Care guide
In brief. A wool sweater is washed at 30 °C at most, by hand or on a wool cycle, with no fabric softener, and dried flat. Cashmere is hand washed in cold water, two or three times a season. Pills come off with a comb and are not a defect. A felted sweater can be partly recovered in lukewarm water with hair conditioner, stretched flat. Viscose is washed cold and ironed damp; cotton can take 40 °C.
A garment is damaged far more often in the washing machine than by wearing it. The rules below are enough for almost our entire catalog. When in doubt, the label sewn inside is always right.
Label symbols
The tub filled with water gives the maximum washing temperature (30, 40, 60). One line under the tub calls for a delicate cycle, two lines a very delicate cycle. A hand in the tub: hand wash. The triangle is about bleaching: crossed out, no bleach. The square with a circle is the dryer: crossed out, it is forbidden. The iron with one, two or three dots gives the temperature: one dot for synthetics, two for wool and silk, three for cotton and linen.
Before washing
Turn garments inside out, close zips and buttons, empty pockets. Separate dark from light, and heavy (denim, fleece) from light (viscose, lace). A wash bag protects lingerie, fine knits and anything with hooks or beads. Don't overload the drum: laundry that can't move doesn't get washed, and it wrinkles.
Cotton and linen
40 °C for everyday use, 30 °C if the color is bright or the garment has never been washed. Normal spin. Dry on a hanger or a line, in the shade for colors. Linen is ironed while still damp, with a hot iron, the only time it lets itself be handled. The dryer is fine for thick cotton, not for thin blouses, which shrink.
Viscose, modal, lyocell
30 °C, delicate cycle, short spin (600 rpm or less). Do not wring. Shake out, shape, and dry flat or on a wide hanger, never in the dryer. Iron inside out with a warm iron, preferably while still a little damp. A viscose dress that has shrunk in the dryer does not come back.
Wool, merino, cashmere
Air it out before washing: a night on a hanger by the window is often enough. Hand wash in cold water with a wool detergent, or use a cold wool program with no spin. Press in a towel, dry flat on a clean towel, away from the radiator. Never dry on a hanger, the shoulder loses its shape. Pills come off with a cashmere comb or a pill shaver, without pulling. Between seasons, store clean wool folded, with cedar or lavender: moths only attack dirty sweaters.
Acrylic knits and blends
30 °C, delicate cycle, in a bag to limit pilling. Dry flat. The dryer felts wool blends and charges acrylic with static. No hot iron: acrylic melts and shines.
Polyester, polyamide, elastane
30 °C, nothing hotter, even if the garment looks tough. Medium spin. They dry in a few hours on a hanger. The dryer and a hot iron loosen the elastane and the garment loses its hold. Flowing polyester pants are not ironed: hung in the bathroom during a shower, the steam does the work.
Satin and lace
Polyester satin: 30 °C delicate, in a bag, dry on a hanger. Silk satin: by hand in cold water, without rubbing, rinse with a capful of white vinegar for shine, dry flat, iron inside out with a warm iron. Lace is washed like silk, in a bag, and never goes in the dryer.
Lingerie and shapewear
Hand wash or 30 °C in a bag, fastened. No fabric softener: it clogs the fibers and the elastane can no longer breathe. Never a hard spin or the dryer, which loosen the cups and bands. Dry flat or on a line by the middle, not by the straps.
Shoes
Damp cloth after every outing in rainy weather. Let them air dry, away from the radiator, with newspaper inside. Alternate two pairs when you can: the insole dries between wears and odor doesn't set in. Leather is conditioned twice a year, suede is brushed dry.
Bags and jewelry
Faux leather bag: damp cloth, then dry. Leather bag: conditioning lotion once or twice a year, stored stuffed with paper to keep its shape. Jewelry with a gold or silver finish: wipe with a soft cloth after wearing, store away from air in a pouch, never put it under the shower or in the pool.
The costliest mistakes
The dryer on anything that contains elastane or viscose. Bleach on a colored item, which leaves a permanent halo. And washing after every wear: a knit worn for a day, a dress worn for an evening, needs only a night in the open air.
To understand what each fiber brings to the wearing, read our fabric guide. A piece that arrived damaged or doesn't live up to its product page: write to us, the return is covered under the conditions of the shipping and returns page.