Wool might be appear hard to care for, but it is actually quite easy. Thanks to the natural dirt-repellent layer of its fibres, it has a kind of “self-cleaning effect” and usually freshens up with a little airing alone. If you do ever need to put it in the wash, wool jumpers and similar should ideally be washed cold (under 30°C) in a wool cycle with a slow speed or by hand. A mesh laundry bag might be helpful for finer wool pieces. Important: a special wool detergent that should be used as sparingly as possible. Carefully press out excess water. Then lay down on a towel, roll it up to absorb the moisture and then lay out flat to dry. The pilling effect that is completely natural for wool can be carefully removed using a pilling comb or fabric shaver.
If unpleasant odours can no longer be removed through airing or you see a stain, you should ideally wash silk by hand in lukewarm water using a special detergent that does not contain bleach or moisturising substances. Then rinse out with cold water and gently press out excess water without wringing it. Alternatively, the item can also be rolled up in a towel before then being laid out flat to air-dry. Never put silk in the dryer. If you do want to wash your silk item in the machine, we recommend a temperature no higher than 30°C, a spin cycle with a low speed and a mesh laundry bag to protect against tears.
Even though leather is tanned wet, it should never ever be washed. Instead, airing it out and waterproofing it with a suitable product from time to time is the recommended course of action in order to protect the leather from dirt and moisture. If you do find yourself having to remove a stain, you can dab it off carefully with a damp sponge and pure water without detergent. In the case of stubborn stains, it is best to send it in to a specialist for a thorough clean.
First check whether stains can be removed locally. Down jackets are made of synthetic material, the fine microfibres of which can enter the ground water. If you do have to wash, always opt for a gentle cycle at 30°C. It is advisable to use a special down detergent that both cleans and impregnates the jacket as well as a second rinse cycle after the main wash. To protect the down, down clothing should either be washed with as slow a spin speed as possible or with no spin cycle at all. Alternatively, it can also be washed by hand. In the dryer, down can be brought back into shape by placing two tennis balls inside along with it. However, you must first always check whether the outer material is suitable for machine drying. Genuine down is being increasingly replaced by the sustainable variation Thermore® Ecodown®, which is a warm, lightweight polyester padding made from recycled PET bottles. This can be cared for in exactly the same manner as real down.
Clothes made of denim are robust and easy to care for. First try removing light stains with a damp cloth or by carefully brushing them out. Every now and then, however, even denim items should go for a spin in the washing machine. Ideally keep the temperature at max 30°C and use a special detergent that does not contain any bleach additives. In order to protect the dyed material, always wash inside out. Then you can hang up the items on the washing line and leave to air-dry. This is because the dryer can cause the fabric to shrink, despite how resilient it is. Shirts and blouses must generally be straightened with a steamer or ironed when inside out. For trousers, it is usually enough to hang them up properly to dry.
TENCEL™ lyocell and TENCEL™ modal fibres are not only comparatively environmentally friendly, they are also very easy to care for. As with all products, airing them out is usually enough on its own. However, if they do need a wash, the flowing material should be spun with a slow spin speed so that it doesn’t get stressed. Fabric blends with TENCEL™ lyocell and TENCEL™ modal are suitable for the dryer, provided the care label states that this is permitted. Clothing made of pure lyocell, however, should always be hung up to dry on the clothes line or on a clothes hanger. If you hang up the clothes properly straight after the wash, you won’t have to iron. If you do need to remove any wrinkles, you can also iron the material at a low temperature. You should ideally use a damp cotton cloth to protect the fabric.
Even though LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose is especially environmentally friendly and comfortable, the sustainable viscose is not quite as uncomplicated as it feels. If you have to wash dresses or blouses, we recommend a temperature of max. 30°C, ideally on a gentle cycle, as well as a slow spin speed and a mild detergent without bleach additives. If you hang up the items properly afterwards, ironing is often unnecessary. However, if there is the odd crease than needs to be ironed out, you should ideally place a damp cotton cloth between the item and the iron, and select a low temperature setting.
Leather tanned in an environmentally friendly way with an olive leaf extract is surprisingly easy to care for thanks to its natural surface and can occasionally be wiped clean of dust and light dirt with a dry cloth. with Olivenleder®, you should never use chemical detergents. If you do find yourself with an occasional light stain on one of your favourite pieces, rest assured that the stains fade with time and become part of the natural, characteristic texture of the leather.
Linen likes to float! For this reason you should not fill up the washing machine too much. For dyed linen, it is advisable to use a low temperature of 30°C and in general also a spin cycle with a low speed. Afterwards, if possible hang up on a wooden clothes hanger to dry in order to avoid imprints from clothes pegs or any loss of shape. Ideally leave to dry naturally in the fresh air. Not even linen can last long in the direct sunlight. Using a dryer is not ideal because its heat can damage the fibres and cause the item to shrink. The natural creased effect of linen is something to be appreciated – it adds to the unmistakeable character of the fabric. Extremely pronounced creases can of course be ironed out – but for this, the linen should still be slightly damp.
Socks and sports shirts need to be washed regularly. Jackets should only be washed when they are really dirty or very sweaty. As a first step it is often enough to simply use a damp cloth and, in the case of unpleasant odours, some fresh air. Synthetic materials should be washed at max. 40°C with a mild detergent and a spin speed that is not too high. Then hang up to air-dry – the dryer is too hot and can damage the material. Hanging up the clothing usually also helps to remove wrinkles and means you don’t have to iron. If you ever do have to: ideally turn the piece inside out and iron on a low setting. If the iron is too hot, the material will melt.
Water, soap or detergents are not suitable for suede. You should first try carefully brushing the suede with a soft brush or treating it with a special leather eraser. A few items can actually even be washed. Check the care label to see what is allowed. If the soft leather is suitable for washing, always use a gentle cycle or wash by hand, and always use a special leather detergent. You should ideally then lay out the item flat to dry, and once dry carefully brush the nap back and forth with a soft brush.
Faux leather is generally very easy to own, because small stains or dirt can usually be removed with just a damp cloth. If the care label permits, faux leather can sometimes even be washed in the machine. However, it is best to put the piece in by itself and use a low temperature in the wool cycle. However, you should avoid the spin cycle in order to prevent the firm material from getting to stressed or losing its shape.