Congratulations on your new Rosehip hat!
I’m delighted to share some care tips to ensure your hat lasts a lifetime. I carefully select fabrics for their beauty, durability, and sustainability, and use hand-construction methods that ensure longevity. All materials are pre-washed and shrunk (except for dupioni silk) for your convenience.
Rosehip Hats are made with breathable, natural fibres like cotton, bamboo, hemp, linen, silk, and wool. For more information on these fibres, please see my post on Earth-loving Textiles.
With proper care and attention, your Rosehip hat will be a cherished accessory for years to come.
CLEANING: Please note – Machine washing or drying is NOT recommended.
Instructions for hand-washing & drying:
- Fill a sink or small tub with lukewarm water (for cotton, hemp, linen) or cool water for wool
- Add a small amount of mild liquid soap to water
- Remove any non-washable trims – i.e.: silk sashes and hatpins. Most buttons, buckles, rosettes, and hatbands are safe to leave on during laundering.
- Gently agitate hat for cotton, hemp, linen; minimal agitation for wool to prevent felting and further shrinkage.
- To remove tougher stains and dirt, leave hat to soak a little longer. DO NOT use a brush or harsh abrasive cleaning methods on fabric.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water and gently squeeze out moisture by rolling hat in a towel.
- Air dry with a towel inside the crown to help retain shape.
- Spot-cleaning is also an option, especially if it’s a small area on the hat that is soiled. No need to submerge the whole hat in water. The inside band (sweatband) of a light-coloured hat can be gently rubbed clean with a soft wet soapy towel and rinsed directly on the area.
PRESSING:
- After hand-washing, your hat will likely need a good steam press. Take time with this.. it’s an important final step in restoring your hat to its original shape.
- Use a steam iron on medium heat for wool and cotton, high heat for linen, and hemp. A steam iron with ‘bursts’ of steam is particularly effective.
- To keep the shape of the crown while pressing, use an ironing ham if you have one, or substitute a rolled-up towel inside.
- The brim can be placed directly onto the ironing board and steam-pressed back to shape. Lots of steam really works! As the brim cools, smooth, and reshape with your hands. *note – do not place hot iron directly on hats with nylon boning at the brim edge
- WARNING: For wool fabrics and ALL dark fabrics, it’s recommended to use a press cloth between the iron and the hat fabric to avoid ‘glazing’.
DRY-CLEANING:
- The easiest method of all – take your hat to the cleaners! A good option if it requires cleaning only on rare occasions.
- Check online for a service near you, ensuring that they are confident in cleaning your hat, and use professional dry-cleaning methods that are safe for the environment.
STORAGE and TRAVEL:
- While wearing a hat for sun protection is a smart idea, when your hat’s not in use it’s best to store it out of prolonged direct sunlight. This will help to preserve the fibres and prevent colour loss.
- As my fabrics are pre-washed, most ALL my hats are fine in wet weather (the exception of silk, which may spot). Wool is a naturally water-resistant fibre. If your hat needs to dry when you get inside, it’s best to leave it flat on a table or rack with some plastic bags or a towel inside, and let it air-dry. It may need some pressing after drying – find tips in the Pressing section above.
- Store your seasonal hats in boxes to keep them free of dust and other particles in the air.
- For an everyday hat?… hang it on a hook or on a shelf near the door and you’ll never forget to go out the door without it!
- Rosehip hats are great for travels everywhere. Most styles have features that allow rolling, folding, and storing it away in a tote bag or backpack for easy access, and without damage. Please see “Hat TRAVEL TIPS”.