Photos by Karen Selk

WASHING

It is mistakenly believed that silk should be dry cleaned. Commercial silk garments are marked 'dry clean only' as protection for poorly dyed goods more than for the silk. All natural silk is washable if it is treated with proper care and respect. Most soaps are harmful to silk and can effect the dyes. Use a nonalkaline soap such as Orvus Paste, available at feed and tack shops, or an olive-oil bar soap, such as Kiss My Face, available in natural food stores (grate into small pieces and dissolve in water ready for use). Use a soft, lukewarm, non-alkaline water. To neutralise traces of alkali add a little pure white vinegar to the second-to-last rinse. The final rinse should always be in pure water.

Once the silk has been washed, it can be rolled in a towel to absorb excess water and laid flat to dry. Silk that is worn next to the skin should be washed frequently. The chloride salts and acids of perspiration should not be left on fibres for a long time, they weaken and rot the silk.

IRONING

Handwoven silk fabric rarely needs more than a very light pressing. Yarns are usually substantial and resilient so the fabric shouldn't wrinkle much. The iron should be set low, like a silk or rayon setting; high heat destroys silk. In most cases you can iron directly on silk. If a metallic looking shine develops use a press cloth between fabric and iron, or iron on the wrong side. Steam can be used on most silk fabrics. If silk fabric is thin use a dry iron, steam can cause fine fabrics to pucker.

FINISHING

Silk may have a tendency to dry "stiff" after washing and ironing due to residue sericin. This is especially true of a fabric right after it is woven or knit. The amount of finishing required for subsequent wearing and washing is much less. The best time to start the finishing is while the silk goes from damp to dry. Fluff it up or shake it a little two or three times or put it into the dryer on a delicate cycle for a short time. After washing and pressing "whap" the silk against the soft edge of the ironing board to restore lustre and softness.

DRY CLEANING

Dry cleaning is recommended only if the dyes will bleed. This is especially true of fine prints, iridescent fabrics and silks coming from developing countries where finishing techniques are not exact.