Wear it.
Cherish it.
Handwoven and handcrafted pieces deserve considered care. These guidelines will help you preserve the beauty, structure, and life of every Korvai piece — for decades to come.
"A well-cared-for silk saree will outlast the season it was bought in, the decade it was gifted, and perhaps even the woman who first wore it." — Celia Palathinkal
Silk
Sarees.
Silk is a natural protein fibre — strong, lustrous, and sensitive to heat, moisture, and harsh chemicals. Kanjivaram, Banarasi, tissue, and jacquard silks each have their own character, but the care principles remain the same.
For the first wash of any silk saree, take it to a trusted dry cleaner — especially if it has zari or heavy brocade work. Dry cleaning removes initial sizing from the loom without disturbing the weave structure or zari threads.
After the first dry clean, silk sarees can be hand washed with care. Fill a clean basin with cold water and add a capful of mild shampoo or a product formulated for silk. Submerge the saree and gently agitate with your hands — no rubbing, no wringing.
Drain the soapy water and rinse gently in cold water until the water runs clear. Any residue left in the fibre will attract dust and dull the silk over time.
Do not wring. Gently press the saree against the side of the basin, then lay flat on a clean dry towel. Roll the towel and saree together and press to absorb water. Unroll and hang in shade, away from direct sun. Never put silk in a dryer.
Iron on the reverse side while slightly damp, on the lowest silk setting. Never iron directly on zari, embroidery, or heavily worked areas — place a thin cotton cloth between the iron and fabric.
- Dry clean for the first wash
- Use cold water for hand washing
- Dry in shade, flat or hung full-length
- Iron on reverse, on silk setting
- Store wrapped in muslin
- Machine wash, ever
- Wring or twist the fabric
- Use detergent or bleach
- Dry in direct sunlight
- Store in plastic bags
Cotton &
Linen.
Handloom cotton and linen sarees are the most everyday-wearable in our edit. Sturdy, breathable, and made to be lived in — more forgiving in care than silk, but still benefit from a considered approach in the first few washes.
Wash cotton and linen sarees separately for the first two to three washes, as natural dyes may bleed slightly. Use cold water and a mild, colour-safe detergent.
Plain handloom cotton and linen can be machine washed on a gentle/delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag. Use cool water (30°C max) and a mild detergent. Avoid the machine for cotton sarees with border embroidery.
Hang to dry in shade while slightly damp. Cotton and linen may be ironed on a medium-to-high setting while slightly damp — the easiest way to remove creases from handloom fabric.
Linen softens and improves with each wash — a feature, not a flaw. Expect some initial colour fade in the first three washes; this is natural and the colour will stabilise. Do not bleach linen.
Embroidered
Pieces.
Korvai's embroidered sarees and couture apparel — including all in-house designed and produced pieces — require the most careful handling.
All embroidered pieces — whether zari, resham, sequin, or mirror work — should be dry cleaned exclusively. Water causes embroidery threads to shrink unevenly and zari to lose its lustre permanently.
For minor marks between dry cleans, use a clean white cloth barely dampened with cold water and gently dab — never rub — at the affected area, working from the outer edge inward.
Take care around rings, watch clasps, and rough surfaces that can snag threads. If a thread pulls, do not cut it — gently ease it back through to the reverse side with a blunt needle.
Zari develops a natural patina over time. Apply perfume before wearing (never directly onto the saree) and store away from humidity to slow tarnishing.
Korvai
Apparel.
All Korvai apparel is designed and made in-house in Kochi, in handloom cotton, silk, and linen — each with a care label for that specific garment. Always check your individual care label first.
Turn garments inside out before washing to protect the outer surface. Use a mesh bag for extra protection.
Wash at 30°C maximum with a gentle, colour-safe detergent. Avoid fabric softeners — they reduce breathability over time.
Pull garments gently into shape while damp and lay flat or hang to dry. Avoid tumble drying.
Silk apparel — kurtas, blouses, draped garments — should be hand washed in cold water with mild shampoo, or dry cleaned. Never machine wash.
Wet silk stretches easily. Support the full garment when lifting out of water and press — never wring — against the basin side.
Iron on the reverse side while slightly damp at the lowest silk setting. Never iron embellishments directly.
Always wash co-ord sets together — top and bottom — to ensure even fading and colour consistency.
If your set pairs cotton with silk, follow the silk care instructions for both pieces.
Keep co-ord pieces together in storage so they age consistently.
"The pieces we make are built to be worn — not preserved. Wear them often, care for them gently, and they will reward you with decades of beauty. A saree that has been worn a hundred times carries a kind of grace that a pristine one never can."— Celia Palathinkal, Founder & Lead Designer
Storage &
Preservation.
How you store your pieces between wears matters as much as how you wash them. Silk, in particular, is sensitive to light, moisture, and insects.
Store silk sarees folded inside soft muslin — never plastic. Muslin lets the fabric breathe and prevents colour transfer without trapping moisture.
Silk stored in the same fold develops permanent crease lines. Refold along different lines every three to six months.
Protect against insects using neem leaves, cedar blocks, or dried lavender. Avoid mothballs — the chemicals damage silk fibre.
Store in a cool, dry, dark place. Sunlight causes colour fade and weakens silk fibres; humidity encourages mould and insect damage.
After wearing, air your piece for at least an hour before folding. This simple habit dramatically extends the life of natural textiles.
Wedding sarees and heavily embroidered pieces should be stored flat, not hung. Wrap in acid-free tissue, then muslin, in a breathable box.
Care by
Fabric.
A quick reference for all fabric types in the Korvai collection.
Stain
Guide.
Act quickly. The golden rule for all handwoven and embroidered textiles — blot, never rub.
- Blot immediately with dry white cloth — do not rub
- Sprinkle talcum powder or cornstarch, leave for 15 minutes
- Gently brush off the powder
- For silk — take to dry cleaner promptly and mention the stain type
- Lightly dampen the entire affected area with clean cold water
- Gently smooth the fabric, working from centre outward
- Allow to dry completely flat in shade
- If the mark persists, professional dry cleaning is safest
- Blot immediately — do not smear
- For oil-based makeup: mild shampoo on a damp cloth, dab gently
- For powder makeup: brush away, then use a barely damp cloth
- Take to dry cleaner promptly for silk or embroidered pieces
- Always wash new pieces separately for the first two to three washes
- If bleed occurs, rinse immediately in cold water
- Do not use hot water or soap at first
- If colour has set, take to a professional cleaner
- Always apply perfume and deodorant before dressing — never directly onto the garment
- Allow perfume to dry completely on skin before wearing silk
- If contact occurs, blot immediately and take to dry cleaner
Care
Symbols.
Every Korvai garment includes a care label. Here's how to read the standard symbols you'll find on it.
Professional dry cleaning recommended.
Do not machine or hand wash. Dry clean only.
Hand wash only in cold water with mild detergent.
No bleach of any kind — including oxygen bleach.
Lay flat to dry — do not hang.
Iron at low temperature (110°C max).
Do not apply heat — typically on embellished areas.
Air dry only. Tumble drying causes shrinkage.
We're here
to help.
If you have a specific care question about your Korvai piece, or if something has happened and you're not sure what to do — reach out. We'd rather you ask than guess.