How to Store and Protect Your Handloom Sarees from Damage
- Minal Morbale
- Nov 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Handloom sarees are cherished heirlooms that carry the essence of India’s rich textile heritage. These beautiful, intricate pieces require special care to retain their elegance and quality over the years. Proper storage, careful folding, and regular maintenance are essential steps to ensure that your sarees stay as fresh and vibrant as the day you first draped them.
In this blog, we’ll guide you on the best ways to store and protect your handloom sarees from damage, keeping them ready for any occasion.
Why Proper Storage Matters
Handloom sarees, whether they’re silk, cotton, or a blend, are delicate fabrics that can be susceptible to damage from moisture, pests, and improper handling. When stored well, these sarees retain their texture, colour, and weave, allowing you to enjoy them for years or even pass them down to future generations. Here’s how to store and care for your sarees to keep them looking beautiful.
Essential Tips to Store and Protect Your Handloom Sarees
1. Choose a Cool, Dry Storage Space
Avoid Damp Areas: Dampness can lead to mildew or mould growth, which can weaken the fabric and cause discolouration.
Temperature Control: Try to store sarees in a cool area of your home, away from direct sunlight and humidity.
Ventilated Cupboards: Ensure the cupboard has some ventilation to prevent the build-up of moisture.
2. Use Cotton or Muslin Cloth for Wrapping
Breathable Fabrics: Wrap each saree in a soft cotton or muslin cloth, which allows air circulation and prevents damage from friction.
Avoid Plastic Covers: Plastic can trap moisture, leading to mildew and damage over time. It can also make the fabric lose its natural sheen.
Layered Protection: For extra protection, you can place the cotton-wrapped saree in a fabric pouch, ensuring it stays dust-free.
3. Folding the Saree Properly
Refold Regularly: For sarees stored for a long period, refold every three to six months. This prevents creases from forming in the same spot, which can weaken the fabric.
Silk Sarees: Silk sarees should be folded carefully along their natural crease lines, avoiding sharp folds. You can also place acid-free tissue paper between folds to protect the zari or delicate motifs.
Avoid Heavy Folding: Avoid too many folds or stacking heavy sarees on top, as this can flatten or crumple delicate designs.
4. Preventing Pest Damage
Natural Repellents: Place natural repellents like dried neem leaves, cloves, or dried lavender in your storage space. These can help keep pests like moths away without damaging the fabric.
Avoid Naphthalene Balls: While naphthalene balls are effective, they can leave a strong odour and can sometimes be harsh on delicate fabrics. Natural repellents are a safer choice.
Check for Infestations: Every few months, inspect your sarees to ensure they are safe from any insect activity.
5. Special Tips for Storing Different Types of Handloom Sarees
Silk Handloom Sarees (Banarasi, Kanjivaram):
Use a padded hanger or store flat in a layered box. Always use acid-free tissue paper for protection.
Avoid exposure to perfume, as it can stain and affect the sheen of the silk.
Cotton Handloom Sarees (Khadi, Tant):
Store in a cool, dry place and keep away from harsh sunlight to prevent fading.
Cotton sarees can be stacked flat but should be refolded every few months.
Blended Sarees (Cotton-Silk, Linen):
Wrap each saree separately in cotton cloth and avoid plastic storage.
Place a sachet of natural repellent with these sarees to prevent insect damage.
6. Proper Hanging Techniques
Padded Hangers for Silk Sarees: If you prefer hanging your sarees, use padded hangers to avoid shoulder marks and prevent the saree from slipping.
Avoid Metal Hangers: Metal hangers can cause rust stains if they come into contact with moisture. Always use wooden or padded fabric hangers.
Cover with Muslin Cloth: If hanging, cover the saree with a muslin cloth to protect it from dust while still allowing it to breathe.
7. Avoid Frequent Washing
Only When Necessary: Handloom sarees don’t need frequent washing. For most, gentle airing or spot cleaning is enough.
Use Gentle Cleaning Techniques: When washing is required, hand wash with mild detergent. For silk or delicate weaves, consider dry cleaning.
Avoid Direct Sunlight: After cleaning, dry your saree in a shaded area to prevent colour fading.
8. Keep Away from Direct Sunlight
Colour Protection: Direct sunlight can fade the colours of your sarees over time, especially natural dyes used in handloom fabrics.
Shaded Drying: If you need to air your sarees, choose a shaded area to protect them from direct light exposure.
9. Periodic Airing
Freshen the Fabric: Every 3-6 months, take out your sarees and air them in a shaded area to prevent any musty smell and freshen the fabric.
Avoid Prolonged Sun Exposure: A quick airing for a few hours is enough. Prolonged exposure to sunlight may fade the colours or weaken the fabric.
Long-Term Storage Tips
If you’re storing a saree for a long period, consider the following to ensure it stays in pristine condition:
Store in Fabric-lined Boxes: For valuable handloom sarees, a fabric-lined box provides protection from dust, light, and moisture.
Use Acid-free Paper: Acid-free tissue paper can be placed between the folds, particularly useful for silk sarees, as it prevents creasing and helps maintain the saree’s original form.
Separate Heavy Embellished Sarees: Heavily embellished or zari sarees should be stored separately to prevent their weight from pressing down on lighter sarees and damaging them.
Why Your Saree Deserves Proper Care
Handloom sarees aren’t just clothing—they are works of art and symbols of India’s cultural heritage. Caring for them properly ensures that their intricate designs, vivid colours, and luxurious textures remain undamaged, ready to be cherished for years. By following these simple storage and maintenance steps, you can help your sarees remain in excellent condition, allowing them to stay as vibrant and stylish as the day you brought them home.
Conclusion
Caring for your handloom sarees isn’t just about maintenance; it’s about honouring the art and effort behind these pieces. From wrapping them in muslin cloth to avoiding plastic covers, every step matters in preserving their beauty. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll find that your sarees age gracefully, becoming even more cherished over time.
With Minal Handloom House sarees, you’re not just wearing a garment; you’re celebrating a legacy. Embrace the joy of preserving these timeless pieces, and they will continue to bring you grace, style, and memories for years to come.
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