Long clothing takes more wear at the hem and shoulder than short clothing, and it takes longer to dry. Almost everything we make is machine washable, but a little care at 30C will keep a garment hanging the way it did the day it arrived. The label inside each piece always takes priority over this general guide, because a wool-blend trouser set and a cotton voile scarf want different treatment.
Before the first wash
Close all snaps, buttons and zips, undo any belt and wash it inside the garment rather than loose, and turn the piece inside out. Wash washed linen and deep rust colours separately for the first two cycles; dyed cloth releases a little surplus colour early on, and it is easier to lose that into a machine of similar shades than onto a bone-coloured scarf.
Washing, fibre by fibre
- Viscose crepe — 30C gentle cycle, spin no higher than 600 rpm, liquid detergent rather than powder. Viscose loses strength when wet, so never wring it and never lift a soaking garment by the shoulders; support the whole weight.
- Tencel lyocell twill — 30C normal cycle, tolerates a 800 rpm spin. It comes out of the drum smoother than most fibres and needs little pressing.
- Washed linen — 30 to 40C, medium spin. Linen actually improves with washing; it softens and the crease pattern becomes part of the look rather than a fault.
- Cotton poplin and voile — 30 to 40C. Poplin stays crisp if you take it out of the drum promptly and hang it damp.
- Modal jersey — 30C in a mesh bag, no fabric conditioner. Conditioner leaves a film that makes a headscarf slip instead of grip.
- Silk-touch georgette — hand wash cool or 30C delicate in a mesh bag, minimal spin.
- Wool-blend suiting — dry clean, or hand wash cool with a wool detergent and dry flat. Never machine wash.
Skip the bleach entirely, including oxygen bleach and stain removers that list it. On viscose and modal it dulls the surface permanently. Use roughly half the detergent the bottle suggests; excess detergent is the usual cause of a stiff, grey cast on grey and bone cloth.
Drying
Never tumble dry. Heat shrinks viscose and modal and sets a hard crease in linen. Reshape while damp, then dry flat on a towel for jersey and georgette, or over a broad-shouldered hanger for abayas, dresses and overtops. Hang trousers by the waistband, not folded over a bar, so the leg dries straight. Dry away from direct sun — a rust or plum hem left in a south-facing window will fade in a single afternoon. A full-length abaya takes eight to twelve hours to dry indoors, so allow a day.
Pressing
Press on the reverse with a pressing cloth between the iron and the fabric. Viscose crepe wants a warm dry iron, no steam, and no pressure on seam allowances or you will emboss a line on the right side. Linen and cotton press best while still slightly damp, on a hot iron. Lyocell needs a warm iron and very little effort. Jersey scarves need a cool iron only, or better, a light steam while hanging. Never iron directly over a covered snap or a button.
Headscarves and shawls
Wash these separately from garments with fastenings, which snag fine cloth. Do not wring or twist to remove water; press the roll between two towels instead. Store them rolled rather than folded so you are not pressing a permanent line into the middle of the piece.
Storage and small repairs
Hang long garments with the hem clear of the wardrobe floor, or fold at the hip with tissue in the fold. Wool-blend pieces need a breathable cotton bag and cedar rather than a sealed plastic cover. Air a garment for a few hours after wearing instead of washing it every time — most long clothing only needs the hem and cuffs attended to. If a blind-stitched hem drops, catch it with a few hand stitches in matching thread before it unravels along the run. Any question at all, write to support@ruqyahi.shop, and the full care notes per fabric are at https://ruqyahi.shop/care-guide.
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Registered office: 3 Pasteur Terrace, Credon Road, London, E13 9BH, England
Email: support@ruqyahi.shop
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