Fabric care guide: how to wash, iron and store your favourite materials
Andy JaouiYou've invested in a beautiful fabric and spent hours sewing your creation… it would be a shame to ruin it in the first wash. This guide gives you everything you need to care properly for every type of fabric.
Golden rule: wash the fabric BEFORE cutting
It's the first rule of sewing and yet the most forgotten. Almost all fabrics shrink in the first wash. If you don't pre-wash, your creation may shrink and no longer fit.
Exceptions:
- Fabrics meant for dry cleaning (some wools, silks)
- Fabrics with special finishes you want to keep
- Fusible interfacing (NEVER wash before use)
Our advice: wash your fabric under the same conditions planned for the finished garment. If you plan to machine wash at 30 °C, pre-wash at 30 °C.
Care by type of fabric
Cotton (poplin, denim, gauze, chambray)
| Pre-washing | Yes, essential. Cotton shrinks by 3 to 5% |
| Washing | Machine at 30-40 °C. Normal or delicate cycle |
| Drying | Tumble dryer possible on low, but air drying is gentler on the fibres |
| Ironing | Hot iron with steam. Cotton handles heat well |
| Storage | Folded or on a hanger, no special precautions |
Tip: dark cottons may bleed in the first wash. Wash them alone or with similar colours the first time.
Silk (crêpe de Chine, satin, twill, pongee)
| Pre-washing | Optional. If you plan to hand wash, pre-wash by hand. Otherwise, plan for dry cleaning |
| Washing | By hand in cold water with a gentle shampoo or silk detergent. NEVER in the machine (except a very delicate silk cycle) |
| Drying | Flat, away from direct sunlight. NEVER in the tumble dryer |
| Ironing | Low iron (silk setting), on the wrong side, without steam. Use a press cloth |
| Storage | Padded hanger for garments, rolled (not folded) for fabric by the metre. Avoid contact with perfume and deodorant |
Tip: a water mark on silk? Don't rub! Lightly dampen the whole area to even it out, then let it dry flat.
Wool (coating, flannel, tweed, tropical wool)
| Pre-washing | Not recommended for most wools. Pre-shrink with steam instead |
| Washing | Dry cleaning preferably. Otherwise, by hand in cold water with a wool detergent |
| Drying | Flat, NEVER in the tumble dryer (felting guaranteed). Reshape by hand while drying |
| Ironing | Hot iron WITH a press cloth, always. Steam is fine through the press cloth |
| Storage | Folded (no hanger, it distorts). Natural moth repellent (lavender, cedar). Breathable cover |
Tip: pre-shrinking with steam (steaming the raw fabric) replaces pre-washing for wool. Hang the fabric and pass the steam from the iron 5 cm from the fabric, without touching it.
Viscose (crepe, twill, javanaise)
| Pre-washing | YES, absolutely. Viscose can shrink by 5 to 8%! |
| Washing | Machine on a delicate cycle at 30 °C or by hand. Gentle detergent |
| Drying | Flat or on a hanger, no tumble dryer |
| Ironing | Medium iron, on the wrong side, slightly damp for the best results |
| Storage | On a hanger for garments (viscose creases easily) |
Tip: wet viscose becomes fragile. NEVER wring wet viscose — press it gently in a towel to absorb the water.
Linen
| Pre-washing | YES. Linen shrinks by 5 to 10% in the first wash |
| Washing | Machine at 30-40 °C. Linen washes well but shrinks at high temperatures |
| Drying | Air dry preferably. Tumble dryer on low possible |
| Ironing | Very hot iron with steam, fabric still slightly damp. Linen loves water and heat |
| Storage | Folded or on a hanger. Creases are part of linen's charm! |
Tip: for a softer, suppler linen, wash it 2-3 times before cutting. It softens with every wash, and that's one of its finest qualities.
Jersey and knits
| Pre-washing | Yes, jersey can shrink and lose its shape |
| Washing | Machine on a delicate cycle at 30 °C, in a laundry bag |
| Drying | Flat. NEVER on a hanger (it stretches). Delicate tumble dry possible |
| Ironing | Low iron, without pressing too hard (risk of flattening the ribs/knit) |
| Storage | Always folded, NEVER on a hanger |
Lace and broderie anglaise
| Pre-washing | Gently by hand, or test on a swatch |
| Washing | By hand in lukewarm water, gentle detergent. Machine only in a laundry bag, very delicate cycle |
| Drying | Flat on a towel, reshaped by hand |
| Ironing | Low iron, on the wrong side, with a press cloth. Mind the raised embroidery |
| Storage | Flat or rolled. Avoid folding (permanent crease marks) |
Summary table
| Fabric | Pre-washing | Washing | Tumble dryer | Ironing | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Yes | Machine 30-40 °C | Possible | Hot iron + steam | Folded/hanger |
| Silk | Optional | Hand, cold water | No | Low iron, no steam | Padded hanger |
| Wool | Steam pre-shrink | Dry clean / cold hand wash | No | Hot iron + press cloth | Folded + moth repellent |
| Viscose | Yes | Machine delicate 30 °C | No | Medium iron, wrong side | Hanger |
| Linen | Yes | Machine 30-40 °C | Low heat | Hot iron, damp | Folded/hanger |
| Jersey | Yes | Machine delicate 30 °C | Delicate | Low iron | Folded |
| Lace | Test | Hand, lukewarm | No | Low iron + press cloth | Flat |
The most common mistakes
- Forgetting to pre-wash: your viscose dress shrinks a whole size
- Tumble drying wool: instant, irreversible felting
- A hot iron on silk: a visible scorch mark
- Wringing wet viscose: tearing the weakened fibres
- Hanging wet jersey: permanent stretching
- Storing wool without moth repellent: finding holes a few months later
Need advice on caring for a specific fabric? Send us a DM on Instagram @sotissus_com — we're here to help!
Do you like the fabric in this article's cover photo? It's our black floral and butterfly print viscose — take a look!
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