No matter how well we care for our silks—washing them by hand, gently tucking them into special boxes, or storing them safely away in a separate drawer—things happen. Regardless of how long-lasting silk is, nothing is immune to the wear and tear of time. Whether it’s a snag, a tear, or a threadbare area, we can teach you how to repair and restore your silks to avoid throwing them away. Continue reading to learn how to mend your silk garments easily so you can continue to enjoy them.
Mending a Snag
When it comes to silks, snags are almost inevitable. Brushing up against something with even the slightest imperfection on the edge can catch at your silks—not to mention getting caught up on some jewelry. Whatever the cause of the snag, it can be easily mended with some fairly straightforward fixes.
This first snag repair solution requires only a snag repair needle. You’ll want to start by delicately pulling away from the snag in every direction to lessen the size of the loop. Next, press the loop back down into the material to level it out. Then, take your snag repair needle and thread it through the silk from the back, staying close to the snagged area. Finally, using the hook on the snag repair needle, latch on to the loop and pull it through the other side of the fabric. This should render the snag barely visible.
A quick and temporary fix to mending a snag when you’re on the go is to gently apply clear nail polish over the damaged area. This will work like a freezing effect to prevent the snag from worsening and becoming a tear. Let the area dry out and do not try to speed things up with a hairdryer or something similar as that could lead to melting. Once you’re back home you can use the first method we mentioned to fix the snag more permanently.
Fixing a Tear
Mending a rip or tear in your silk can be tricky. Sewing up the tear will result in puckered fabric that may cause the garment to hang poorly when you wear it and it’s impossible to re-weave broken silk fibers. This no-sew trick for mending your silks requires lightweight fusible interfacing and an iron. You’ll want the lightest weight interfacing possible to stay true to the silk.
Start by cutting the interfacing a little larger than the rip in a rounded shape to help prevent the patch from peeling later. Lay the patch adhesive-side-up on your ironing board, placing your slip on top of the tear and ensuring that the grain lines match up. Using your iron on medium heat or the silk setting, apply some steam to the tear and use it to help lay the torn fibers flat with your fingers. Try to lay them as naturally as possible, covering as much of the interfacing as possible. Once arranged, lay a pressing cloth over the tear and steam press the spot for 30 seconds or for the length of time noted on your interfacing. Let the area cool before removing the pressing cloth.
Saving Your Sustainable Silks
Part of what we love about our silk lingerie and sleepwear is its sustainability. Not only is silk biodegradable and long-lasting, it can be repaired easily using the above tips so that you can continue wearing your silks for as long as you like. Another great way to help maintain your silks is to store them in the boxes we ship them to you in. While our boxes are 100% recyclable, they’re also intended to store your silks safely when not in use, helping them to last longer and avoid damage. However, we do know that things happen, even with the best of intentions, so we hope that between safe storage and proper care for your garments, the above tips won’t be needed too frequently. Enjoy your silks!
