Maintenance & Wash Care Instructions : Know How to Prevent Color Bleeding in Fabrics 

Hand block printing has been around Rajasthan for nearly 400 years now. An art form given to Jaipur by the "Chhipa community" that was known to live in Bagru village. Their technique was then adopted whole-heartedly in Sanganer (south of Jaipur) as well and in parts of Jodhpur. These prints bleed colors while washing them. It is advised to wash them before wearing so that excess color comes out. Keep reading to know how to stop clothes from bleeding color.

Let's first Understand the Process of Hand Block Printing..

Hand Block Printing

Hand block printing is a 4 level process that goes into printing the fabric.

1. Designing

First and foremost, the main task is the designing of the print. Then, wooden blocks are printed on the entire fabric. Moreover, the intricacy of the design indicates that more colours are being used.

2. Carving

Secondly, these designs are then traced on to the wooden blocks, generally made of teak by the master craftsman and are then carved by the artisans using hands.

3. Colour Making

Thirdly, another creative process, finalizing the shades and then mixing the colours using dyes. It's the art of mixing colour binder, dye, fixer and water which creates the beautiful shades that we see on the prints.

These colours are then transferred into the trays.

4. Printing the Fabric

Furthermore, printing of the fabrics is done on the tables ranging from 5 meters to 10 meters long with 4 layers of fabric below the actual printing fabric which soaks the extra colour.

5. Drying the Fabric 

Lastly, This printed fabric is then dried in sun, which helps in fixing the colour on to the fabric.

Color Bleeding : A Very Common Process

This fabric is then washed to check colour bleeding and remove extra colour from the fabric.

Issues that our Customers are Facing and How They Can Be Prevented

Our valuable consumers often complain about some specific issues when dealing with these fabrics, especially in block-printed ethnic wear. One of the major issues faced is Color Bleeding. 

How To Stop Clothes From Bleeding Color?

Hand Block prints are mud resisted natural prints, done with hand by our rural artisans. The color often bleeds. Moreover, that's the beauty of it. We always make sure that all such products are washed properly before they get dispatched to bleed the excess color out. Still, want to know how to stop clothes from bleeding color, follow these instructions:

1. Soaking Your Cloth 

First of all, soak the garment in the soapy solution for five minutes. Do not soak for a longer duration. Pre-soaked garments must be washed immediately.

 

 

A common mistake made by customers is that they may soak it in water for too long. This is completely inadvisable. This increases the chances of colour fading for these prints.

2. Wash Care

Second of all, wash the product before wearing it. This will help you prolong the life of your ethnic suits. Some hand block prints, especially Dabu prints may shed excess colour as they are prone to excess bleeding. Whereas, some are subject to minor color bleeding.

Most importantly, Indigo bleeds a lot. Should be strictly hand-washed separately. We recommend hand washing separately in cold water.

3. Use Mild Detergent

Third of all, hand wash lightly with mild detergent. Plus, do not wash with another garment. Dry inside out in shade. Dry clean is ideal but hand wash also works.

 

All our cottons are hand-block printed. Wash such products by hand for the first few times. Cold machine wash is ideal for later use. Do not dry the outfits in the drier.

You can also opt for a dry cleaning option. In other cases, wash the clothes carefully by hand.

4. Rinsing

Next, rinse it with excess water during the first wash to get most of the bleeding out at once. The fabric can be rubbed but make sure you do that very gently.

 

In addition, do not use a solid bar of soap or a brush. Rinse the garment a few times in cold water to remove the detergent completely.

 5. Drying in shade

Afterwards, dry your clothes in the shade. High-heat drying is highly discouraged for all the garments. Big NO to drying under direct sunlight. We recommend drying in shade in order to extend the life of the garment and prevent any damage.

 

Drying your clothes under the sun causes colour-fading. Therefore, hang them out to dry in the evenings or in shade.

6. Ironing 

Don't iron directly on block-prints.

 

Turn them upside down and then iron lightly.

7. Storage 

Finally, storing your clothes with care is essential. Hence, store garments in a cool, dry, place protected from sunlight.

 

Keep whites and light coloured garments away from the darker coloured ones.

To summarize, since the fabric is dyed using natural, vegetable dyes, it may rub dry or bleed colour on coming in contact with water for the first time. Make sure you take care of the above mentioned instructions. Eventually, taking care of your clothes will keep them looking good and fresh for longer.

Baisacrafts always want their customers to have a value shopping experience. We assure the quality and durability of all our products.

If you still find any assistance, please let us know in the comment section.

Also read,

7 Useful Tips To Take Care of Your Valuable Ethnic Wear