For me, it lasts for as long as you maintain it well.
At a point in life, we all have cherished wearing our parents’/grandparents’ clothes from back when they were our age. These heritage moments are once in a lifetime opportunity and are memories for life. No matter how long it has been, it always stays fresh to us.
But have you ever wondered how these age-old apparels were stored?
Preserving fashion is a science combined with art and passion. Back in those days, they did not have the privilege of technology and convenience to store the special apparels or garments. Most of the times, the grannies used to stitch bags of cotton clothes to preserve their special apparels. In India, it was and still a custom to pass on the parents’ wedding wear to the kids. Such apparels were usually preserved in big cotton bags which were mostly hand stitched. These bags were customised according to the size of garment to be stored. All these garments were carefully cleaned for any spots, refurbished for damages, and then packed for a storage that would usually last for a couple of decades. These spot treatments or refurbishing usually happened at home using bleaches, detergents or “nani maa k nuskhe” as we all call it.
The apparel was then covered in layers of raw cotton to prevent friction amongst the embellishments and keep the shine intact. A lot of times it was also sprayed with a “spirit” like solution (mostly used in medical establishments) or Boric Acid powder to keep the pests away. Any tassels, hangings, removable attachments were brushed or removed carefully to be packed separately. Each piece of the garment used to be taken care of perfectly. The box or the suitcase (in most of the cases) in which the garments were stored were filled with naphthalene or camphor balls to shoo away the rodents, too.
We have come way farther than those days. We have all the modern needs sorted for us now. We have our storage in place. Niche and sturdy modular furniture today has sorted our long-awaited storage issue. But we still love to preserve our and our parents’ or grand parents’ heritage for the future generations to cherish. The bigger challenge here is to put in the effort, time and right expertise in preserving the Fashion today.
Fashion from the past few decades have transformed exceptionally. The increasing demands and rapidly changing trends have brought in innovations that have led us to an era of fashion where anything and everything is possible. Even though we enjoy the changing trends in fashion, there are still a few sets and pieces that we want to stay fresh forever. This is where we need the expert preserving solutions.
To preserve and keep a garment new as ever we need to keep in mind the following things:
- The Garment should be cleaned thoroughly:
Most of the garments today come in a combination of multiple fabrics, dies and variety of embellishments. Once we have worn it, we usually tend to have sweat, food and mud on it as common issues of garment soiling. Cleaning a garment thoroughly to get rid of all these issues is very important as these may cause Fungus or damages to the garment in the long run.
- Air drying is absolute must to lengthen the raiment’s life:
A garment if packed with moisture will be damaged within months. Fungus, moth, pests, etc. inhibit in environment that are otherwise humid and warm. These can cause a permanent damage like non removable spots, dissolving of yarn, breakage, or tear, etc. to your favourite piece of fashion. Hence, make sure your raiment is perfectly and 100% dry before you pack it to store.
- Folding or hanging- Chose the right way to store:
A lot of fabrics cannot be stored in a folded manner. Delicate fabrics like silk, zari/ wire woven fabric, mulmul, etc. tend to tear off or dissolve at the folds very easily and quickly. They may also develop permanent fold marks at those places if are not properly cared for.
Similarly woollen or other knitted fabrics cannot be stored hung for long as they may deform in shape over the period. Hence, it is always suggested to check the way you store your garments.
- Try to opt breathable packaging:
Breathable packaging helps to prevent the garments from fungus, pests, etc. Opting for soft/ organic packaging also helps in maintaining the shine, texture, and freshness of the garment for a longer time.
- Periodic checking is a definite need:
Once you have taken care of your favourite piece there, don’t just forget it. Keep a periodic check on it. Get it cleaned at least once a year by experts to give it a longer life.
It’s always good to relish a memory every now and then. Reliving your best moments are always the game changer.
But, this is a passionate and time consuming task and we @IDC understand it completely. So leave you favourite garment with us and we will return it to you in a “perfectly ready-to-store” way. Let the experts take care of your memories for you!