Care library
Clothing care guides.
How to wash, dry and store the fabrics a real wardrobe is made of. Most clothes die of care mistakes, not wear: knits felted in a hot wash, suede caught in the rain, denim tumble-dried grey. Each guide below is the short, practical version — what actually matters for that fabric, and nothing else.
By fabric & garment
18 guidesMerino, Lambswool & Cashmere
Wash less than you think. Wool is naturally antibacterial and self-freshening — an airing overnight does more than a wash, and…
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Raw & Dark Denim
Resist the first wash. Raw denim develops its fades — the honeycombs behind the knees, the whiskers at the hips — from where your…
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Leather Footwear
Let them rest and use trees. Leather needs a day to dry out between wears, so rotate at least two pairs. Cedar shoe trees go in…
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Suede
Proof them before the first wear. Suede is just leather with the nap raised, and that nap drinks water and stains. A…
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Down Insulation
Loft is warmth. Down insulates by trapping air in its clusters, so anything that flattens or clumps the fill — dirt, body oils,…
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Technical Rain Shells
A dirty shell is a leaky shell. The waterproof membrane breathes through microscopic pores, and body oils, sweat and grime clog…
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Waxed Cotton — Jackets & Bags
Never wash it, never dry clean it. Both strip the wax that makes the jacket weatherproof, and there's no gentle version — a waxed…
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Linen
Linen only gets better with washing. Unlike most fabrics, linen softens and improves each time it's laundered, so there's no need…
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Canvas Shoes & Trainers
Knock the mud off first. Let dried dirt firm up, then brush it away before it works into the weave. A soft brush and a little…
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Leather Belts, Bags & Small Goods
Vegetable-tanned leather ages, it doesn't wear out. Belts, a leather cuff, gloves and a good tote all darken and develop a patina…
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Cotton Tees, Polos & Everyday Knits
Wash cool and inside out. Cotton jersey — the tees, polos, tanks and long-sleeves — is the low-maintenance core of the wardrobe,…
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Cotton Shirts — Oxford & Flannel
Wash cool, buttoned up, and don't overload. Woven cotton shirts hold their shape best on a gentle 30–40°C cycle with the buttons…
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Cotton Twill — Chinos, Shorts & Casual Jackets
Wash inside out and rarely. The chinos, shorts, overshirt and Harrington are all cotton twill, and twill hides dirt well enough…
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Tailored Wool — Overcoat & Trousers
Brush and air after every wear. Tailored wool — the overcoat and the dress trousers — is refreshed far more by a soft clothes…
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Casual Leather — Sneakers & Sandals
Wipe them down, don't wash them. Minimal leather sneakers and leather sandals both clean up with a damp cloth and a little mild…
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Cotton Caps
Hand wash, never the machine. A washed-cotton cap loses its shape fast in a washing machine or dishwasher — the drum warps the…
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Acetate Eyewear
Clean the lenses wet, never dry. Wiping dust off a dry lens grinds grit across the coating and scratches it. Rinse the sunglasses…
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Watch & Everyday Jewellery
Keep them dry and off during chores. The field watch and the woven bracelet both last longest kept away from water, soap and…
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General reference
Reading Wash-Care Symbols
Five symbols, in order. Every care label runs the same sequence left to right: a tub (washing), a triangle (bleaching), a square (drying), an iron (ironing)…
Seasonal Storage & Moths
Always store clean. Clothes moths and carpet beetles feed on keratin in wool, cashmere and silk, and they're drawn to the invisible traces of sweat, skin and…
Dressing for the weather
Caring for clothes is half the story — choosing the right ones for the day is the other. Our layering guides cover every temperature band from a deep freeze to a heatwave:
Drobe
Track care for your own wardrobe — private, in your browser.
Drobe is a free wardrobe planner that lives entirely on your device: catalogue your clothes, get weather-matched outfits every morning, and let it remind you when the wax jacket needs re-waxing or the knits are due a wash. No account, no upload — your wardrobe never leaves your browser.