Embroidered formalwear rewards a little care and punishes none at all. Here is how we recommend looking after each fabric we work with, and what the surface work needs from you.
Read the care line on the product page first
Every product page carries care instructions specific to that piece. Where they differ from the general guidance below, follow the product page — it reflects the actual fabric and embellishment used.
By fabric
Almost everything with hand embroidery on it should be dry cleaned rather than washed. The exception is plain lawn, which is made to be washed and gets better for it.
Lawn
A fine, tightly woven cotton, light enough for heat and the usual choice for daywear and Eid. Takes print beautifully and softens with every wash.
Wash separately in cold water the first two or three times — printed lawn releases surplus dye early on.
Turn inside out before washing so the print face is protected.
Dry in shade. Direct sun fades printed lawn faster than anything else you can do to it.
Press on a medium setting while very slightly damp for the crispest finish.
If the piece has an embroidered front panel, hand wash that panel or dry clean the whole suit.
Chiffon
A sheer, fluid silk or polyester weave with a soft fall. Almost always lined, and almost always the fabric that drapes best in photographs.
Dry clean only when embroidered. Chiffon distorts easily once wet and rarely returns to shape.
Never wring or twist. If it is unembellished and you must hand wash, press the water out between towels.
Press on the lowest heat through a cotton cloth, or steam from a distance.
Hang on a padded hanger; wire hangers leave permanent shoulder points.
Organza
Crisp, sheer and structured — it holds its own shape, which is why it is used for dupattas and overlays that need to stand slightly away from the body.
Dry clean only. Organza is stiffened in finishing and washing removes that body permanently.
Store rolled rather than folded where you can. Sharp creases in organza are very difficult to remove.
Steam rather than press. If you must press, use the lowest heat and a pressing cloth.
Keep away from anything with a hook or a rough seam — it snags readily.
Raw silk
A weighty, slightly slubbed silk with a dry matte lustre. Holds structure well, which makes it the usual base for formal shirts and trousers.
Dry clean only. Water marks raw silk and the marks tend to be permanent.
Do not spray perfume or deodorant onto the fabric — alcohol lifts the colour.
Press on the reverse, on a silk setting, with a cloth between iron and cloth.
Store with a breathable cover. Plastic traps moisture and can yellow the fibre over time.
Velvet
A dense pile fabric with real weight and depth of colour. Winter-weight, and the pile is the whole point — protect it.
Dry clean only, and tell the cleaner it is velvet so it is not pressed flat.
Never iron the face of velvet. Steam it hanging, from the reverse, and let the pile lift on its own.
Hang rather than fold. Folded velvet develops crush lines along every crease.
Do not sit for long periods in heavily worked velvet if you can avoid it — pressure flattens the pile.
Net and tissue
Open-weave grounds used for lehengas, dupattas and overlays, usually carrying the heaviest surface work in the outfit.
Dry clean only, always. The embellishment, not the ground fabric, decides this.
Support the full weight when you lift the garment — never pick a worked lehenga up by the dupatta or one shoulder.
Store flat, or on a broad padded hanger with the weight distributed.
Have loose threads secured promptly. On net, one pulled thread travels.
Looking after the embroidery
The surface work, not the ground fabric, usually decides how a piece must be handled.
Zardozi, dabka and tilla
Metallic hand work sits proud of the fabric and is held by couched thread. It will catch on jewellery, seat belts and handbag hardware. Turn the garment inside out before storing, and put acid-free tissue between the worked layers so the metal does not abrade the ground fabric.
Sequin and mirror
Individually stitched, so a single lost sequin is a repair rather than a failure. Keep away from direct heat — an iron placed on sequin will melt it. Steam from the reverse only.
Pearl, bead and stone
Set with adhesive or thread depending on the piece. Dry-cleaning solvent can weaken adhesive over repeated cleans, so clean worked pieces only when they genuinely need it rather than after every wear.
Resham and thread work
The most forgiving of the surface techniques, but silk thread still loses colour in sunlight. Store in the dark and dry clean rather than washing.
Storage
Store heavily worked pieces flat or on a broad padded hanger, with the weight supported. A thin hanger will distort the shoulders of a lined formal within months.
Use acid-free tissue between embroidered layers. Ordinary tissue and newspaper both transfer acid into the fibre over time.
Cover with cotton or muslin, never plastic. Plastic traps humidity, and humidity is what tarnishes metallic thread.
Keep away from direct light. Silk thread and dyed silk both fade, and the fading is not reversible.
Travelling with an outfit
Turn the garment inside out and roll rather than fold, with tissue inside the roll.
Carry embellished pieces in hand luggage where you can.
Hang the outfit in a steamy bathroom on arrival rather than pressing it. Most travel creases fall out on their own.
If something comes loose
Loose threads and a dropped stone happen with hand work — that is a characteristic of the technique, not a defect. Do not pull a loose thread; snip it flush and have it secured. If a piece arrives with work that has come away in transit, tell us within the window set out in our returns policy and send a photograph, and we will sort it out.
Questions about a specific piece
If you are unsure how to treat something you own, ask us before you clean it. Contact us with your order number and we will tell you exactly what that piece is made of and how it should be handled.
