Caring for Patra Silk

At Patra, we recommend non-biological detergents in powder or liquid form that are suitable for silk. Please follow the directions on the pack and avoid detergents with optical whiteners, bleaching agents or enzymes as they cause colours to fade, become patchy and can damage the delicate fabric.

For hand washing, make sure soap powders are completely dissolved in the water and not sprinkled directly on to the garments which should never be left to soak. Do a small patch test on an area of the garment and wash gently at 30C.

Always wash coloured items separately. Gently squeeze out excess moisture (or delicate spin) rather than drip dry. Dry and store silk garments away from direct sunlight, as this can bleach colour.

Most Silks are such easy care that creases fall away. If ironing is required, gently press on the reverse at a low temperature.

As with all knitted garments, rough underwear should be avoided as it can cause snagging which may lead to holes as part of normal wear and tear.

Knitted Garments can be gently washed at 30c, Excess moisture squeezed out and then dried and stored flat away from direct sunlight.

Silk - Cashmere

Silk Cashmere blends may be dry cleaned or hand or machine washed on a delicate cycle at 30C. Then gently spin, shape and dry flat.

• The silk we have in mind when we think of "traditional" Silk.
• The front of the fabric is a shimmery satin weave.
• The back of the fabric is a flattened Crêpe.

Benefits

• Charmeuse has more drape than Crêpe de chine and works well for scarves, blouses and lingerie.

• A light, matt fabric made from fine twisted yarns, spaced out to make the fabric transparent.
• Dimension is added to garments by the creation of billows of fabric.
• Unless it is used for scarves, garments with chiffon normally require lining or backing.

• A lightweight fabric made by fibres, where part of them are twisted clockwise and others in a counter-clockwise direction. These fibres are then woven in a plain-weave fabric.
• The twisted fibres give crêpe its distinctive "pebbly" look and feel.
• Comes in many different varieties - Crêpe de Chine, Moroccan crêpe and crêpe georgette...

• Produced from two silkworms that spin a cocoon together. This makes a strong double-thread silk, usually resulting in a rough yarn and irregularity in sheerness or weight
• Feels coarse
• Black specks which occasionally appear in the fabric are part of the original cocoon of the silk worm. Removing them would both weaken the fabric and destroy part of its beauty and character. They are inherent to Dupion silk fabric and should not be considered as defects in weaving

Benefits

• Strong and lustrous

Tips

• Shot colours, the use of two different coloured threads in weaving, go well with Dupion silk. This gives a different shade to the fabric in light

• Medium weight fabric, woven from spun silk fibres
• Has a soft lustre and a lavish feel, reminiscent of the high quality suede
• Has a fluid drape

Benefits

• Durable
• Resists Wrinkles

• Known as "Raw Silk"
• Made from the short fibres left after combing and carding, so it does not shine like many other silk fabrics
• Very versatile fabric
• Has a matte surface and rough finish - has a "nubby" feel
• Doesn't show pin holes
• Off-white in colour. It is distinguished from other types of silk for the subtle flecks on it, which are natural particles of the cocoon.

Benefits

• Looks similar to cotton, but still feels soft against the skin
• Drapes better than cotton and wrinkle resistant
• Durable
• Easy to care for
• Great for travelling

Tips

• Should be hand washed. Will look better after every wash than with dry-cleaning

• Also known as China Silk, Haboutai, Pongee
• The "Classic" Silk Fabric
• Was first used in line kimonos
• Plain-weave fabric
• Its weight can range from 5mm to the more heavy 12mm. Most scarves are made of 8mm Habotai

Benefits

• Soft and lightweight. Habotai silk is a sheer fabric and has a graceful drape and smooth surface
• Great for scarves

• Also Known as "Shantung"
• A type of wild silk, that is produced by silkworms and feed on oak and juniper leaves
• As the worm is not grown in a controlled environment, the moth hatches from the cocoon and interrupts the filament length, resulting in short and coarse fibres, instead of long and lustrous ones
• Usually comes from India or China. The India silk generally has more lustre to it
• Feels coarse and is delicate and stiff
• Difficult to dye and most often available in its natural colour, a creamy tan

Benefits

• Both lightweight and airy, as well as dressy, giving cool comfort to the wearer
• Does not wrinkle easily
• Good for travelling

• A blend of the two luxury fabrics - pure silk and the fine wool that comes from the undercoat of the cashmere goat
• The natural crimp it contains aids the fibre to interlock during processing. This enables it to be spun into a very fine and lightweight fabric
• The number of crimp correlates with the fineness of the spun yarn and the softness of the finished product
• The fabric retains the small air spaces trapped between fibres which makes it warm without being heavy

Benefits

• Luxuriously soft and lightweight with good insulation quality
• Extremely warm
• Does not scratch like other wool

• Difficult to weave together in order to keep the separate fibres from unraveling
• As warm as silk, but of a heavier weight
• Thicker than silk on its own

Benefits

• Durable
• Has a Superior Substance and Body to Plain Cotton
• Less Slippery than silk due to its heavier weight

• Used to create finer fashions and premium apparel

Benefits

• Much like our other Silk Mixes, the feel and drape of pure cotton linen is improved when blended with pure silk

• Pure wool on its own does not necessarily feel wonderful against your skin, but blending it with silk will create such a fabric
• Patra uses Merino wool in its garments, the finest sheep wool fabric in the world, famed for its superior shine and softness
• Merino wool has natural elasticity

Benefits

• The addition of Merino wool means that this mix has the maximum absorbent quality and has great breathability. It absorbs moisture and transfers it to the air, creating a dry layer next to the skin, as well as absorbing odours from the body.
• Resistant to dirt and wrinkling
• Has the ability to hold dye
• Provides warmth without adding weight
• Non-scratchy wool
• Has a higher level of UV light protection