Introduction

Thank you for your Leontine purchase!  We hope you are thrilled with your custom creation.  We know that, with the glee of opening your package and seeing your pristine new linens often comes a dread that they will never look the same once they are introduced to your home.  Fret not – Leontine’s products are meant to be used, loved, and laundered – often and without worry!

Leontine products are made for everyday use.  Because our products are made of natural fibers, they evolve in both look and feel over time.  Air, water, soap, heat, light, and contact with human skin will change the textiles over time.  In general, fibers relax and soften, making them less prone to wrinkling and more pleasing to the touch.  Overall sizes, colors and textures will change slowly – this is normal and should be expected. 

Living with fine linens is a pleasure; caring for them can be as well.

Enclosed, we offer simple instructions for caring for your linens and outline some general cautions for ensuring their proper care.  In return, you will prolong the life of your linens, while preserving their beauty.  In fact, we think you’ll find that applying these guidelines to all of your laundry care – not just Leontine products – will benefit your household.

General Care

Machine Washing

Machine Wash in cold or warm water on gentle cycle.  Remove from washer immediately after cycle is finished.

Prewash your linens before first use.  Doing so improves the hand and absorbency of the fabric.  Likewise, washing before use prevents pilling by removing excess lint and loose fibers.
Always use a cold-water rinse cycle.  If presoaking is necessary, always do so in cold water.  Hot water damages and breaks the fibers and contributes to excessive shrinking.
Use a mild detergent, preferably non-alkaline, and never pour detergent directly on the textiles; instead dilute with water or pour into water-filled basin before adding linens. 
Use half the recommended amount of detergent.
Never use bleach or bleach-alternative product (including color-safe bleach or oxygenated bleach).  All bleach products damage the fabric fibers and cause yellowing or graying over time.
Do not use fabric softeners.  Fabric softeners coat the fabric and affect both the feel and the absorbency.  This is particularly important when caring for towels.
It is important to thoroughly rinse.  Poor rinsing can cause damage by leaving detergent residue that will scorch when ironed or turn yellow with time.  When in doubt, run the linens through a second full cold-water rinse cycle.
Separate linens from other items in the wash.  Never wash pique items with other pieces such as sheeting or towels, it will cause pilling.  Separate light and dark colors.
Do not overload machine – Items should move and agitate freely when the cycle is running.  Overloading the machine can cause fibers to break down from excessive abrasion.  Overcrowding the basin may also prevent the items from being properly and thoroughly rinsed. 
Remove washed bedding promptly from the washing machine to reduce wrinkling.  Shaking bedding out before machine or line drying will reduce wrinkles and quicken drying time.  On embellished items, removing promptly prevents an opportunity for embroidery or appliqué dyes to deposit on the fabric.

Drying

Line Dry -OR- Tumble Dry on lowest heat setting.  Remove while slightly damp.

Shake out washed linens prior to placing in dryer to cut down on wrinkling.
Never wring or twist wet fabric to remove excess water.  Instead, when necessary, roll the linen in a clean white towel.
Do not use dryer sheets.  Much like fabric softener, dryer sheets coat the fabric and affect its softness and absorbency.
Do not over-dry.  Over-drying results in broken fibers and threads.  Removing the linens 5-10 minutes before the drying cycle is complete reduces wrinkles and minimizes the need for ironing.
To prevent excessive wrinkling, do not overcrowd the dryer.
Remove pieces promptly, smooth and fold.

Ironing

Iron while still damp, on reverse side of fabric.  Use fabric-appropriate heat setting.

Make sure the face of the iron is clean before using.
For embroidered or appliquéd linens, iron on reverse side of embellishment atop a towel to preserve the three-dimensional quality of the embellishments. 
Use a press cloth, such as a piece of muslin or old pillow case, between the iron and the linen when pressing delicate fabrics such as lace or cutwork.

Storing

Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.

Do not store in plastic or in boxes, which causes yellowing and can result in mildewing over time. 
For long periods of storage, wrap between cotton or muslin sheeting or white acid-free tissue paper.
Certain woods, such as cedar, can also yellow or streak fabric.
Large pure linen items such as table cloths should be rolled and not folded for long-term storage.  Crease marks can weaken fabric.

Professional Laundry Services & Dry Cleaning

While nearly all of the Leontine product range is designed to be cared for at home, there are some items that, by their size and unwieldiness, are impractical to home-launder. Likewise, some product requires a front-loading washing machine to accommodate the piece.  While we do not recommend dry-cleaning cotton and linen fabrics in any situation, if you choose to do so, please find a reputable and trust-worthy cleaner.  When possible, professional laundering is preferred to dry-cleaning.

