Toolbox / Clothing Care
Clothing Care
We want you to love and cherish your RUBY pieces for years to come. One of the best ways to preserve and extend the life of your clothing, is to wash and care for your clothes more mindfully.
When we take care of our clothes, we extend their lifespan. Giving our clothes a longer active wear time means we can enjoy our special pieces for longer and, according to The Wrap UK, extending the active use of a piece of clothing by nine extra months can reduce it’s environmental impact by 20-30%.
We've compiled some of our top tips for how to look after your RUBY pieces. Always remember to read the care label on your garment for specific care instructions.
top tips
- 1
WASH LESS
Over washing can reduce a garments lifespan by causing issues such as pilling, abrasion, loss of colour and holes. Some clothing benefits more from being aired out and spot cleaned, such as cashmere or wool sweaters. Less washing also means less water and electricity use. Who doesn’t love doing less laundry!
- 2
REMOVE STAINS IMMEDIATELY
Rather than letting marks settle into the fibres, for a better chance of keeping your garments looking fresh. Some marks may dissolve with water, but tougher stains may require products such as sard or vanish stain remover. There are also some natural plant based options available. We recommend patch testing on fabrics before use.
- 3
WASH COLD
When it comes time to wash, wash cold. Water in combination with heat can weaken textiles. In most cases, 30 degrees Celsius is sufficient for washing your clothes.
- 4
WASH INSIDE OUT
To protect the outside of the garment from friction in the washing machine was inside out.
- 5
ZIP UP
When washing clothing with zips, ensure the zip is fully closed as the teeth can weaken when getting tangled with other garments. This also stops the zip from catching on other items in the wash.
- 6
UNBUTTON
Wash clothing with the buttons undone, as the stress of the wash cycle can cause threads to loosen when done up.
- 7
PROTECT THE WEAKEST LINK
When washing clothing that contains more than one textile - for example a shirt made from 60% cotton, 40% silk - follow the care instructions for the most delicate fibre listed.
- 8
LIKE WITH LIKE
Wash soft items with soft items. Separating clothes with hard and soft surfaces reduces friction, which in turn reduces fibre breakage. The same applies for overfilling the washing machine. A jammed wash cycle means more friction between your beloved clothes.
Wash brights and darks with like colours to protect other items and to keep the vibrancy in fabrics. This is particularly important when washing new clothing as the dye settles after a few washes. - 9
USE A GUPPY BAG
When washing clothing made of synthetic fibres such as polyester or nylon, use a guppyfriend washing bag. This will help to collect the micro-fibres that would usually enter waterways.!
- 10
USE YOUR HANDS
Often delicate items are labelled ‘dry clean only’. For example, most silk and knitwear items may be washed at home on a cold hand wash cycle or by cold hand washing in a sink or bucket. When using these methods, opt for gentle liquid detergent, and then lay the garment out to dry flat on a towel. We recommend patch testing before trying either of these alternatives (for example the back hem of a dress, or the underarm of a sleeve to check to see what happens when you hand wash) as silk may shrink or lose luster. Make sure to check the care label for shrinkage advice.
Less drycleaning = less toxic chemicals and plastic garment wraps!
We recommend following the care label instructions for coats and tailored jackets as water may damage the fabric and structure of the garment.Reach out to our team if you need guidance on particular products and we will be happy to help! - 11
ECO-DRYCLEAN
When drycleaning is essential for stubborn stains or for cleaning items such as coats and tailored jackets, we recommend visiting a drycleaner that uses eco-friendly ingredients and methods.
- 12
DRY SMARTER NOT HARDER
To avoid ironing or steaming after washing, remove garment from the wash immediately, shake & pull to shape and then hang on a coat hanger to dry. This will save you time and energy!
- 13
AIR DRY IN THE SHADE
Conventional dryers use heat and motion to dry your garments which requires large amounts of electricity and has a negative impact on the quality of the fabric.
Sun can damage delicate fibres causing bleach marks and fading. Hanging garments to dry in the shade and in a ventilated area can extend the life of your garment. - 14
KEEP IT IN SHAPE
When drying knitwear, gently roll the garment in a towel to remove excess water, then lay flat to dry in the shade. Do not wring or twist your wet knitwear as this can cause the fibres to stretch and garment to mis-shapen.
See our how to care for your wool knitwear video below. - 15
STORE WELL
Particularly knitwear. Store clothing in a cool and dry space away from sunlight to prevent clothing from becoming damp, mouldy or sun damaged. Ensure clothing is clean before packing away as this can attract moths which damage fabrics.
- 16
DE-LINT
Treat knitwear and wool clothing with extra care. If bobbles appear on the surface of the fabric, use our RUBY Wool Comb to gently remove bobbles from your coat or sweater. This will give it a fresh look!
- 17
TAKE NOTE
Take care to read special care instructions on care labels and swing tags. These instructions may mention if extra care is to be taken such as; if fabrics are delicate to avoid rough or sharp surfaces and to take care when wearing jewellery. If seams are likely to slip if worn too tight or put under extra tension. To take care when wearing light coloured clothing and accessories with indigo dye garments as there could be a chance for the dye to transfer. If there is a small percentage of shrinkage in the fabric when washing.
