Serendipity - Care Textiles
SOFT MÉLANGE YARNS & DELICATE FABRICS
At Serendipity we and our suppliers put a great effort into making our garments sustainable in every step of the making from cotton farmer and field to full finish.
As our clothing leave our hands the sustainable process is in your hands and you can actively contribute to the sustainability of the clothing, making it last by washing gently, caring and mending the clothes, and perhaps passing it on as you no longer need the piece.
HOW WE CARE
It is incredible what can come out of organic cotton fibers. Cotton is a natural and biodegradable fiber that has been used for hundreds of years. Cotton fibers can produce a large variety of fabrics; really soft mélange fabrics, delicate wovens, heavier velour & terry, the softest gauze & muslins, more heavy fabrics as twill and corduroy as well as lovely knit fabrics. The mélange yarns are used for our classic ribs, soft velour and sweat fabrics.
Of-course all the cotton we use is organic and handpicked. We are GOTS certified (Global Organic Textile Standard) which means that every single step in the total process, from cotton ball to finished garment, is certified and carefully treated without the harmful chemicals usually involved in production of conventional cotton textiles.
Strict wastewater treatment practices are exercised in all phases of production, in order not to pollute the water and the environment surrounding the textile production. Good for our water, planet, and our people.
GOTS also includes a strict set of social criteria to ensure the people involved in the entire production process in regards to; fair living wages, high safety practices at work, good working environments with established working hours, vacation and health policies, as well as strict non-discriminatory policies in relation to gender, religion and race.
Mélange Fabric
We love softness! Each season, we produce new colours of mélange yarns for our ribs, velours, sweats and other knitted textiles.
Mélange means a mix of colours that blend into a nice and rich colour. When you create a mélange yarn, you dye the cotton bulbs in different colours, then mix them, comb them, and spin them. This gives a playful, deep, long-lasting colour and an incredible softness.
Worth waiting for
Making melange yarns consumes more time than regular methods of dying fabric. First, we decide the colours, make the different try-outs and then finally produce the mélange yarn: it takes on average 3-4 months. After the fiber has been dyed, it needs spinning, knitting and then washing. Finally, the production of the garments starts. But it is worth the wait. The garments are a pleasure to wear with its soft touch on the skin, and with the right treatment, it will last for years to come.
HOW YOU CAN CARE AND MAKE YOUR TEXTILES LAST LONGER
Taking care of your textiles, can make them last for a long time. We have put an effort into bringing you a natural long-lasting garment of high quality, and therefore find it natural to pass on our recommendations for how to care for your new garment to make it last.
Wovens
Our woven cotton garments are made with care specially for you. Organic cotton is a versatile, comfortable, and breathable fibre, which is easy to make last for a long time.
We recommend washing at 40 degrees Celsius. It is important to only use detergents that are environmentally friendly. We advise you to avoid use of softener or bleach when washing. After wash reshape the garment and hang it to dry - do not use a tumbler. Hanging it outside (away from direct sunlight) will give an added freshness to the garment and it is also the most environmentally friendly way to dry your clothes.
When you wash the garment the first time the shrinkage is approximately 3%.
Our woven fabrics can either be worn with or without ironing, however it looks good when carefully ironed with steam.
Once the garments have dried, fold them nicely or hang them up. It is important to store them in a dry place away from the sun.
They can then be used for years to come.
KNITS
Our rib, jersey, velour and sweat fabrics have all been prewashed carefully before cutting the fabric. This reduces the shrinkage and results in a high-quality textile that will only shrink 3-5% over time. Our cotton mélange yarns will keep their softness and colour for a long time.
The knit fabrics should be washed at 40 degrees Celsius. We recommend using an environmentally friendly detergent and again no softener or bleach. It is not good for the textile, your skin or our environment.
The knits can easily be tumbled at a low heat, for a nice soft touch.
Fold them nicely and store them in a dry place away from the sun.
BABY ALPACA WOOL AND LLAMA WOOL
The wool fiber is naturally self-cleaning. Baby-alpaca and Llama wool also has the benefit of not carrying any lanolin which makes it non-itchy, very soft to wear and also anti-allergenic.
Wash your wool as seldom as you can. The best way to refresh it is by airing it outside. This gives the sweater a nice touch of freshness.
If your wool garment has a small spot of dirt, you can gently remove with a little bit of mild detergent and water.
If you need to wash your wool garment, please do it in cold water and by hand. Drain water from the garment by pressing gently. Do not squeeze or stretch it. Use only a little environmentally friendly wool detergent. You can (on your own risk, depending on your washing machine) wash it on a gentle cold water wool program.
Dry it flat on a towel for the best result. We do not advise you to hang it up, as the shape can then be twisted and altered.
Fold the sweater nicely and gentle and store it in a dry place. Do not hang on hangers, as this easily will change the shape of the garment.
LLAMA/SILK BLEND
Our garments made from a llama/silk blend are perfect for summertime, because the silk has both warming and cooling properties. Follow care and washing procedure as above (wool).
PROTECT YOUR WOOL
When storing your wool away in the summertime be careful not to store it in hidden dark places, as this attract moths. The best is to use it all year and store it in a closet with space and air.
If needed you can put it in an airtight container with some dried lavender in small textile bags or a piece of cedar wood. The dried lavender will also leave a wonderful scent. Both lavender and cedar wood works as natural repellents. Check, repair and wash gently before storing.
REPAIRING
If your garment is somehow damaged, for instance it has lost a button or something else, we recommend you repair it, rather than throwing it out.
If you are not able to repair it, ask someone who are capable or send it to us, and we will happily do it. (depending on issue and only after agreement.)
AFTER-USE
We recommend that after you have finished using a garment you either resell it, donate it or give it away to friends, family or a colleague. Good textiles can be kept forever if they are properly cared for.