My Design Process - Fabric Laundering

I thought I would bring you behind the scenes and share a little bit about my design process!

 

There are many steps before I actually get to create a design and fabric laundering is one of the key components.  It may sound mundane, but laundering changes the fabric and brings it back to its natural form.  Plus it gives me an idea of how the fabric will behave and hold up once it leaves my home for yours!

I take care to launder all of my fabrics before starting any project.  In fact, all new fabric heads to a dedicated basket ready to be laundered at the next available moment.  This is often a challenge.  A test of discipline.  I normally want to get started right away, but patience will pay off. 

The laundering process removes dirt, dust and any chemicals which have accumulated in the fabric during the manufacturing process.  Since I primarily work with 100% cotton and linen, these natural materials shrink after the first wash.  Sometimes up to 7%.  I want to ensure that shrinkage happens before the design construction, otherwise your aprons would shorten, the zippers on your bags would pucker and your pillow inserts wouldn't fit nicely. 

I want your items to stay the same after washing and actually get softer with repeated washing as is the case with linen.

To ensure my production process is as gentle on the environment as possible, I use eco-friendly detergent and dryer balls to ensure I'm not adding unnecessary chemicals or fragrances to the materials and ultimately our environment.

A little extra TLC and effort to ensure you have a superior final product without any harmful effects on our lovely planet! 

xo

Shannon