- 18
MEND ME
If you have lost a button, or your loved piece ends up with a small tear, find a local tailor who can fix this for you, or teach yourself some new skills through watching YouTube videos or attending a community sewing class. This will help you to extend the life of your garment and get many more wears out of your favourite pieces.
- 19
GET CREATIVE
Try altering or upcycling clothing to give it a new lease on life. Community workshops are a great way to collaborate with others, learn new skills and to inspire your creativity.
care tips for your favourites <3
To extend the life of you woolen garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. It is important to let wool garments rest between wears for at least 24 hours. This gives the natural spring in the wool fibre time to recover and return to its original shape.
For small stains, spot clean with delicate wool detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, gently hand wash with cold water and wool wash, then air dry on a flat surface in the shade. To maintain the fresh look of your garment, use our wool comb to comb away any pilling.
To extend the life of your firebird garments, we recommend cold delicate hand washing then air drying. A cold delicate machine wash is also recommended with the zip done up. To iron out wrinkles, we recommend steaming, not pressing. This garment can also be dry cleaned.
To extend the life of your Corvette garment, we recommend airing after wearing to avoid unnecessary cleaning. When cleaning, we recommend a cold delicate machine wash only. Wash inside out with the tie ends protected inside the garment. Do not use washing detergents that contain optical brighteners or bleach. Never leave your Corvettes soaking in water - this can ruin the pristine whiteness of the side stripes. Hang your Corvettes in the shade to dry immediately after washing. Do not tumble dry. If you wish to remove wrinkles, use a cool iron on the reverse only. Your Corvettes can also be dry cleaned. Due to the nature of this fabric – pilling may occur with rubbing. We recommend de-linting with a wool comb.
tips by fabric type
To extend the life of your cotton garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with delicate laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend delicate cold hand or machine wash with similar colours. Do not soak, bleach or tumble dry. Hang to dry in shade. Cool iron on reverse if required. Please allow 3-5% for shrinkage. Cotton can also be dry-cleaned
To extend the life of your cupro garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For light cleaning, we recommend spot cleaning with laundry detergent then leaving to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend cold delicate machine wash in a garment bag then line dry in the shade. Cold iron on reverse if required. Cupro can also be dry cleaned. Please allow for 3-5% shrinkage. Do not soak, wring, bleach or tumble dry.
To extend the life of your denim, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. Denim is a durable and breathable material that does not need to be washed that often. We recommend only washing if there are stains or smells that cannot be spot cleaned. For small stains, spot clean with laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend cold delicate hand wash with similar colours. Please ensure the zip is fully closed when washing. Line dry in shade. Do not soak, bleach, tumble dry or leave damp. Warm iron on reverse if required.
To extend the life of your knitwear, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with delicate laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend gently hand washing with cold water, then rolling in a towel to remove excess water before leaving to air dry flat and in the shade. Do not soak or leave damp. To maintain the fresh look of your garment, store it flat. Do not dry clean. F
To extend the life of your linen garment, we recommend airing them after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend a cold delicate hand wash or machine wash with similar colours then hang dry in shade. To press out wrinkles, we recommend cool iron on the reverse only. Linen can also be dry cleaned. Please allow for 3-5% shrinkage. Do not soak, bleach or tumble dry.
To extend the life of your linen garment, we recommend airing them after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend a cold delicate hand wash or machine wash with similar colours then hang dry in shade. To press out wrinkles, we recommend cool iron on the reverse only. Linen can also be dry cleaned. Please allow for 3-5% shrinkage. Do not soak, bleach or tumble dry.
To extend the life of your garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend cold delicate machine wash in a garment bag then air drying in shade on a flat surface. To remove wrinkles and retain the floaty nature of the fabric, we recommend steaming, not pressing. Do not soak, bleach, wring or tumble dry. Allow for 3-5% shrinkage. Mirella can also be dry-cleaned.
To extend the life of your polyester garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, cold delicate hand wash then hang to dry in shade away from direct sunlight. Do not soak, bleach, wring, or tumble dry. Cold iron on reverse if required. Polyester is also dry cleanable.
To extend the life of your silk garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For deeper cleaning, we recommend dry clean only.
Please allow for 3-5% shrinkage if you choose to cold hand wash
Please wash this towel before use to avoid yarn from pulling. To extend the life of this towel, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For deeper cleaning wash on a cold cycle, 30 degrees or below to avoid fluffing after wash. Do not bleach.
To extend the life of viscose or rayon garment, we recommend airing it after use to avoid unnecessary washing. For small stains, spot clean with delicate laundry detergent and leave to air dry. For deeper cleaning, we recommend a cold delicate hand wash or machine wash in a garment bag. Do not leave to soak or leave it damp, dry on hanger in the shade without delay. Warm iron on reverse if required.Viscose and rayon can also be dry cleaned.
Find out more
Reached the end of this care guide and you'd still like a little more help on the best way to care for your RUBY or Liam garment? Get in touch!
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