Wool doesn’t need washing every time you wear it. Its fibres have a natural protective coating, making it resistant to dirt and dust. Hang to ventilate instead.

To wash wool, use a specialist wool detergent at 30°C with a low spin setting. Squeeze out any excess water for heavier garments, without wringing.

Dry woollens flat on a rack, placing a towel underneath to absorb any drips. Hanging wool up to dry will stretch pieces out of shape. 

Fold knitwear and store in drawers with mothballs. The weight of the wool will pull the piece out of shape if it’s hung up.

Pilling occurs naturally with friction and can be easily removed with a pilling comb or a fabric shaver.

Cotton can be machine or handwashed. To prevent garments from shrinking and to keep them looking their best, wash at 30°.

Place delicate items in a mesh bag to help prevent snagging or twisting during machine cycles.

Pre ‑treat stains before washing by dabbing a small amount of stain remover on the area. For darker pieces, patch test on an inside seam to check the colour won’t be affected.Hang cotton out to dry, as heat from tumble dryers can cause it to shrink. This also saves energy.

Linen clothes need washing less than you’d expect. Hang them up to ventilate between wears.

Machine wash with a low spin at 30°C. High temperatures can weaken the fibres and affect dyes. When hand washing, rinse with lukewarm water.

Hang linen pieces to air dry. Tumble drying can shrink or damage the fibres. It also uses lots of energy.

Take care not to use thin wire hangers or clips that could leave impressions or pull the shoulders out of shape.

Linen can crease easily. Hang in the bathroom while taking a hot shower and use the steam to reduce creases.

Silk shouldn’t be washed after every wear. Instead, hang silk garments to ventilate, away from direct sunlight which can damage the colour.

Silk is best hand-washed with a specialist detergent in lukewarm water, without soaking as this can release some dye. Rinse the silk garment without wringing.

To machine wash silk, wash at 30°C or lower, on a low spin using a small amount of detergent. A mesh bag can help protect silk garments from snagging or twisting too much in the washer.

To dry, lay the silk garment on a towel and roll up the towel to absorb excess moisture. Then lay flat on a drying rack or hang to air dry.

To iron silk, use the lowest temperature on an iron, or for an energy-efficient method, simply hang in the bathroom while taking a hot shower. The steam will reduce creases.