fabric care
About Rang Mantra’s Fabric
Almost all of Rang Mantra collections are handcrafted using the finest natural fibers. The subtle variations in color, texture and finishing are the signature of the human hand. Creating each product is a lengthy process rooted in the crafts-based traditions of hand spinning, dying, weaving, wood block printing and embroidery, each with its own regional specialty and character.
Dyes Used
We use both vegetable dyes and commercial dyes with the goal of minimizing our impact on the environment while striving for the best color properties. Many of our artisans use AZO free dyes.
Caring for Rang Mantra Products
Caring for your Rang Mantra products is generally trouble free. We offer the following information and care suggestions which will help you extend the life of your Rang Mantra products even further.
See our fabric care guidelines below for hand woven:
- Cotton
- Silk
- Blends of Cotton, Linen and artificial Rayon
- Cotton Saree
Hand-woven Cotton
Cotton is a very strong fiber, even when wet, so it holds up very well to repeated laundry. Hand-woven cotton fabric has the added value of allowing more air penetration and is therefore cooler, softer, more absorbent and breathes better than machine made cotton fabric. This added breathability means you will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Hand-woven cotton fabric also has a textural beauty and visible character which is not present in machine made fabric.
- Before washing test color for fastness by immerse the corner of the cloth in a cup of water for 15 to 20 minutes. If the color runs, dissolve five table spoons of salt in a bucket of cold water and soak the garment in this solution for two hours. This may ensure color fastness.
- Wash items with like colors and turn your clothes inside out, especially dark colors.
- Some colors may require to be washed separately the first few times.
- For machine wash, the following tips will help you extend the life of the product: - Machine wash cold on gentle cycle.
- Cotton should be hand washed in cold water with a mild soap. Wash colored clothes separately. Do not soak and dry in shade. Colors like maroon, red, purple, magenta, orange, dark blue, dark green and turquoise tend to run and should never be in contact with other clothes when wet.
- Keep your zippers and hooks closed to avoid snagging other items in the wash.
- If you choose to use bleach, use non-chlorine bleach which is less harsh on your fabrics and on the environment.
- Tumble dry low heat. - Remove items promptly from dryer, preferably when still damp.
Hand-woven silk
Overall, silk is the strongest natural fiber, has a beautiful drape and is naturally crease resistant. The drawback of silk is that it loses its strength when wet and therefore needs to be treated gently during laundering. At Rang Mantra, we have several combination of silk fabric such silk by cotton, silk by muslin etc.
- Dry Clean only.
- All these fabric are blends of cotton, linen and/or rayon yarns and hand woven. They yarns used in these fabrics are enriched with different properties and have different tendencies of shrinkage. Therefore, a minimum allowance of one inch has been incorporated in the standard sizing of these garments in order to compensate for the shrinkage.
- It is recommended that garments made with these fabrics are dry-cleaned in order to preserve them in their original form as when bought.
- Please note that the colors of these fabrics may run, although washing will not diminish the color and lustre of the fabric.
Cotton Saree
Your brand new saree, fresh from its package might feel somewhat stiff. This is just the starch that applied to the saree during the weaving process. During the gentle agitation some color might bleed from the saree. This is normal. However, it is better to wash one saree at a time to prevent any bleed over.
- Discard the wash water and refill the bucket with water.
- After a thorough rinsing, again gently squeeze out the excess water.
- Dip the saree in starch.
- Wring the saree.
- Now your saree is ready to be hung on a clothes line, preferably outside out of direct sunlight.
- To hang up first fold the sari in half. Give it a good shake as you are folding it to remove any wrinkles and kinks and hang it on the line.
- Let your saree hang until it is almost dry or slightly damp.
Almost all of Rang Mantra collections are handcrafted using the finest natural fibers. The subtle variations in color, texture and finishing are the signature of the human hand. Creating each product is a lengthy process rooted in the crafts-based traditions of hand spinning, dying, weaving, wood block printing and embroidery, each with its own regional specialty and character.
Dyes Used
We use both vegetable dyes and commercial dyes with the goal of minimizing our impact on the environment while striving for the best color properties. Many of our artisans use AZO free dyes.
Caring for Rang Mantra Products
Caring for your Rang Mantra products is generally trouble free. We offer the following information and care suggestions which will help you extend the life of your Rang Mantra products even further.
See our fabric care guidelines below for hand woven:
- Cotton
- Silk
- Blends of Cotton, Linen and artificial Rayon
- Cotton Saree
Hand-woven Cotton
Cotton is a very strong fiber, even when wet, so it holds up very well to repeated laundry. Hand-woven cotton fabric has the added value of allowing more air penetration and is therefore cooler, softer, more absorbent and breathes better than machine made cotton fabric. This added breathability means you will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Hand-woven cotton fabric also has a textural beauty and visible character which is not present in machine made fabric.
- Laundry
- Before washing test color for fastness by immerse the corner of the cloth in a cup of water for 15 to 20 minutes. If the color runs, dissolve five table spoons of salt in a bucket of cold water and soak the garment in this solution for two hours. This may ensure color fastness.
- Wash items with like colors and turn your clothes inside out, especially dark colors.
- Some colors may require to be washed separately the first few times.
- For machine wash, the following tips will help you extend the life of the product: - Machine wash cold on gentle cycle.
- Cotton should be hand washed in cold water with a mild soap. Wash colored clothes separately. Do not soak and dry in shade. Colors like maroon, red, purple, magenta, orange, dark blue, dark green and turquoise tend to run and should never be in contact with other clothes when wet.
- Keep your zippers and hooks closed to avoid snagging other items in the wash.
- If you choose to use bleach, use non-chlorine bleach which is less harsh on your fabrics and on the environment.
- Tumble dry low heat. - Remove items promptly from dryer, preferably when still damp.
- Ironing
Hand-woven silk
Overall, silk is the strongest natural fiber, has a beautiful drape and is naturally crease resistant. The drawback of silk is that it loses its strength when wet and therefore needs to be treated gently during laundering. At Rang Mantra, we have several combination of silk fabric such silk by cotton, silk by muslin etc.
- Laundry
- Dry Clean only.
- Ironing
- All these fabric are blends of cotton, linen and/or rayon yarns and hand woven. They yarns used in these fabrics are enriched with different properties and have different tendencies of shrinkage. Therefore, a minimum allowance of one inch has been incorporated in the standard sizing of these garments in order to compensate for the shrinkage.
- It is recommended that garments made with these fabrics are dry-cleaned in order to preserve them in their original form as when bought.
- Please note that the colors of these fabrics may run, although washing will not diminish the color and lustre of the fabric.
Cotton Saree
Your brand new saree, fresh from its package might feel somewhat stiff. This is just the starch that applied to the saree during the weaving process. During the gentle agitation some color might bleed from the saree. This is normal. However, it is better to wash one saree at a time to prevent any bleed over.
- Laundry
- Discard the wash water and refill the bucket with water.
- After a thorough rinsing, again gently squeeze out the excess water.
- Dip the saree in starch.
- Wring the saree.
- Now your saree is ready to be hung on a clothes line, preferably outside out of direct sunlight.
- To hang up first fold the sari in half. Give it a good shake as you are folding it to remove any wrinkles and kinks and hang it on the line.
- Let your saree hang until it is almost dry or slightly damp.
- Ironing