How to Store Silk Clothes: Dust Bags, Hangers, Moths and Seasons

Store silk clean and completely dry, in a breathable cotton dust bag, in a cool, dry wardrobe out of the sun. Hang robes and kimonos on a broad-shouldered hanger; for long periods, fold bias-cut nightdresses and slip dresses loosely and put tissue paper between the folds. Don't use plastic bags or vacuum storage bags.

Before you store it: clean and dry

The most important thing to do before silk goes into the wardrobe is to wash it. Even a nightdress worn for one night that looks clean carries traces of sweat, deodorant, perfume or cream. You can't see them, but over the months in a wardrobe they oxidise and turn into yellow stains. Soiled fabric also attracts moths.

The second rule: completely dry. Silk that stays damp in a closed wardrobe starts to smell, and in bad cases develops mildew spots. After washing, dry the piece in the shade on a hanger or flat, and wait until thicker areas such as seams and the belt are dry too. The washing steps are in how to wash silk.

When preparing silk for storage, skip starch, anti-crease spray and scented sprays. The residue comes back as stains and odours in the wardrobe.

Dust bags: why cotton, why not plastic

Silk is a natural fibre and exchanges moisture with the air. A bag made of cotton or a similar breathable fabric protects the piece from dust, light and friction while still allowing that exchange. A plastic bag traps moisture inside. As the temperature changes, condensation can form in the bag, and that raises the risk of yellowing, odour and mildew.

The thin plastic cover on a piece back from the dry cleaner is for transport, not storage. Take it off when you get home, let the piece air for a few hours, then put it in its bag.

Every JANESIA order comes with a dust bag. Don't throw it away with the box; it's the piece's permanent home. Wash the bag itself from time to time so dust doesn't build up inside.

Keep it away from light and heat

Sunlight fades the colour of silk and weakens the fibre over time. On a robe hanging by a window, this shows first on the shoulders: the side facing the light ends up paler than the other. That fading can't be reversed.

Heat isn't silk's friend either. A wardrobe against a radiator, a stove or a wall with hot water pipes, or an attic that heats up in summer, is not suitable. A damp basement or a wardrobe next to the bathroom is risky too. What you're looking for is a cool, dry, dark wardrobe with some airflow.

Hang or fold?

It depends on the piece. Pieces cut to carry their weight from the shoulders should hang; pieces that can stretch under their own weight should be folded.

If you hang it

A thin wire hanger leaves marks and pointed bumps at the shoulders. A broad-shouldered hanger with rounded edges spreads the weight of the fabric. With belted pieces such as the Kimono and the Shawl-Collar Robe, don't leave the belt knotted; the knot leaves a mark. Drape the belt loosely over the hanger or store it separately. Leave space between hangers; crowded pieces crease and can't breathe.

Why fold bias-cut pieces

Bias cut means the fabric is cut on the diagonal. It lets a garment flow over the body, but it uses the most elastic direction of the fabric. A bias-cut dress left on a hanger for weeks can stretch downwards under its own weight, and the hem can start to ripple. For everyday use, hanging is fine; if you're putting it away for the season, fold the Long Slip Dress and long nightdresses loosely. Don't hang them by their thin bias straps; those straps are made to sit on the shoulder, not to carry the dress.

How to fold silk

• Lay the piece out on a flat, clean surface.
• Make as few folds as you can. Every fold is a potential mark.
• Put tissue paper between the folds. Acid-free tissue paper keeps the fold line from becoming sharp and reduces friction.
• Place the lace where it can lie flat, not in the middle of a fold.
• Don't put anything heavy on top, and don't cram the drawer.
• In long-term storage, unfold the piece every few months and refold it along different lines. A fold that always sits in the same place can become a permanent line in the fibre.

Protecting silk from moths

Silk, like wool, is a protein fibre of animal origin. Clothes moth and carpet beetle larvae can feed on fibres like these. They prefer soiled pieces carrying sweat, food or drink residue. That's why the first defence against moths is storing silk clean.

• A closed bag. A dust bag makes it harder for larvae to reach the piece.
• Air the wardrobe. Moths like dark, quiet wardrobes that are never opened. Open the wardrobe from time to time, wipe the shelves and vacuum the corners.
• Cedar and lavender. Cedar blocks or dried lavender sachets are used as deterrents, but on their own they don't give full protection. Don't let them touch the fabric; they can leave oil marks.
• Don't use mothballs. The smell is heavy, hard to get out of silk and not suitable for nightwear that sits against the skin.

If you see small holes, fine webbing or tiny cases on the fabric, separate the piece from the others, wash it, then empty and clean the wardrobe. If more than one piece is affected, get professional help.

Damp and mildew

Exterior walls, wardrobes next to the bathroom and poorly ventilated rooms collect moisture. In these wardrobes you can use a moisture absorber or silica gel packets; put them in the corner of a shelf where they don't touch the fabric. If the wardrobe smells musty, don't put silk in it; dry the wardrobe out first.

Seasonal storage, step by step

When you put shorts sets away at the end of summer, or long-sleeved sets and robes at the end of winter, follow this order:

1. Wash the piece. Not just the ones you wore recently, but every piece worn even once during the season.
2. Wait until it is completely dry.
3. If needed, iron it inside out on low heat; don't fold it while warm. For the setting, see how to iron silk.
4. Fold it loosely with tissue paper.
5. Put it in a dust bag. Don't squeeze several pieces into the same bag.
6. Place it somewhere cool, dry and dark. You can use a fabric box or an acid-free cardboard box; inside the box, the piece should still be in its dust bag.
7. Don't use vacuum bags. Compression creates deep creases and stops silk from breathing.
8. Check every few months: take it out, air it and change the folds.

When you travel

In a suitcase, instead of folding silk, roll it in tissue paper and put it in its dust bag. Keep it away from pieces with zips, sequins, Velcro or hard parts; silk and lace snag easily. Hang it up as soon as you arrive. Light creases release on their own in a steamy bathroom.

These rules apply to the silk pieces in the robe collection and to all silk nightdresses, pyjamas and men's pieces. For pieces that aren't silk, follow the care label. A short summary of care is on the care page and on the care card that comes with every order.