Help extend the life of the garments you love by following our Kate Sylvester care guide.

At KS we undertake extensive garment wear and care testing to ensure that all the care labels of our garments detail specific instructions to best care for your KS garments. This guide is designed to help you take the best possible care of your Kate Sylvester garments, so they have the longest life possible.  

Quick Tips for prolonging the life of your garments

• Choose well and buy carefully
• Wash less & only when necessary
• Follow the washing instructions carefully
• Treat stains straight away
• Mend, repair and tailor – see our Repairs Initiative.
• Store your clothing properly – Hang your clothes & use good hangers. Never wire.
• Air clothing after wearing and before it is put away
• Never store clothing dirty
• A great tip for removing oil stains from silk garments, is to sprinkle baby powder on the stain and allow to soak for up to 30 minutes. Brush off the excess powder gently with a soft, clean cloth.

Airing

We always recommend airing your clothes after wear. Letting some sunshine and fresh air through your garment will significantly reduce the amount of times it needs to be laundered.

Spot Clean

When small spills and marks appear, spot cleaning is a great alternative to washing the entire garment. To spot clean, use a clean damp cloth and gently work the stain out. Always test an inconspicuous part of the garment first to ensure the fabric does not water mark or colour transfer.

Green Dry clean

Certain fabrics and garments will be damaged by washing, so in these cases we suggest using an eco-conscious dry cleaner. While traditional dry cleaners use a toxic chemical called perchloroethylene to clean garments, eco conscious cleaners are changing the dry-cleaning game by using perchloroetheylene-free dry cleaning solvents.

Some green dry cleaners are moving towards the more environmentally friendly process of wet cleaning. This is a process which uses water as the primary solvent reducing the use of chemicals in the cleaning process and is very similar to the process of laundering your garment at home.

Professional wet cleaning is appropriate for any Kate Sylvester garment labelled as hand-washable or machine-washable, so is perfect if you prefer a professional clean over at home laundering. Please be aware that if the label reads dry clean only, wet cleaning may cause shrinkage and damage the garment.

If you need a recommendation for an eco-conscious dry cleaner near you please email customercare@katesylvester.com.

Hand wash

When a proper wash is needed, we recommend cold hand washing. It’s much kinder to your clothes and the environment. Unsure how to hand wash? Here is our step by step guide.

Make a cold wash bath

Fill your sink or basin with cool water and add the recommended dose of a good quality detergent as it’s filling. We use Eco Store liquid wash which is vegan and made using biodegradable and mineral-based ingredients rather than petrochemicals. Swill the detergent in the water to make sure it has completely dissolved, then lay your garment in the water and gently press it down to fully immerse it. The force of water straight from a tap can cause stress on the fabric, and detergent can be more difficult to rinse out when poured directly onto clothing.

When washing synthetic fibres such as polyester, we recommend washing with a Guppyfriend. A Guppyfriend is a small wash bag designed to catch the microfibres which shed from synthetic garments during washing, preventing them from entering our waterways.

Be gentle with stains

Aggressive scrubbing can damage fabrics, especially fragile ones. Treat stains by gently working some natural stain remover or liquid detergent into the stain with your fingertips. Then, as it soaks, gently squeeze the soapy water through the garment several times. Most garments will be clean in less than 5 minutes.

Cold, clean rinse

Holding garments under running water can stretch delicate fabrics. Rinse your item the same way you washed it – in a sink of clean, cold water. When you’ve finished washing, remove the garment from the soapy water and fill the sink or basin with clear water. Immerse your garment into the water, and pull gently back and forth through the water until there is no trace of soap left. You may need to replace the rinsing water to remove all the soap.

Remove excess water

Remove your garment out of the water with both hands and gently squeeze excess water out, being careful not to twist or wring it. Then, lay it flat on an absorbent towel and roll the towel and garment together, gently squeezing as you go.

Drying

To save resources and extend the life of your clothing, never place your Kate Sylvester item in the dryer.

In some cases, we recommend hanging your garment to dry. Please use a wooden hanger and remove as much excess water in advance of hanging.

To ensure your Kate Sylvester item keeps its perfect shape, lay your washed garment on top of a dry towel and carefully mould it back into shape, and then lay both the towel and the garment over the flat section of a clothes horse. Allow it to air dry in the shade, turning over once the item is dry to let the underneath dry, too. If the dry garment is wrinkled, check the care label for appropriate ironing temperature, and if necessary, press the garment gently to finish.