRY+ STORE
To dry, flatten out your denim into shape and then hang on the line to air dry. If there is excess water don’t wring denim out, gently roll up your garment and press out any water instead.
VISCOSE/RAYON
Viscose (also known as rayon) is a biodegradable material that is made from wood cellulose fibres from plants such as soy, bamboo and wood pulp. One of our favourite fabrics from the viscose family is cupro - which is made from cotton linter, a waste product from cotton.
Viscose fabrics are smooth, soft and lightweight, with a silk-like texture that means they drape beautifully. The fabric is very breathable so it is ideal for warm weather.
HOW TO WASH
Our viscose garments are best washed on a cool, gentle cycle with a mild detergent and similar colours. Alternatively, you can hand wash viscose in cool water as well.
HOW TO DRY+ STORE
Allow it to air dry either flat or hung on a hanger on the line. If you’ve hand washed, don’t wring or twist your garment, but instead gently press out excess water.
KNITWEAR
Wool is a natural biodegradable fibre from the coats of sheep (or sometimes goats and alpacas). Since sheep regrow their wool after they’ve been shorn, it is 100% renewable! Wool is naturally insulating, so will keep you cosy in winter, has great elasticity, so is super comfy, and is antibacterial, so you rarely need to wash it.
HOW TO WASH
The good news is you don’t need to wash your woolen garments much at all. The fibres are breathable and don’t absorb odours, and the less you wash your wool the longer it will last. Airing out your wool and knitwear is a great way to remove odours whilst avoiding washing.
When you do wash your woolen garments, try to use a mild, wool detergent. Wash on a cool, gentle setting, or wash by hand with cool water. Don’t leave the garment to soak too long and rinse it with fresh water once you are done.
HOW TO DRY+ STORE
Dry woolen garments lying flat in their original shape. If you have hand washed them, avoid wringing out the garment. Instead you can wrap it in a clean towel to gently squeeze out excess water.
To store, make sure you fold your knitwear rather than hang it so that the garment doesn’t stretch. If pills have formed on the wool you can easily brush them out with a comb.
Moths are attracted to bacteria in wool, so to avoid them make sure your woollen garments are clean and don’t overfill drawers. You can also use cedar wood balls or lavender in your drawers to deter moths.
JERSEY
Jersey is a knit fabric that can be made from wool, cotton or fabric blends. It’s super comfortable, soft and stretchy - so makes great t-shirts. At Kindling we always choose good quality jersey fabrics that won’t get daggy quickly, meaning your garments will hold up beautifully over time.
HOW TO WASH
Our jersey garments are best cold washed on a gentle cycle with like colours. If there are any patterned surfaces, turn the garment inside out to wash.
HOW TO DRY + STORE
Shake out your garment to reshape it a little and peg it up or lie it flat to air dry on the line. It is best to store your jersey folded to avoid stretching.