Linen & cotton

Soft, then softer.

Linen and cotton get better with age. They soften, they breathe, they crease — on purpose. A few notes:

• Cool machine wash (30°C), inside out, with similar colours.
• Line dry in shade. Direct sun dulls saturated colours over time.
• Iron on the reverse while slightly damp. Or don’t iron at all — the relaxed look is part of the cloth.
• Avoid bleach and tumble drying.

The linen softens with every wash. That’s not wear — that’s the cloth becoming yours.

Leather

Wears in, doesn’t wear out.

Real leather will deepen, scuff, and develop marks. This is part of why we choose it.

• Wipe with a barely-damp cloth after a long day. Let air dry away from radiators or direct heat.
• A neutral leather cream or balm, once a season, keeps the leather supple. Apply sparingly, buff with a soft cloth.
• Light scratches usually soften within a few wears. Don’t scrub.
• If they get caught in rain, blot dry — never tumble dry, never near a radiator.

Marks aren’t the end of the leather. They are the leather remembering where you’ve been.

Suede & nubuck

The softest, the most particular.

Suede and nubuck are sensitive to water — but with the right routine, they last for years.

• Brush gently after each wear with a soft suede brush, always in one direction.
• Apply a suede protector spray when the pair is new, and again every six weeks of wear.
• If they get wet, let them air dry fully, then brush the nap back up before storing.
• For marks: try a clean white eraser or a suede block. For oil: blot, then sprinkle talc, leave overnight, brush.

Canvas & jute

The summer pieces.

Espadrilles and canvas shoes are built to be lived in, but treated kindly they keep their shape for many summers.

• Spot clean with a soft brush and mild soapy water. Never submerge — jute soaks and warps.
• Air dry away from direct sun.
• If they get caught in rain, stuff with newspaper to draw out moisture and hold shape.
• Store in a breathable bag — not plastic — through winter.

Everything else

Wear it. Then wear it again.

The pieces we choose are made to live. Hang dresses on padded hangers, rotate shoes so a pair gets a day off between wears, fold knits flat rather than hanging them. Small habits, longer lives.