Garment Care

Wear

To help you care for your garment we have listed the issues most commonly cited by customers together with an explanation as to how these issues arise. More often than not these issues are caused by incorrect care of the garment rather than any kind of manufacturing fault.

 

Pilling and Bobbling

Pilling - it’s not a manufacturing fault! Any knitted fabric is likely to pill we offer guidance to reduce the chance of pilling but it may help to understand some of the causes of pilling:

• External friction: movement against another fabric, or object (eg. a school back pack, rough chair or wall)
• Washing the garment at an incorrect temperature or with other garment.
• Tumble drying the garment at too high a temperature

Some garments appear to have a “nap” on the surface - best described as "fluffed up". This is caused by loose fibres from the yarn coming to the surface of the garment. The yarn in these cases is slightly hairier than usual. After a period of wear and washing the hairs disappear. The process is similar to the surface of a new carpet when it has first been laid, the loose fibres come to the surface and are vacuumed away.

Special care when washing and drying at this early stage in the garment life is important. Once these fibres have washed out the garment is unlikely to pill again as long as you follow the care guidelines. Carefully brushing, cutting or picking off the loose fibres can remove these bobbles.

Once this has been done the bobbles shouldn’t reappear.

 

Shrinkage

The two biggest factors contributing to shrinkage are too much heat and too much agitation. The solution to this problem is simple, do not wash at too high a temperature and take care when selecting the washing cycle on your machine. Always follow the care instructions provided with the garment (see the washing tips for more explanation on wash symbols) and check the washing cycle information.

 

Color Transfer

The best advice is to wash like colours together and never leave damp garments together for any length of time.

 

Color Loss

This can be caused in two ways. Firstly, sunlight can be very destructive to fabrics and dyes, the damage that the sun does is irreversible. Reduce the exposure to direct sunlight whenever possible, particularly during storage. Bring clothes in from the washing line as soon as possible on very sunny days.

Secondly, if the washing instructions that appear on the garment or associated labels are not followed, for example washing at the incorrect temperature; tumble drying an item that should not be tumble dried; machine washing when an item should be dry cleaned; using the wrong type of washing powder.

 

Shiny Fabric

This is caused by over pressing. The man made fibres in the fabric cannot stand the heat of a hot iron and will degrade if heat is applied. We would not recommend ironing garments with a high man made fibre content but if you feel that the garment requires ironing use a very cool iron and iron the garment inside out.

 

Accidents do Happen so what are the guidelines for dealing with a stain

First rule - Act QUICKLY

• Identify the stain and fabric
• Remove insoluble stains before washing
• Try the simplest remedy first. For example: rinsing stains immediately in cold water. Do not use hot water to rinse stains as this can set the stain in the cloth fibres
• Test the process on an unseen or less obvious part of the garment first
• If the fabric and other components are suitable, pre-soaking can be very effective
• Use biological detergents for protein stains such as blood, gravy, egg yolk or milk
• When using a solvent, work from behind the stain (the wrong side)
• For optimum stain removal wash at the highest suitable temperature (as outlined on the care label)
• Always follow the manufacturers recommendations when using a commercial stain removal agent
• Never soak wool or leather or garments with metal fasteners or special finishes
• Try not to rub the stain
• The use of chlorinated bleach (e.g. general household bleach) is not recommended for clothing and should never be poured directly on to fabric

Washing Symbols

• The number in the wash tub shows most effective wash temperature in degrees C
• A wash tub without a bar indicates that normal (maximum) washing conditions may be used at the appropriate temperature
• A single bar beneath the wash tub indicates reduced (medium) washing conditions
• A washtub with a double bars (two bars) indicates a very mild washing process and spin. The number in the tub is the maximum temperature, for example 40°c.
• Do not machine wash. Hand wash only
• Do not wash

 Drying Symbols

• Can be tumble dried
• Tumble dry on LOW heat
• Tumble dry on HIGH heat
• DO NOT tumble dry

Dry Cleaning Symbols

• Dry clean in all solvents
• Dry clean in white spirit or Solvent 113
• Dry clean in perchloroethylene, white spirit or Solvent 113 or Solvent 114
• DO NOT dry clean

Bleaching Symbols

• May be treated with chlorine bleach
• DO NOT use chlorine bleach

Ironing Symbols

• Iron at maximum temperature of 110°C
• Iron at maximum temperature of 150°C
• Iron at maximum temperature of 200°C
• Do not iron