How to store silk suits: light, folds and air

Clean, dry, dark and cool

• Clean: have the piece cleaned as its label directs before a long rest. Invisible marks from perspiration, deodorant and food turn yellow or brown in storage, and they are what attract moths. If the label permits washing, see hand washing silk at home.
• Dry: give silk a day in the air after wearing, cleaning or steaming. A trace of damp in a closed space is enough for mildew. If you steam it first, test a hidden area, as some silks water spot.
• Dark: silk fades and weakens in daylight faster than most fabrics, and the damage shows along whichever fold faces the light. Open rails near a window and glass-fronted wardrobes are the usual culprits.
• Cool and steady: avoid lofts, cellars and the shelf above a radiator.

Why plastic and bare wood are risky

A dry cleaner’s polythene cover is for the journey home. Left on, plastic holds in moisture and stale air, which encourages mildew and yellowing, and it clings to the fabric. Use a cotton garment bag, an old cotton pillowcase or a length of washed muslin instead.

Untreated wood, ordinary cardboard and coloured or printed paper are acidic, and over months they can leave yellow or brown marks where silk rests against them. Line drawers and shelves with clean cotton or acid-free tissue, wrap pieces before they go into a wooden trunk, and keep cedar blocks and lavender bags from touching the fabric, since their oils can stain.

Folds, and why raw silk splits

A sharp crease bends the same few threads every day it stays in place. The crisp, slubby silks sold as raw silk are stiffer than soft silks, so they do not flex at a fold; over a long time the threads along the line can weaken and finally crack. Our cotton silk and raw silk guide describes the fabric.

• Fold as few times as the shelf allows, and never press the folds flat.
• Lay a roll of acid-free tissue inside each fold so it curves instead of creasing.
• Refold along different lines every few months.
• Keep heavy suits off the top of the stack.
• Hang light, plain silk kameez on padded hangers; fold heavy or embroidered ones so the shoulders do not stretch.

Storing a silk dupatta

A silk dupatta is easiest to keep rolled. Wrap a cardboard tube in muslin or tissue so the silk never touches the card, roll the dupatta round it without pulling, and cover the roll in cotton. If you fold it instead, use wide, loose folds with tissue between the layers and nothing resting on top. Tie tassels inside a scrap of muslin so they cannot snag the weave.

Check on it, and plan ahead

Take stored silk out every few months, on a dry day. Shake it gently, look along the folds and under the arms for specks, holes or yellowing, let it air, and put it back folded a different way. If you find grey or black dots, read our article on mildew spots before they spread.

Good storage starts with how an outfit is made: neatly finished seams fray less, and a lining takes some of the strain off fine fabric. If you are planning a silk or silk-blend outfit through Fabric + Stitching, ask about lining in your quote and we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design. Start a quote when you are ready.