Fabric Care

FABRIC CARE GUIDE

Caring for Your Handmade Kalastory Products

Fabric Characteristics and Wash Care: Kalastory’s products are handcrafted using the finest natural fibers, each bearing unique variations in color, texture, and finish that reflect the touch of the artisan. Every piece is a product of traditional crafts such as hand spinning, dyeing, weaving, block printing, and embroidery, each with its own regional identity. We employ both vegetable and commercial dyes, striving to minimize our environmental impact while achieving optimal color quality. For bleaching, we only use hydrogen peroxide, a fully biodegradable agent.

General Fabric Care: Kalastory products are designed to last. In fact, they are so well made that they are difficult to wear out. Consider that India, the birthplace of cotton, produced handwoven cotton fabrics that have survived for over 3,000 years. To extend the life of your Kalastory items, we offer the following care guidelines for handwoven Cotton, Silk, and Wool.

Fabric Care for Handwoven Cotton

Properties: Kalastory’s clothing are crafted mostly from 100% pure cotton. Handwoven cotton allows for greater air circulation, making it cooler, softer, more absorbent, and breathable compared to machine-made cotton. This breathability helps regulate temperature, keeping you cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Its textured beauty and unique character set it apart from mass-produced fabrics. Cotton is also a strong fiber, retaining its strength even when wet, so it stands up to repeated washing.

Shrinkage: Our dyeing and printing processes include multiple wash cycles to ensure full dye penetration and remove residual surface dye, which helps reduce shrinkage in the final product. With proper care, expect additional shrinkage of 5-7% for printed fabrics and 7-10% for woven items.

Laundering Tips: For best results, follow the care instructions on each garment. Cotton’s strength increases when wet, making it easy to care for and allowing it to soften and become more absorbent with each wash. Here are some care tips:

  • Machine wash in cold water on a gentle cycle.
  • Wash with like colors and turn items inside out, especially dark-colored garments.
  • Some colors may require separate washing the first few times.
  • Close zippers and hooks to prevent snagging.
  • Use non-chlorine bleach for a gentler effect on fabrics and the environment.
  • Tumble dry on low heat and remove promptly, preferably while still damp.

Ironing: Iron with a warm to hot iron while the fabric is damp. If dry, mist the fabric with water before ironing.

Fabric Care for Handwoven Silk

Properties: For over 3,000 years, select villages in India have specialized in processing silk threads from silkworms. The type of silk produced depends on the species of worm, their diet, and the processing techniques used. Kalastory uses several varieties of silk, such as tussar and matka, indigenous to India and spun by hand without harsh chemicals. Tussar silk, for example, is known for its textured, irregular yarn, giving it a unique “slubby” appearance. Silk is naturally strong, crease-resistant, and boasts a beautiful drape, but it loses its strength when wet and requires gentle care.

Laundering: Always follow the garment’s care label. Silk garments should be dry cleaned only to maintain their strength and texture.

Ironing: If necessary, use a warm iron on silk.