The Art of Care: How to Make Your Handcrafted Pieces Last Forever (and Reduce Waste)

January is the month of new resolutions.
We often promise ourselves to change our diet, to play sports, to read more.
But there's one resolution we rarely make, yet it would have a huge impact on the planet and our wallets: learning to take care of our things.

We live in the age of throwaway clothing. If a T-shirt gets stained or felted, we throw it away and buy another for five euros. This is the heart of the fast fashion problem.

At Malini, we believe that a handcrafted piece is like a friend: if you treat it with respect, it will stay with you forever.
Natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk) are alive.
They age, breathe, and respond to how you treat them. Here's our definitive guide to keeping your handmade treasures looking as beautiful as they did on day one.

Rule Zero: Wash Less, Air More

We're obsessed with hygiene and tend to wash our clothes after every single use. For natural fibers, this is unnecessary stress.

• Wool: It's self-cleaning and odor-repellent. Often, hanging it outdoors (preferably in a damp environment) overnight is enough to completely regenerate it.

• Cotton: If there are no obvious stains, sometimes a vertical steam pass is enough to freshen it up and remove creases.

Hand-Printed Cotton (Block Print): Instructions for Use

The natural colors of Block Print are precious and delicate. Here's how to protect them:

1. Cold Water, Always: Heat is the enemy of natural colors. Always wash cold (max 30°C).

2. The Salt (or Vinegar) Trick: During the first wash, add a tablespoon of coarse salt or a cup of white vinegar to the water. This ancient trick helps "fix" the color to the fibers and prevent fading.

3. Gentle Detergents: Use neutral, eco-friendly soaps without aggressive optical brighteners.

4. Shade is a Friend: Never hang colored cotton in direct midday sun. UV rays "eat" the natural colors. Always hang in the shade and inside out.

Wool and Silk: Absolute Delicacy

For your wool and silk scarves, cushions or stoles:

• Avoid Violent Spinning: If you machine wash, use the "Wool/Hand Wash" cycle and either skip the spin cycle or set it to the lowest setting. Friction is what causes wool to felt.

• Dry flat: Never hang a wet wool sweater or scarf vertically; the weight of the water will distort it. Lay it flat on a drying rack with a towel underneath.

• Beware of Moths: When storing clothes at the end of the season, make sure they're clean and use lavender or cedarwood sachets. They're effective, scented natural repellents (avoid chemical mothballs!).

Stain Removal Without Chemicals

Did you stain the tablecloth during dinner? Don't use bleach!

• Red Wine: Dab immediately with sparkling water or cover the stain with fine salt, then wash.

• Grease/Oil: Cover the stain with talcum powder or cornstarch, let it absorb for an hour, brush it off, then wash with Marseille soap.
  

Taking care of your clothes is a revolutionary act. It means rejecting the throwaway culture. It means honoring the work of the artisan who hand-printed that fabric and the seamstress who sewed it.

A "lived-in" garment, cared for with love, acquires over time a beauty and softness that no new garment can ever have.

Need to update your ethical wardrobe? Choose pieces made to last a lifetime (if you love them). Explore Malini's collections. 🌿 👉 HERE