What each cloth is made of, what it will and will not tolerate, and how to keep it looking like it did when it arrived.
The cloths at a glance
| Cloth | Composition | Width | Rub test | Cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verge Sheer | 100% linen | 300 cm | n/a | Dry clean |
| Vellum Voile | 100% cotton | 300 cm | n/a | Dry clean |
| Harrow Velvet | 100% cotton pile | 137 cm | 30,000 | Dry clean |
| Tallow Linen | 100% linen | 140 cm | 40,000 | Dry clean |
| Kiln Natte | 70% FR polyester, 30% cotton | 140 cm | 100,000 | Water-based shampoo |
| Cinder Chenille | 55% FR polyester, 45% viscose | 140 cm | 80,000 | Water-based shampoo |
| Moleskin Chenille | 60% cotton, 40% viscose | 140 cm | 50,000 | Dry clean |
Everyday care
Vacuum, do not beat
An upholstery head on low suction, once a fortnight, does more for a fabric than any cleaning product. Dust is abrasive; leaving it in the weave is what wears a cloth out.
Blot, never rub
Press a clean dry cloth onto a spill and lift. Rubbing drives the liquid into the yarn and, on a pile or a nap, permanently disturbs the surface.
Keep it out of direct sun
Every dyed cloth fades. Linen and cotton fade faster than synthetics. A sheer at a south-facing window will shift in tone within a couple of years; that is normal and is not covered as a fault.
Turn cushions
Reverse and rotate loose cushions weekly. It spreads the wear and stops one face aging ahead of the rest.
Linen
Linen creases, relaxes and softens. A new curtain will hang with fold marks for a week or two and then settle; leave it a fortnight before you decide on the hem. Slub and small irregularities in the yarn are part of the cloth and are not flaws. Dry clean only: linen shrinks when it is washed, and it shrinks unevenly.
Pile and nap
Harrow Velvet and Moleskin Chenille both have a direction. Cut every piece the same way up or adjacent panels will read as different colours. Brush the pile back one way with a soft clothes brush; never use a stiff brush and never press the pile flat with an iron. Seat marks and shading in a velvet are the pile lying down, not damage, and they lift with brushing.
Panels
Dust the panels with a soft brush, working along the stitch direction rather than across it. The dense areas hold more dust than the open ground, so go over those twice. Do not wash a panel, do not steam it and do not press the embroidery. Metallic thread snags easily; keep Gilt Rain and Plumbline clear of anything that catches.
Flammability
Kiln Natte and Cinder Chenille meet BS 5852 Crib 5 and EN 1021 parts 1 and 2. If you need the certificates for a contract job, email info@dorsyniq.com with the order number and we will send them. The other five cloths are not flame-retardant treated and should not be specified where a rating is required.
Cuttings
We will send a cutting of any cloth before you order. Colour on a screen is never the colour in your room, and for the louder colourways, particularly the Chartreuse voile and the Ochre natte, we would much rather you saw it first. Ask at info@dorsyniq.com.