To ensure that you will be able to enjoy your new linens for many years to come, we ask you to bear in mind the following recommendations.
Inspection/sorting
New linens should be inspected and washed before first use. This will extend the life of your product.
Please do not wash any items if you detect any flaws in the weave or errors of workmanship that may have crept in despite our rigorous inspection process. Instead, please call us on +41 34 428 11 11 – we will be delighted to address any issues.
Linens should also be inspected and sorted before everyday washing: spilled condiments, cutlery, small change, hairbrushes, etc. not only damage your textiles – they can also affect your washing machine.
Please sort your items into whites and coloureds before washing, and always wash separately.
Likewise, never wash towels together with other textiles.
First wash of table linen and bed linen
Before new items are washed for the first time, any finish from the manufacturing process should be removed. With individual items, this can be achieved by soaking for 12 hours in a lukewarm alkaline detergent solution (with a pre-wash/colour detergent). Especially if there are several items or a large volume of material, it is recommended that these be treated in a washing machine, separate from the rest of the wash, as follows:
- only half-fill the washing machine
- select a temperature of 30-40°C
- select a gentle/care setting
- reduce the dosage of detergent for pre-wash and main wash by about 10%
- it may also be necessary to repeat this first wash process at 60° or higher;
- please refer to the care instructions.
It is normal for there to be some shrinkage in materials made from natural fibres (cotton, linen, etc.). It can therefore take several washes in addition to the first wash to attain the desired size/the maximum shrinkage.
Please note: If items are washed at lower temperatures than shown on the care label, it is to be expected that less shrinkage will occur. Thus, for example, a 52x52cm serviette may remain this size instead of shrinking to the desired size of 50x50cm.
The first wash process returns the piece of laundry to its normal shape: the weaving, refining and finishing processes stress the fabric and can cause it to lose its shape slightly. Washing plumps up the fibres and allows them to regain their original shape.
First wash of terry toweling
Please unpack towelling products carefully and wash them immediately at the recommended temperature (generally 60 or 90°C), as loose threads are pulled more easily when the textiles are new. Washing at a lower temperature means the fabric is unable to strengthen and consolidate properly. During the first wash cycle, for which the machine should be completely full, many newer models of washing machine allow users to select a soaking programme which can be left in place overnight. This allows the fabric to soak up liquid, and the subsequent washing and high-temperature tumble drying processes strengthen the basic fabric and make the threads harder to tease out. Ensuring the washing machine is completely full minimises the extent to which the textiles rub against the inside of washing machine drum and prevents pilling. Always wash towels with a lot of water and only a very small amount of chemicals. Throughout the entire life cycle of the material, users should try to avoid catching it on jewellery (watches, rings, earrings, etc.).
Main rules for washing
After the first wash process, items can be washed as normal according to the guidelines provided in the product description. Pure linen, union linen, cotton, cotton blends and modal fibres can be washed at 95°C if the material is white or of a white warp with coloured weft. Partly coloured materials should be washed at 60°C even if marked as boilfast and chlorinefast and washed at 95°C only where necessary, i.e. in the event of stubborn grease stains. Your colours will thank you for it!
- Normal washing machine load – do not overload!
- Wash temperature as per product description
- Amount of detergent as per consultation with your supplier
- Always ensure that items have enough residual moisture before putting them through a mangle; never mangle dry material
Always wash coloured (light/dark) and white items separately.
Fabrics made from man-made or synthetic materials should be washed at 30-40°C and hung up when still damp. We advise against using either tumble dryers or mangles for these products. If there is no other option, then they can be tumble-dried for short periods at low temperatures. Never leave them in the tumble dryer as this can cause permanent creases.
Care information for Teflon-treated table linen:
- Only wash at 30°C on the delicate setting
- The first wash should also be on the delicate setting at 30°C/ideally curtain programme!
- Do not tumble dry
- Do not bleach
- Cool iron only
- Do not use a mangle, as the fabric may stick
Never overload the washing machine: the laundry should still have room to move around in the drum. Automatic washing machines will calculate the correct wash ratio (liquid to laundry) themselves.
Your detergent supplier will be able to advise on the dosage and type of detergent to be used in each case. Schwob AG linens are optically brightened. We therefore recommend that you use a detergent with a built-in optical brightener to ensure that the colour matches our colour chart. Using a detergent without an optical brightener could result in colour deviations.
Chlorine-proof table linen can be washed with chlorine as directed by your detergent supplier.
Ironing/mangling
Pure linen and union linen should only be ironed or mangled when damp (residual moisture -50%). Never put washing through a mangle when it is too dry.
We recommend that all items be mangled lengthways, i.e. in the direction of the warp. «Crosswise mangling» (mangling in the direction of the weft) will impact the item’s length.
Crinkled bed linen (seersucker) must not be ironed or mangled as this will erode the creased effect.
Care instructions for «Le Nouveau Chef» clothing
Before use:
We recommend washing items at 30°C before use; this is important because it will prevent stains from becoming as deeply ingrained. After this first wash, please follow the care instructions on the label.
Heavily soiled clothing:
Heavily soiled white clothing should be left to soak overnight and then washed at 40 or 60°C using the hand wash cycle. Low temperatures (40°C) are better for removing grease spots, while fruit and vegetable stains come away more easily at higher temperatures (60°C). After rinsing and spinning, the clothing should be hung up to dry for best results.
Coloured clothing:
Coloured clothing should be washed separately from whites.
Items made from 100% cotton!
We recommend that any items of clothing made from 100% cotton (including waistcoats and aprons) be washed at 30°C. If the item is made up of both black and white material, we recommend that you adjust your washing powder usage accordingly. Items should be ironed at a fairly low temperature and without steam.
Printed clothing:
- Wash at no more than 40°C
- Do not chlorine bleach or dry clean
- Not suitable for tumble drying
- Do not iron printed area
On receiving your items, please check the quantities, colours and sizes immediately, as we cannot guarantee to exchange any item which has been washed and worn.