Care & Keeping

Bonfire smoke can linger in clothes long after the fire is out. Here is what the smell actually is, why fabric holds it, and the evidence-backed way to remove it.

Visible mending can keep damaged clothes wearable without pretending the damage never happened. I repair a torn pair of jeans, look at sashiko and boro properly, and consider why a repair does not need to disappear.

A missing care label removes the certainty from washing wool. Here’s how to work from the lowest-risk option upwards, when cautious hand washing is reasonable and when to leave the jumper alone.

A wool coat caught in rain usually needs careful drying before it needs cleaning. Here’s what to do when you get home, what to leave alone while it dries and when I would hand the coat to a professional.

A £8 cotton jumper, a £110 cashmere one and a stubbornly bobbling shirt make a poor quality-ranking system. Here’s what pilling can actually tell you — and what it can’t.

A practical guide to repairing an open seam in a coat lining, including how to identify failed stitching, when the fabric is too damaged to stitch directly, and how to close the seam neatly by hand.

Velvet, silk and cashmere are all delicate for different reasons. Here is how to recognise what can go wrong, deal with stains cautiously and know when to stop.

Wool is easy to store badly. Here’s how I clean, inspect and put away coats, knitwear and other wool clothes so they survive summer storage without feeding moths or losing their shape.

Learn how to wash, air, store and repair vintage and second-hand clothes without overcomplicating the process. A practical beginner’s guide to care labels, stains, knitwear, tailoring and knowing when to call a specialist.