After every 2–3 wears for heavily embroidered or embellished pieces. For lightly worn occasion lehengas (worn for a few hours at an event), you can air the garment for 2–3 hours and refold before the next wear. Always dry clean before long-term storage — even if it looks clean. Invisible body oils oxidise over months and cause permanent staining.

No. Pure silk and tie-and-dye outfits must be dry cleaned only. Water leaves permanent marks on the silk weave, distorts the fabric's structure, and causes dye bleeding. Even a small splash of water on dry silk creates a ring mark that cannot be removed. The only exception is net or light-colored with no embellishment — those can be cold hand-washed with mild shampoo.

Act within 5 minutes and blot — never rub. For oil or food: sprinkle cornstarch or talcum powder immediately, leave 30 minutes, brush gently, then take to dry cleaner the same day. For makeup or lipstick: press gently with a white cloth dampened with micellar water, then take it to a dry cleaner within 48 hours. For colour bleed or perfume spill: do not attempt to treat at home — go directly to a specialist dry cleaner. Speed matters more than the treatment method.

Dry clean it first — non-negotiable, even if it looks clean. Wrap in pure white muslin cloth (not plastic, ever). Fold only along plain seam lines, never along embroidered sections. Add 2–3 neem leaves or a lavender sachet to deter insects. Store flat in a cool, dark, dry location. Check and refold along different lines every 3–4 months. For lehengas you intend to keep as heirlooms, contact us — we advise on professional archival storage.

No — always apply perfume and deodorant before wearing, never onto the fabric itself. Alcohol in perfume fades dyes, discolours embroidery, and can permanently mark certain fabrics — especially silk and net. Same rule applies to hairspray. Once the perfume has dried on your skin, then you can safely put on the garment.

You can, but you shouldn't — at least not regularly. Narayanpet handloom cotton is hand-woven on traditional pit looms, and machine agitation — even on a gentle cycle — weakens the warp and weft structure over time, loosens the woven border, and causes uneven shrinkage. Cold hand wash is always the right choice. If you absolutely must machine wash, use the gentlest delicate cycle, cold water only, and a mesh laundry bag. Never do this for pieces with zari borders.

Light starch after washing gives Narayanpet cotton its characteristic crispness and makes it easier to drape and wear. A diluted rice starch or commercial fabric starch (used sparingly) works well. However, do not over-starch — heavy starch makes the fabric brittle over time, which weakens the handloom weave at fold points. One light application after washing is enough. Skip starch entirely if you prefer a softer, more relaxed drape.