Hemp aftercare
Washing
Machine washing - In brief
- Wash in cold or cool water, not hot.
- A gentle cycle is all that is needed.
- Only use a little bit of detergent (preferably natural detergents).
- Ensure detergent is thoroughly rinsed out (sometimes an extra rinse cycle is needed depending on which soap is used).
- Fabric softener is not needed.
Machine washing - In detail
We recommend washing rather than dry cleaning for our hemp products. Be gentle when washing hemp: use a gentle wash cycle or a hand wash cycle and use just a little bit of natural detergent. We like Faith in Nature's super concentrated laundry liquid as it is free from phosphates, parabens, enzymes and bleaches which makes it very kind on fabrics. Please make sure you follow the directions on the packaging. Use cold to warm water. If your hemp product is dyed then we've found that its best to just use cold water. This will ensure maximum colour retention. We have learned that adding a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle is great for removing all traces of soap and leaves fabrics smelling fresh. If there is a spillage on your hemp product then treat it immediately otherwise permanent staining may occur. We recommend that you don't use chlorinated bleaches as they can cause staining and will weaken the fabric. If bleach must be used then we suggest oxygenated bleaches such as hydrogen peroxide.
It is important to ensure all hemp products are rinsed thoroughly as any residual soap could potentially oxidize, causing staining.
Hand washing
As with machine washing, use cold, cool or warm water. Never use hot water. When hand washing it is vital you ensure your detergent is thoroughly rinsed out before drying.
Drying
Wherever possible we suggest line drying in the shade as the best method. Continued, repeated exposure to direct sunlight can weaken the fabric over time. If line drying is unavailable then we have learned that drying flat, machine drying or rolling in terry towels are all effective methods. If you're machine drying then dry on a low heat and keep an eye on the time, over drying could cause some broken fibres and threads.
Whatever method you use, bring the hemp in while it is still slightly damp. If hemp dries thoroughly in a dryer, it may become stiff and rigid, taking several hours to recover its natural moisture and flexibility. There is no need to wring out wet or damp hemp, it breaks the yarn fibres down and creates unnecessary wrinkles.
Ironing
Ironing is optional. Some people appreciate the aesthetic quality of the naturally occurring wrinkles in our products. Others prefer the smooth, clean lines of a crisply ironed bed sheet. If you choose to iron then its best to do it when the hemp product is still slightly damp. If your hemp product is thoroughly dry then we recommend dampening the fabric first, then ironing on a medium to high heat. This will make the act of ironing much easier. We suggest ironing on the underside/inside first and only ironing the topside/outside if your product is light in colour or undyed. Ironing darker colours on the topside/outside could result in the fading of colour over time.
Do not try to steam out wrinkles. Dampen the material and hot press them out. Try to leave a little moisture still in the fabric once ironing is finished and allow to air dry
Dry Cleaning
We would only suggest dry cleaning larger hemp products that cannot afford to lose even a millimetre of size. If dry cleaning must be used then we advise that you ask your service provider if they have recently changed their cleaning solvents. If they haven't then this could cause irreversible discoloration.