CARING FOR YOUR
THE COLOURS OF NATURE PRODUCTS

Like all beautiful things, these items deserve special care. In order to preserve them, we suggest the following:

  • Hand wash if possible (though not necessary)
  • Gentle hand or machine wash at 30°C or 40°C
  • Use a pH neutral detergent (pH 6.5-7.5) - not containing bleach
  • Wash colours separately (First 2-3 washes)
  • Turn inside out for washing, drying & ironing
  • Keep out of direct sunlight
  • Use only a moderately warm iron
  • Don't rub the fabric
  • Don't soak in bleach
  • Don't tumble dry

A few things about Natural Dyes

Some say that colour possibilities are limited with natural dyes, but many prefer the  richness and depth  that synthetics just can’t match.

There is often some  smell  associated with natural dyes, but we believe that this, too, is part of the hallmark of ‘truly eco‐friendly’ - as it comes with the process.  Natural indigo normally produces some odour and we tend to add lemongrass essential oil to mask it.

The garments also care for you. By a bsorbing UV‐light, naturally dyed garments can reduce the scorching effect of direct sunlight. And a ntimicrobial activity of natural dyes on fabric has been observed, with some claiming that naturally dyed fabrics slow down bacterial growth and help limit body odour. We conclude that there are still many much further researches to undertake in the area.

Will the colour stay?

The slight variations caused partly by the artisanal production methods, in our view,  add beauty and make the fabrics seem alive. That said, many of The Colours of Nature dyers have been with the company for 20 years, some more, and they generally achieve great results also where uniformity is required. We are proud to say that with persistent research and development we have achieved fastness equal to that of synthetic dyes (level 4‐5 for wash and light fastness for all hues, including Turkey red, which is notoriously difficult.

Washing in water containing iron can sadden the shade and it is best to keep items away from contact with bare iron metal.

Soaking in or washing with alkaline hard water, soap, cheap bar detergent or strong powder detergent may result in a change of shade and acidic spillages will cause discolouration.

Soaking in bleaching solutions or washing with detergents containing bleach may lighten the shade as can prolonged exposure to chlorinated swimming pool water.

Direct sunlight can negatively affect colour fastness, which is why we suggest drying naturally dyed fabrics and garments in the shade.

Long term exposure to atmosphere with oxidising gases such as ozone and nitrogen oxides may fade colour, especially at the folding line. This is more distinct in light indigo garments than darker ones and for garments stored at boutiques, in direct contact with air rather than in a drawer or wardrobe, we therefore keep them in ziploc bags, not only to protect them for dust.