Drying your suits without fading, shrinking or stretching

Strong sun: fast but fading

In the Gulf, in much of Australia and through southern European summers, clothes dry outdoors in minutes, but strong sunlight bleaches dyes, especially bright prints and deep colours on lawn. The fading usually shows first along the shoulders and folds that faced the sun.

Dry clothes inside out, in the shade or on a covered balcony, and bring them in as soon as they are dry. White cotton is the one exception: a short spell in the sun can freshen it. In a sunny city such as Perth, this one habit makes a real difference to how long colours last.

Damp winters and small flats

In a UK, Irish or northern European winter the problem is the opposite. Clothes dry slowly indoors, can smell musty if they stay damp too long, and add moisture to the air of a small flat. A clothes rack near, but not on, a radiator is the gentle answer. Putting cotton directly on a hot radiator dries it unevenly, can leave stiff patches and may cause scorch marks on pale fabric.

A heated airer or a dehumidifier in the drying room speeds things up without much heat. Open a window a little if you can, and leave space between garments so air moves. In a damp city such as Glasgow, it is a routine worth settling into.

Tumble dryers

A tumble dryer is the quickest way to shrink a cotton kurta. Heat plus tumbling tightens cotton and linen fibres, so a kameez can lose length and width, and the trouser hems can rise. It also wears embroidery and lace, flattens textured weaves and can set creases. If you must use one, choose the lowest heat, take the clothes out while they are still slightly damp and finish drying them on a hanger. Never tumble velvet, silk, chiffon or anything embellished.

Hang or lay flat?

• Kameez in lawn, cambric or linen: on a wide, shaped hanger from the shoulders, smoothed by hand while damp.
• Trousers and shalwar: pegged from the waistband so the legs hang straight.
• Dupattas: over a line or two bars of a rack, folded lengthways, so the weight is spread.
• Embroidered, heavy or knitted pieces: flat on a towel or mesh rack, as their own weight can stretch them when wet.
• Viscose and georgette: flat or on a padded hanger, since they stretch easily while wet.

Shape, creases and ironing

A firm shake and a quick smooth while the fabric is damp saves most of the ironing. Pull seams straight, ease the neckline into shape and pat collars and plackets flat. Cotton and linen iron most easily while still slightly damp, so take them in before they are bone dry. Our ironing and steaming guide covers the right heat for each fabric.

Starting with fabric that dries well

If you have little space to dry clothes, it is worth choosing fabrics that cooperate. Fine lawn and linen dry fast; khaddar and heavy cotton are slow. Tell us about your drying set-up when you order, and with Fabric + Stitching we can suggest a fabric to suit. With Stitching Only in the UK, it also helps to pre-wash and dry your fabric the way you will treat the finished outfit before you send it; our pre-washing guide explains why. Get a quote when you are ready.