Q: How do you keep luxury linens from fading?
A: It
is important to understand just what causes linens to fade. Most
likely, fading is due to a combination of factors, including cleaning
techniques, exposure to weather/sunlight, and normal wear and tear. Some
of these factors are out of your control. However, in order to minimize
fading, it is essential to take special care to control those factors
you can.
It
is a best practice to read and understand the fabric care instructions
label and adopt its laundering recommendations. Before washing, sort
your laundry into like colors. Always use a mild detergent, with no
Chlorine. Never use a fabric softener. Think cool! Washing in hot water
and drying on high temperatures will not only damage the fabric, but it
may also cause fading. If you line-dry your linens, avoid direct
sunlight, as the ultraviolet rays of the sun can cause colors to fade.
Here’s
something to keep in mind: if you have matching linens (a set of sheets
and pillowcases, a tablecloth and matching napkins, etc.) each piece
should be cared for equally regardless of whether or not it is soiled,
or even used. Wash them all together. The idea is to give each piece the
same frequency of trips through the laundering process to help maintain
color consistency. This practice will not necessarily help avoid
fading, but it will make any fading that does occur much less
noticeable.
Listening to the concerns of our customers, SFERRA developed the Bello
towels with greater loop fixation for enhanced softness and superior
absorbency, and used a special dyeing technique that maximizes color
fastness to light, weather, washing and chlorine. In fact, some of SFERRA’s hospitality customers purchase Bello to
use as pool towels because they can select a shade that coordinates
with their property’s colors and not be concerned with the fading caused
by excess exposure to the sun or contact with the chlorinated pool
water.
Below is an image of Bello's beautiful palette of 31 fade-resistant colors.This information is courtesy of SFERRA
