Most damage to embroidered clothing happens in a cupboard, not at an event. Here is what actually matters.
Cleaning
Dry clean only, and tell the cleaner the piece is hand-embroidered before you hand it over. Ask for it to be cleaned inside out. Never let anyone steam-press directly over zardozi or sequins. The heat dulls metallic thread permanently and can melt sequin film.
Clean less often than you think. A garment worn once for an evening usually needs airing, not cleaning.
Spot treatment
Blot, do not rub. Rubbing pushes the stain into the weave and can lift embroidery threads. Cold water on a plain cotton cloth, pressed gently, handles most fresh spills. Leave anything oil-based to a professional.
Storage
- Wrap in muslin, never plastic. Plastic traps moisture and yellows silk.
- Fold heavy pieces rather than hanging them. The weight of embroidery will distort a shoulder seam over months on a hanger.
- Refold along different lines every few months so a permanent crease never sets.
- Keep away from direct light. Sunlight fades dyed silk faster than any amount of wear.
Humidity and metallic thread
Zardozi tarnishes in damp air. If you live somewhere humid, a small sachet of silica in the storage bag does more good than anything else on this list. Do not let it touch the fabric directly.
Loose threads
If a thread lifts, do not pull it and do not cut it flush. Push it back through to the reverse with a blunt needle, or send the piece to us. A single lifted thread on aari work can unravel a whole chain if it is cut.
Treated this way, an embroidered piece outlasts the person who bought it. That is more or less the intention.