| |
Tips Before You Begin
Home
Laundering is recommended for all of our linens, except where
dry cleaning is indicated (on Piqué and matelassé
blanket covers, wool and mohair blankets).
We strongly recommend that you
A) prewash all linens before use, and B) wash linens separately
from anything else, particularly items that contain polyester. Polyester
"pills," and will shed its pilling on natural fibers, diminishing the smoothness
and softness of the fabric. In addition, garments with buttons or zippers can damage
delicate linens in the wash.
Select a gentle laundry
detergent. Products with bluing agents, or whiteners are not recommended or colored
linens, as they may progressively fade the colors.
Consider this longstanding
French tradition to ensure the longevity of bedding: rotate your sheets, with a set in the
closet, a set on the bed, and a set in the wash. This ensures that no one set
receives more wear than another.
A Word Of Caution:
Certain skin and hair products that contain oxidizing agents (e.g., lotions used for acne)
may cause discoloration of sheets, particularly blue linens. If you use such
personal products, cover your pillow with a white pillowcase or white towel.
|
| |
Shrinkage
Shrinkage will occur with all
linens made of natural fibers, the amount of shrinkage ranging from 4 to 10 percent,
depending on the fibers used. The sizing of our products allows for expected
shrinkage. Linens washed in hot water or dried at hot temperatures will shrink
excessively. Preshrunk items, such as Jacquard-woven table linens or honeycomb
towels, normally shrink 3 percent or less. Generally, very large pieces of fabric or
very high thread count linens are not preshrunk.
|
| |
Washing bedding
Linens should be separated
into light or dark colors. Avoid overloading the machine to prevent breaking long
fibers like those in Egyptian cotton. Whether cotton, pure linen, or a cotton/linen
blend, bedding should be washed in warm water using a gentle laundering agent, with a
final cold rinse. If presoaking is necessary, it should be in cold water.
Allow your washing machine to
fill up and begin agitating before you add detergent or bleach. Unless your linens
are are extremely soiled, use half the commercial detergent recommended; this will reduce
damage to fibers and clean your linens just as well.
Remove washed bedding promptly
from the machine; this helps reduce wrinkling. Shaking damp linens out before drying
(at low heat) will also reduce wrinkles and quicken the drying time.
|
| |
Washing bath linens
Terry Towels:
Washing terry towels before use begins the "breaking in" process, making them
softer and more absorbent. Several washings are required for 100% cotton terry
towels to achieve their maximum absorbency, softness and fluff.
Honeycomb Towels:
These lightweight, waffle weave towels are loosely woven for absorbency, dry very
quickly, and have been preshrunk. White honeycomb items with colored borders may be
bleached safely to keep their brightness.
Launder towels in warm water
and a gentle detergent. It is particularly important with towels that you not use
fabric softener, because it decreases the absorbency of the towel.
|
| |
Washing table linens
Our Jacquard-woven table
linens are carefree: they're preshrunk, with an easy-care finish, and can be bleached with
out affecting the brightness of the color. Dry cleaning is not recommended;
laundering "relaxes" the fibers, which actually enhances the intricate,
Jacquard-woven patterns.
Table linens should be washed
in warm water and gentle detergent, with a final cold rinse. Bleach may be used,
which brightens the linens. Fabric softeners are not recommended, because they
decrease absorbency and impart a fragrance that can be disconcerting.
Remove table linens promptly
from the wash, and shake out to help minimize wrinkles before drying.
Please note:
Beautiful as they are, tea towels are meant to be used hard - in the kitchen, great for
drying dishes and crystal, but also ideal for wiping up spills. Bleach can be used
to maintain their elegant appearance. |
|
