How to care for your clothes

We have two wishes for every Palava garment that ends up in your wardrobe:

- We want it to last as long as possible. The longer it lasts, the more occasions it can be enjoyed - by you! 

- We also want the life cycle of your Palava garment to have as little impact on the environment as possible. We did our best during the production process - and now we're passing the baton on to you!

There are a few simple things that you can do that will ensure that both of our wishes come true. 
Follow these tips for a win-win situation - your clothes will last longer and the environment will thank you!

1. Wash Less

Before you balk at this suggestion, hear us out! We're not asking you to skip your shower or wear a muddy dress out to dinner. We all want to smell nice and look lovely. Our suggestion is far less extreme and is probably something that our grandmas thought was a no-brainer. 

VESTS. That's right, we are big believers in the humble vest. Wear one under your Palava dress and you'll find it'll last much longer before it needs a wash. 

And if there's a stain, try to treat the mark locally before washing the whole dress, it might come out easily with just a bit of warm water and dishwashing soap.

2. Keep it Gentle 

Any garment, no matter how well made, receives quite a battering in the washing machine which results in weakened fibres. 

Of course, there's washing and then there's washing. High temperatures, strong detergents and fast spins are going to break down a fabric more quickly than cool washes. So keep them to a minimum. Washing at 30 degrees uses and incredible 40% less energy than washing at 40 degrees and will help your clothes last longer, too. 

3. Inside Out 

Fading of clothing is caused by heat and friction. So to keep your colours vibrant, wash your clothes inside out and (once again!) keep the temperatures low.  

4. Air Dry 

We don't all have the luxury of an outdoor space for a washing line but if you do, opt for air-drying your clothes. Tumble driers use a huge amount of energy and I'm sure we all have a shrunken jumper horror story (or two!). Play it safe and dry your clothes in the fresh air. And if you give your clothes a quick shake before hanging them out, they should dry pretty crease-free, too. 

5. Steam Rather Than Iron 

If you need to do some emergency de-creasing before heading out, try using a garment steamer, rather than ironing and whizz it over your clothes. Steam can be gentler on your clothes than ironing, plus it refreshes and sanitises clothing as well as removing creases. Garment steamers are also recommended for delicate clothes, as they reduce the risk of scorching.

6. Make Do and Mend

Investing in a small sewing kit pays dividends. You don't need a machine or anything fancy - just a needle and thread and maybe a repair book (Youtube is also an amazing resource for repair tutorials). You'd be amazed how many problems can be fixed once you have a few skills with a needle and thread.