How to actually wash these things.

22 momme mulberry silk

Real silk is more forgiving than the care guides claim. The Bombyx mori protein holds up well to cold water and gentle detergent. What kills it: heat, chlorine, harsh enzymes.

• Best: Hand wash cold (under 30°C) with Eucalan Delicate Wash or any wool-safe detergent. Gentle squeeze, no wring. Lay flat between two clean towels, roll to absorb water, then air dry flat.
• Good enough: Machine wash cold, delicate cycle, mesh laundry bag, mild detergent (Eucalan or Tide Free & Gentle). Lay flat to dry.
• Frequency: Every 7–10 days for face-side. Rotate two pillowcases if you have them.
• Stains: Spot treat with cold water and a drop of dish soap. Don't rub, blot.

Duchess satin

Satin is built to take more abuse than silk. The weave is denser, the polyester base resists heat better, and the dye fixing is stable through machine cycles. This is one of the reasons we use it for the mask.

• Best: Cold cycle, mesh bag, mild detergent. Lay flat to dry.
• Frequency: Every 2–3 weeks for the standard. The Premium can go longer between washes because the weighted band sits away from skin oils.
• The strap: Elastic doesn't like heat. Never tumble dry, it warps. We've seen 5-year-old masks in perfect condition that have only ever been line-dried, and 1-year-old masks where the strap collapsed after one dryer cycle.

Cotton voile

Voile is forgiving. Long-staple cotton woven thin, GOTS certified, no special handling needed. The only thing voile doesn't like is being twisted while wet.

• Best: Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low or line dry. Iron warm if you want it crisp; voile takes a press well.
• Frequency: After every 4–5 wears, or whenever it doesn't smell of clean cotton.
• Shrinkage: 2–3% on the first wash, then stable. The cut accounts for this.

Cotton terry, 480 gsm

Heavy terry needs warm water to release skin oils that settle in the loops. Cold cycle leaves it grimy after a month of daily use. Warm with mild detergent does the work.

• Best: Machine wash warm (40°C). Tumble dry low, or line dry in a warm room. Tumble preferred, it fluffs the loops back up and gives the cloth that hotel-fresh hand.
• Frequency: Every 2–3 weeks for daily wearers. After three uses if you wear it post-shower without towelling off first.
• Drying time: 6 hours line-dry. 90 minutes tumble low.

Cotton percale

Single-ply 300 thread count Italian-spun percale takes any cotton wash setting without trouble. Gets crisper after wash 4–5. Holds shape and weave across hundreds of cycles.

• Best: Machine wash warm (40°C). Tumble dry low or line dry. Iron the duvet cover and pillowcases on cotton setting if you want crisp; sheets soften with use and don't need ironing.
• Sheet frequency: Weekly. Duvet cover every 2–4 weeks. The bolster cover every 4 weeks; the insert quarterly.
• Color care: Wash Charcoal and Midnight separately the first time. Dye release is minimal but possible on first wash with light colors.

Cotton herringbone, 720 g

Heavy weight cotton, simple care. The trick is the fringe, it twists in the dryer and looks scraggly without help. Fluff by hand once a week if you use it daily.

• Best: Machine wash cold, gentle cycle. Tumble dry low. Fluff fringe by hand after drying, comb through with fingers to separate the strands.
• Frequency: Every 6–8 weeks for daily use. Spot clean spills with cold water immediately; don't let stains set.
• Storage: Folded, not rolled. Rolling stretches the herringbone weave over time.

Things that ruin textiles

• Heat in the dryer: Kills silk, warps elastic, breaks down dye fixings. Always low or no tumble.
• Chlorine bleach: Strips dye, breaks down protein fibers, weakens cotton. Use oxygen bleach (Oxiclean) if you need to lift a stain.
• Fabric softener: Coats fibers with silicone. Reduces terry absorption. Reduces silk slip. Makes percale less crisp. Skip it.
• Hot iron on synthetics: Duchess satin tolerates a warm iron but not a hot one. Test on a corner first.
• Sun: UV fades dye on all fabrics. Line dry indoors or in shade, not direct sun.
• Pets and zips: Cat claws on silk are catastrophic. Open zips before washing, they snag fabric.