We've put together a guide to help you care for our uniquie Indian clothing.

It all began at Woodstock. Jimmy Hendrix in tie-dye, velvet and fringes, Janis Joplin in flares and Joni Mitchell in cheesecloth maxis. Indian-made boho clothinghad its beginnings in 1960s hippie culture and is still adored today. 

Our Indian garments are made by a long chain of skilled and dedicated workers, literally passing from hand to hand. They are not made on a mass production line but rather hand-produced creations with all the intricacies that the process brings.

The garments are alive, the fabrics breathe and fall beautifully, each piece flattering, comfortable and uniquely individual.  

They have been designed and made with love for the past 30 years.  

Follow these tips to best look after them.

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Colour Families

Wash in colour families, keeping blues with blues, whites with whites etc. Some surface dye can come out of the garment, particularly in the first few washes. Washing in colour families means the garments help each other stay fresh and vibrant.

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Quality Washing Liquids

Use good quality washing liquid that is soft on fabric and isn’t harsh on the planet. Don’t use bleaches or stain removers (with the exception of stained white cotton garments).
Check out our friends at Pleasant State for environmentally friendly liquid wash.

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Handwashing is Best

Our garments love to be hand-washed due to the delicate nature of hand-produced creations.
A delicate washing machine cycle can also be used but we generally don’t recommend. Never wash them on the regular cycle and place delicate pieces in a lingerie wash bag.

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Drying

Drying your garments on clothing hangers is a good practice to best maintain their shape. Make sure to hang your darker clothing in the shade to prevent discolouration.

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Air Clothing

Instead of washing, you can always air clothes by hanging them outside in a shady spot for a few hours. This will freshen clothes that are not necessarily ‘clean’ but are also not ‘dirty’. Less washing is better for the environment and for your clothing.

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Be Creative

All garments eventually show wear and require some love. Use your creativity and customise your favourites – sew on a vintage patch, overdye a stain piece and perform minor repairs to extend the life of your darlings.

Indigo is a natural dye, coloured by hand to produce deep, beautiful blue hues.

Indigo’s name derives from its origin – simply meaning ‘the Indian’ or ‘from India’. The use of indigo dye dates back to 5000 years ago, and is reported as one of the oldest dyes in the textile industry. As we use a plant-based dye, the colour does not bond to the fabric as strongly as a synthetic blue dye (which only produces one colour). Today, there are very few producers that offer natural indigo dye – as they opt for cheaper and faster synthetic options. 

Tree of Life chooses to continue to use the natural and traditional method of indigo dying. Our indigo colour varies, dependent on where the indigo was grown and the weather at the time making each garment unique. Indigo may transfer onto other items so remember to wash your indigo garments separately and avoid wearing white or light colour undergarments. It has been known to transfer onto furniture and rugs, so take care where you sit until you are sure all surface dye has been removed through washing.

Take care that any light or white accessories such as white leather bags stay clear of your indigo garment until you’re sure the surface dye has stopped transferring. Not all indigo items shed surface dye: most are completely stable. A fixative can be used to help stabilise the dye, such as Synthrapol Detergent or Retayne Color Fixative. Wash indigo pieces with lukewarm water and a small amount of detergent to ensure they last.