Fabric Care

If you’re looking for a truly unique statement piece to wear this summer, you can’t go wrong with an African print dress. These are dresses that tell a story, not just through the colors paying homage to the African content, but all the hidden symbols hidden within their patterns that speak of old traditions and cultural ideals.

If you feel it’s time to celebrate your African roots with a statement piece from Nala Makeda, there are a few tips on how to care for your dress to ensure that it will survive many a fashion-season looking as good as new!

How to soften African Print Fabric?

Upon purchasing your dress, you will notice that the fabric initially feels somewhat stiff – don’t worry, this is due to a specific kind of wax coating used on 100% cotton, which is usually a lot stiffer than other fabrics, and there is a simple solution to this problem. The garment will soften after regular washing cycles but if you can’t wait to wear your dress immediately upon purchase, there are a few ways to soften your African print dress. You can soak it in a bucket of cold or lukewarm water with around 60ml of added fabric conditioner. You can also use your washing machine: add a bit of fabric softener and ensure your machine is running on a cold or lukewarm cycle. Once the machine starts its rinse cycle, pause it and allow the garment to sit for a few hours – all hail the modern-day rinse-hold option – before finishing the cycle.

Note: Avoid washing your African print fabrics on spin cycles! Also, be aware of the fact cotton is prone to shrink; never wash your dress on a setting higher than 30° C as these temperatures could be cause for extreme shrinking.

How to preserve the colors of African Print?

As is usual for handmade garments, one should always be sure to hand-wash, or at the very least, cold-wash these beautiful creations. It is widely known that regular wash cycles can contribute to fading colors, even if you are careful to always wash your garments cold. There is a simple trick, however, that can help you preserve the colors of your favorite African print dress. All you need is one standard ingredient you can find in any home and supermarket: salt! The chloride present in salt keeps your clothes bright and vibrant by sealing the color even across repeated wash cycles. Treat your African print garments to a spoon of salt during every wash cycle and you will be dazzling onlookers with their colors for years to come.

How to dry and iron your garments properly?

Just as spin cycles are a no-no, you should never tumble dry your African print dresses either – it will only compromise the richness of the colors and will contribute to a shorter lifecycle, particularly where colors are concerned. The ideal way to dry your dresses is by hanging them or laying them out to dry, just be sure to avoid direct sunlight, especially if they will be laying out for a long time as this could bleach the fabric. To iron your dress, always do so on the inside to preserve the colors. Use the cotton setting of your iron and double-check settings should you be using attachments for linen or other delicate fabrics, as these may follow a higher setting that could damage your dress.

 Nothing says conscious, stylish, and bold like a well-tailored gown or pair of shorts made with Ankara.

Ankara (or African print fabric) is a 100% cotton fabric, with patterns printed using wax and at least two different colors of dye. Because of this process, the Ankara fabric is delicate. It needs proper care to avoid slacking, fading, and a loss of vibrancy. So, the best way to maintain your Ankara clothes is by dry cleaning them.

The dry cleaning process uses cleaning solvents to ensure that you can launder your Ankara clothes and maintain the colors. For your dry cleaning needs in Panama, the Su Perc Klin service is perfect. You get experts, affordable prices, flexibility, and an assurance of quality.

Outside of dry cleaning, machine washing and hand washing are the other ways of cleaning your Ankara clothes. Machine washing is not advised as regular wash cycles make your clothes fade faster. So, where dry-cleaning isn’t available, hand-washing is the next best way to keep your clothes shiny and bright.

The hand-washing technique for your Ankara fabric is the focus of this guide. Read on to learn practical steps for maintaining your native attires by hand-washing, drying, and ironing.

Pre-washing

• Buy and use only mild bar soaps. Avoid bleaches and detergents.
• Before you begin washing, separate your prints from other fabrics. This is necessary because your Ankara might color bleed. So, mixing your fabrics while washing will discolor and damage lighter colored clothes.

Washing and Drying

• Use only cold or lukewarm water to wash and rinse.
• Add a tablespoon of salt into the washing and rinsing water. This seals the fabric colors and prevents them from bleeding.
• Scrub gently to avoid damaging the stitches and seams on your clothes.
• Rinse at least twice in clean water.
• Avoid wringing out the water after rinsing. Instead, roll the clothes in a clean white towel to squeeze out the water.
• Hang on a clothesline or lay them on a flat surface to dry.
• Avoid drying under direct sunlight. This contributes to the fading of colors on the fabric.

Ironing

• Ironing your Ankara attires should on moderate heat. Because it's 100% cotton, the cotton setting works best.
• Iron the clothes inside out, as this preserves the vibrancy of the colors.
• For clothes with linen or lace attachments, adjust the iron settings to suit the fabrics before use on those parts.
• For clothes that have embellishments like sequins and stones, use a pressing cloth. Place this cloth between the iron and your Ankara cloth. It should be white, clean, lint-less, and cotton.

• These steps are simple and easy-to-do. Follow them and you’ll find it easier to maintain the vividness of your Ankara clothes and increase their lifespan. Don’t forget to share with your family, friends, and followers. They, too, like good things.