How to take care of your heritage weaves and Indian garments

It is a known fact that when it comes to Indian ensembles, saris remain to be the reigning queen. Be it a bespoke Banarasi saree that your mother wore on her wedding day or a real zari saree that’s been in your family for generations, saris hold a special place in every women’s wardrobe not only due to their sentimental values but also their exacting standards of craftsmanship. With great yards comes great responsibility, and especially your heritage weaves require your fair share of attention to ensure that they look as good as couture. Fading colours, accidental spills, food stains, etc. are some of the mishaps always around the corner. But that doesn’t mean you cannot reverse the damages or best avoid them in the first place. Here are all things you should and shouldn’t do to keep your designer threads and heritage weaves in prime shape.

Every six months or so, you should bring the saris out of the closet and let them stay in the mild sun for a few hours. This would help in maintaining the shine and colour and even prevent any fungal attacks or odor that the fabric might have picked. Restore them by rearranging the fold so as to protect them from any zari breakage or permanent creases.

Hanging your saris, especially your silk saris on metal hangers is a big no-no! The best option here is to store them in a cool, dry place folded in a porous fabric bag to allow circulation of air and avoid any musky smell. Silica gel bags can also used to avoid humidity and prevent fungal growth on your silk numbers.

It’s a common trade for your six yards to lose their shine over time. The key here is to treat the fine fibers from time to time to avoid losing their luster forever. Wash in one-fourth cup of distilled white vinegar mixed in one gallon of water to help regain the lost shine of a silk saree. Ensure that you only hand wash in cold water and rinse off the vinegar well, so as to not damage the fabric. Coloured silks need to be washed separately from whites to avoid loss of pigments.

Food stains and spills are an unavoidable evil that we all might have dealt with at some point in time. But attempting to treat only the affected area can leave behind a radius of discolouration and some unsatisfactory results. Instead, soak the saree in cold water when you get home. If required, use mild soap and gently dab away the stain with a sponge.

The delicate fabric of your heritage weaves means that the wrinkling of material after wash will wreak havoc on its fibers and leave behind permanent creases on your beloved heirloom saris. When trying to take out these wrinkles, simply steam the required area to smoothen out the creases caused by wear or wash. If you don’t have a steamer at hand, iron the area inside out on the lowest heat setting. For best results, place a cotton sheet between the iron and the fabric to avoid any contingencies.

One must restrain from washing their expensive and designer saris too often. And in case it is the first wash, let it be in saltwater. Doing so helps the colour to stay longer. Check for colour bleeding if any during the first wash and only use soap for the later washes.

Before you rush to try any home hacks, always make sure your saris don’t have any ‘Dry Clean Only’ sign specified label. If that’s the case, it’s better to leave the job to your trusted local laundry person. Another key tip is to always stick to cold or lukewarm water if you don’t want to see your favourite saris, especially the silk ones become a victim of instant shrinkage.
Once you have ticked off every point on this checklist, your favourite saris are ready to brave the world and will stay with you forever!

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