How to care for handloom cotton

Handloom cotton is easy to live with. It needs a little care in the first few washes, and almost none after that.

Before the first wear

Dark colours such as indigo can rub off a little when new. Wash a dark piece once, on its own, before you wear it with a light bag or light trousers.

Washing

• Use cold water and a mild liquid soap.
• Wash dark and bright pieces on their own for the first two washes. Some colour in the water is normal at first.
• Hand wash, or use the gentle cycle in a mesh bag.
• Do not soak for long. Ten minutes is enough.
• Do not use bleach or a stain remover on printed cloth.

Drying

Press the water out. Do not wring. Dry in shade, inside out. Strong sun fades natural colour faster than anything else.

Ironing

Iron while the cloth is still a little damp, on the reverse side. Use a warm iron for cotton and a hot one for linen. Keep the iron off embroidery and bead work.

Storing

Fold heavy pieces such as stoles. Hang dresses and kurtas. Keep silk blends in a cotton cover, not in plastic, so the cloth can breathe.

What to expect over time

Handloom cotton gets softer with each wash. Indigo fades gently, the way denim does. Linen creases, and looks right that way. A thicker thread here and there is part of the weave and will not come loose.

The care steps for each piece are in the Details table on its product page.

This is a sample article for the demo store. Replace it or edit it before the store goes live.