we need to heal our clothes
We believe that even if clothes should not be easily disposable - but rather loved and carried through years - they should still be easily biodegradable in order to reduce as much ecological harm as possible.
This is made possible by consciously crafting high quality garments that should last through countless wears, but also by using high quality natural fibers and natural dyes that will naturally decompose, so that it all comes down to dirt.
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Most of our pieces are thoughtfully designed to be worn over and over, unrestrictedly. Because of their practicality they might need a little extra care over time. But remember that any hole can be patched up and any tear can be mended. Even if the colors slightly fade and your piece shows the marks of time, nothing can replace the stories and meaning behind an old and cherished piece of clothing.
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When getting an AWAWA knit, we encourage you to participate in this circular relationship.
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to make clothes that heal,
1/ UNDERSTANDING THE FIBERS
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Unlike synthetic fibers, natural fibers have amazing properties. Wool, in addition to being warm and breathable, also presents self-washing properties. Smells will most likely disappear simply by airing out your knit for a little bit.
Moreover, when it comes to wrinkle or slight distortion, a bit of steaming does the job perfectly. In short, it is unnecessary and possibly damaging to wash your knits too often.
Also note that a bit of pilling will always occur with friction regardless of the quality of the fiber. However, natural fibers don’t pill as much as synthetic fibers, and especially high-quality natural fibers like alpaca, merinos or mohair with which you will hardly experience any pilling at all.
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2/ UNDERSTANDING NATURAL DYES
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Working with natural dyes is literally working with living colors. They respond to everything in their environment, so they can be a bit tricky to care for. Depending on the plant used (they all have their specific chemical properties), the color is susceptible to change in contact with certain pH (alkaline or basic). First groundrule is to be careful around stuff like lemon juice, vinegar, iron and copper-rich water, etc. However, unlike permanent and soul-less synthetic colours, this possible evolution is something to embrace (happy little accidents).
When left in direct sunlight, the color might fade. But this is true to any types of dye, whether natural or synthetic. And this is especially true when wet. So never leave your knit to dry in direct sunlight if you don’t want to have this cool faded effect prematurely.
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3/ WASHING
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When the time comes to wash your knit (probably like once a year), simply let it soak in lukewarm water / about 20°C, with a mild detergent – ideally wool specific, without rinsing.
Gently wring out excess-water but be careful not to twist. Never spin in a machine or it will most likely shrink.
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4/ DRYING
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Lay flat on a towel. Never hang nor drape, or it will lose its shape. The heavier the knit, the longer it will take to dry. Wool dries rather fast. On the contrary, cotton takes a lot of time to completely dry up. Remember that wool has memory shape, so every time you lay your piece to dry flat, try to put it in its exact position.
Iron on low heat if necessary.
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5/ STORING
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Knits are better stored folded rather than hanged so they don't lose their shape. Beware of moths : ideally keep your knit in its original cotton bag or store with cedar wood balls or lavender - especially during warmer days.
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6/ MENDING
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Great tutos and books are available online on how to mend knitwear. To encourage you to do it yourself, we add to each order a CARE KIT including a yarn needle and a strand of yarn to get you started.
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If you need advice regarding the care of your knits, don't hesitate to reach out.
We might be able to help ! :)