Caring for your kandura so it stays as you bought it

Our cloth is blended, not pure cotton

Every fabric we carry is described on its label as “blended”. That is not a footnote when it comes to care: a blend holds a press far longer than pure cotton, but it will not take the same heat. So the first rule is less heat, not more.

Wash warm, not hot

Thirty degrees is enough. High temperatures are what dull the colour and tire the synthetic fibres in a blend; they are not what cleans the thawb.

Turn it inside out first

The outer face is what rubs against the drum. Turning it protects the hand you chose the cloth for in the first place — particularly on the softer Japanese weaves.

Use less detergent

Excess detergent leaves a residue that makes the cloth feel rough over time. Half the usual dose is plenty for a single thawb.

Dry in the shade

Direct sun yellows white cloth and weakens fibres. Blends dry quickly anyway, so a hot tumble dryer earns you nothing.

A light press is enough

Our labels describe every fabric as crease-resistant. That means a thawb does not need a hot iron to hang straight: a medium heat and a little steam will do. Too much heat on a blend glazes the surface rather than smoothing it, and that mark does not come out.

Hang it, do not heap it

A blend keeps its shape on a broad hanger, and takes creases that are hard to argue with if it sits crushed in a drawer or a case.