Why Down, Silk and Wool Shouldn’t Be Washed with Everyday Clothes

Last updated: 24 October 2026

The problem is “one tub for everything”

At home, and in some shops, all the clothes often go into the same tub and the same cycle. But different materials vary a great deal in how they tolerate water temperature, the alkalinity of the detergent, agitation and spin. Using a cotton cycle on down or silk is often where the damage starts.

Down: it fears alkali, high heat, and a hard tumble

Down washed the wrong way easily clumps, leaks feathers, and loses loft — and it must be dried through. Down that is dry on the surface but still wet inside will go moldy and smell from the inside after a few days. It needs a gentle cycle and drying equipment that is actually powerful enough; it is not a matter of tossing it in a washer and letting it spin.

Silk, wool and cashmere: protein fibres are sensitive

These animal fibres are damaged, shrink and go stiff when they meet a strong alkali and high heat, and they lose their hand. They need a neutral or specialist detergent, a low temperature, and gentle handling — a completely different logic from everyday clothes.

Cotton, linen and synthetics: more tolerant

Everyday cotton, linen and most synthetics stand up better to washing, so a stronger cycle can be used on the dirt. Dark and light colours should still be kept apart to avoid dye transfer.

So when we take items in, we sort them first

When we take them in we look at each piece’s material and condition, and sort them into dry cleaning, wet cleaning or a gentle wash. Only the same kind of material goes in the same load, and even the spin is done separately. Each piece gets its own tag, and you can see which station it is at and which rack it is on; it won’t be mixed with someone else’s clothes. We quote only after we’ve seen the garment, and we start only after you agree.

If you’re not sure whether you can wash a piece at home,send a photo on LINE and ask — that’s quicker. For prices by type, see theprice list。