Fabric Care

Cotton

Cotton is made from the fluffy fibers of the cotton plant. Most are preshrunk, so "you really can't mess them up," says Chris Allsbrooks, a textile analyst at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute in Laurel, Maryland.

How to Wash:

• Machine-wash in cold or warm with all-purpose detergent.
• Separate whites and darks. (Don't throw your jeans in with a white T-shirt, as the indigo dye might run and leave the T-shirt looking gray.)
• Wash cotton sheets in hot water.

How to Dry

• Preshrunk cotton can go in the dryer. For regular and organic cotton that hasn't been preshrunk, use a low-heat setting. Otherwise, it could shrink by 10 percent.
• Or, line-dry in the shade. (Sun yellows it.)

 

Silk/Satin

This durable, luxurious fabric is made from protein fibers produced by silkworms. It's treated with sizing and may have dyes that bleed.

How to Wash

• Dry-clean if that's what's indicated in the care instructions.
• Test for colorfastness. Dip a cotton swab in detergent and hold it on an inconspicuous area for two minutes to see if the color bleeds.
• Turn the garment inside out and submerge it in a sink or basin of cool water and some mild detergent. Then gently move it around so it's saturated.
• Rinse with cold water.

How to Dry

• Don't wring out the excess water, which can stretch the fabric. Instead, press on it gently with your fingers.
• Lay it on a clean, dry towel to air-dry.

Mesh

• Mesh can be machine washed and we recommend doing so on a warm setting using an all-purpose detergent. It's great to use a fabric softener as well.
• If you want to tumble dry your mesh dress, this should be done on a low temperature setting. Remove the fabric before it is fully dry to reduce the static cling.

Chiffon