Fabric Care
Wearing Your Shawl
Silk shawls require gentle handling and special care. When you wear your shawl, make sure that it doesn't come into contact with sharp metal jewelry, belts, or rough handbags because these can snag the fibers and wear them down.
Cleaning Preserves Your Shawl
Since silk is mainly made up of protein fibers, its natural coating reacts in a positive way to water - rejuvenated and refreshed. That is why a shawl made up of this material has to be washed from time to time. Contrary to what most people think, washing does not shorten the lifespan of the shawls. Not only does washing extend its life, it also gives back the shine and caressing property of the shawl. Nowadays, there are two main methods for cleaning a silk shawl: hand wash and dry clean.
Hand Washing
Hand washing doesn't look like it's going to be outdated, especially when you're dealing with high quality fabrics like silk. With hand washing, there is less agitation and friction is concentrated only on areas of the shawl that are soiled. Before hand washing, test a small hidden portion for colorfastness for every chemical you plan to use on it. You'll never know what effects a certain soap, detergent or chemical can have on the fabric's color. If the color starts to fade or exhibits any change, do not use the chemical. Generally speaking, you may add a small amount of baby shampoo or hand-washing detergent to a bucket of cold water and mix it thoroughly. Soak the shawl for several minutes then stir it around in the water. Gently rub any stains that don't come off with agitation. Rinse the piece with cool clean water. When all the soap is gone, add some vinegar as you do another rinse. The vinegar functions as a soap neutralizer. It also works to restore the cloth's shine. Use cold water for a final rinse to completely wash off the vinegar. Make sure the vinegar does not leave any lingering odor. To dry, roll the piece in a towel, squeeze the towel gently, but don't twist it or wring it. Lay it flat to dry on a towel or cloth in a place out of the sun. Ironing shouldn't be necessary, but if the shawl is very wrinkled, you can steam it or iron it on a cool setting with a piece of cloth between the shawl and the iron.
Dry Cleaning
Although silk shawls are better off hand washed, they can usually be dry-cleaned. Just make sure your laundry shop checks for colorfastness before they proceed with the entire cleaning process. Not all dry cleaners are capable enough of handling this type of fabric, so you must make sure that your local laundry shop is.
Storage Instructions
Store silk shawls in watertight containers in a place where they won't be exposed to the sun. If you keep your shawl in a drawer or closet be sure to protect it from moths, which like to eat natural fibers. Mothballs leave an unpleasant smell, so consider making a sachet with dried mint, rosemary, lavender, thyme and cloves. This will repel moths and give your shawl a sweet, natural scent.