Caring for Your Naturally Dyed Textiles

Beautiful natural colours deserve a little care. With a few simple habits, your favourite yarns, fabrics and garments can stay beautiful for years to come.

Natural dyes have their own wonderful character, and just like conventionally dyed textiles, they benefit from thoughtful washing, drying and storage.

Whether you're caring for hand-dyed yarn, a favourite pair of socks, a woven shawl or a garment you've made yourself, a little attention goes a long way.

Everyday Care

Care	Our Recommendation
Washing	Handwash gently in cool to lukewarm water, using a mild, pH-neutral detergent suitable for the fibre.
Temperature	Avoid sudden temperature changes, particularly with wool and silk.
Drying	Dry away from direct sunlight and strong heat. Lay knitted garments flat to help maintain their shape.
Storage	Store clean, dry textiles away from prolonged exposure to daylight and artificial light.
Garments	Where practical, wash, dry and store garments inside out to help protect the surface colour.
Friction	Avoid excessive rubbing, scrubbing or wringing, particularly when textiles are wet.

A Little Extra Care for Certain Colours

Some natural dyes require a little more attention, particularly during their first few washes.

Indigo

Indigo behaves differently from many other natural dyes. Because the pigment is deposited within and on the fibre rather than chemically bonded through a conventional mordant, some surface colour can transfer through friction.

This is known as crocking and is particularly noticeable with deep indigo shades.

Although our indigo-dyed textiles are thoroughly rinsed, we recommend taking a little extra care when wearing newly dyed items against very light-coloured clothing or accessories.

Moisture and friction can increase the likelihood of colour transfer, especially with socks and other garments exposed to perspiration.

With wear and gentle washing, loose surface pigment will generally diminish.

Lac & Cochineal

These beautiful insect dyes produce an extraordinary range of reds, pinks and purples.

Although we rinse our naturally dyed yarns and textiles thoroughly, a small amount of residual colour may occasionally appear during the first washes, particularly with deep shades.

Moisture, friction and changes in pH can influence how these colours behave.

We recommend washing separately at first, using cool water and a mild, pH-neutral detergent.

Avoid unnecessary soaking and strong alkaline or acidic washing products.

What About Vinegar?

Vinegar does not fix natural dyes after dyeing.

The belief that vinegar fixes colour has its roots in traditional wool dyeing and one-pot acid dyeing methods.

Wool naturally responds well to slightly acidic conditions. Certain dyes, including cochineal, can develop an affinity for wool under acidic conditions, even without a separate mordant. However, appropriate mordanting generally improves the durability of many natural colours.

This is where the idea of vinegar as a fixative likely originates. Acidity can play an important role during the dyeing process, helping certain dyes interact with protein fibres.

But adding vinegar to a finished garment or soaking a poorly fixed textile in vinegar afterwards will not make the colour permanently fast.

Vinegar simply changes the pH of the water, which may alter certain natural colours without improving their durability.

For this reason, we do not recommend vinegar as an aftercare fixative. Proper dyeing methods, appropriate mordanting and thorough rinsing are what matter.

Caring for Wool and Silk

Protein fibres such as wool and silk deserve particularly gentle treatment.

Avoid excessive heat, agitation and sudden temperature changes. These can damage delicate fibres or, in the case of wool, cause felting and shrinkage.

Use a suitable gentle detergent, rinse carefully and allow the textile to dry naturally.

Always follow any fibre-specific care instructions provided with your product.

Keeping Colour Beautiful

Light, washing conditions, friction and the natural ageing of fibres can all influence colour over time.

Some natural dyes are exceptionally lightfast, while others are more sensitive. Every colour has its own characteristics.

Storing textiles away from unnecessary light exposure, washing only when needed and treating fibres gently can all help extend their life.

Our favourite advice? Wear and enjoy your naturally dyed textiles, care for them thoughtfully, and let them become part of your story.