Professional Laundering is an option for the following fabrics/items:
Antique or Heirloom linens.
Heavily-embroidered pieces.
Pieces embroidered in deep reds, pinks, or blues.
Down Duvets and Pillows.
Bed Skirts.

Dry Cleaning is recommended for the following fabrics/items:
Italian Pique fabrics.
Cashmere or Cashmere-blend fabrics.
Merino Wool fabrics.
Silk.

Special Product Notes

Hand-Quilted Comforters

Leontine’s hand-quilted comforters feature a Dacron fill and Charmeuse cover.  They are completely washer and dryer safe, and wash beautifully when properly cared for.

Larger quilts (Twin-size and larger) should be washed in front-loading machine to accommodate the size and to prevent damage caused by the agitator in top-loading machines.
Tumble Dry Low.  Remove from dryer promptly.
Do not Iron. 

Down

Leontine’s down collection is hypoallergenic and covered in down-proof cotton batiste and cotton cambric fabrics.  However, to maintain its hyperallergenic properties, it must be cared for properly.  Below, some guidelines to ensure that your down product lasts as long as the beautiful linens that adorn them.

Always use a duvet cover and pillow protectors to keep your down pieces protected and clean.  Wash the covers regularly.
Duvets and pillows should be fluffed daily to maintain the loft and fullness.
Down products should be cleaned as infrequently as possible.  An annual laundering should suffice. 
Professional laundering is recommended, but home-laundering can be done with care.  Use a large, front-loading machine with extremely gentle detergent (half the recommended) and warm water.  It is critical that down be thoroughly rinsed of soap – we recommend several rinse cycles.  Thorough drying is also critical and usually requires several drying cycles on the lowest heat setting.  Remove periodically and fluff.  Clean tennis balls thrown in during the drying time will prevent clumping of down.
Avoid top-loading machines (with agitator), which can damage the delicate cotton cover.
Store in cotton bags, never in plastic. 

Terry Towels

Pre-wash before using to break in the cotton fibers, making the towels softer and more absorbent.  Cotton terry towels don’t achieve full absorbency for several washings.
Do not mix different types or colors of towels in the same load.
Do not use liquid fabric softener, it diminishes the absorbency of the towels.
Towels may snag from time to time – it is safe to simply clip the extended thread, but never pull.
Do not Iron.

Silk

Wash silk products inside out and avoid washing with garments that have buttons or zippers, which can damage or scuff delicate fibers.
Tumble dry on low heat until slightly damp.
Do not line-dry outdoors.  Sun damage will affect the texture and coloring of natural silks.
To regain luster and sheen, pressing is recommended.  Set iron on hot or silk setting, pressing on well-padded surface.

General Cautions

Shrinkage

Shrinkage occurs with all linens made of natural fibers.  The amount ranges from 2-10% depending on the fibers and water/drying temperatures.  The sizing of our product allows for the expected shrinkage following use of proper heat settings on washer and dryer.  Leontine Linens is not responsible for shrinkage as a result of washing linens in hot water or using a high heat setting on the dryer.

Personal Products

Many personal products such as face lotions, moisturizers, and hair products contain ingredients such as Alpha Hydroxy or Retinol-A.  These products will bleach and discolor sheets and towels over time.  Likewise, a countertop or surface that has been cleaned with a bleaching agent can discolor an item laid on that surface.

Bleeding

Many of our items are white or ivory and may feature a bright or deep trim, appliqué, or embroidery color.  Particular shades are prone to bleeding, such as dark pinks, reds, and blues.  Cold water in the washing cycle is recommended.  Likewise, linens should be removed immediately when the wash cycle is completed.  If the item is left in the washer and the fabric is left in contact with the colored embellishments, the fabric may pick up some of the embroidery color.  Often, when this happens, a second cold-water washing will remove the dye deposits.  Do not put any items with bleeding in the dryer, as the heat will set the stain. 

Pilling

Pilling results from a variety of lapses in care.  The first guard against pilling is to prewash your linens before use.  This removes any lint or dust that could contribute to the pilling.  Washing regularly and separate from other products will prevent pilling.  Mixing textures and fabric content in the laundry can result in pilling.  Leontine Linens is not responsible for replacing items that have pilled.

Pulls and Snags

It is not uncommon for terry to occasionally snag, in which case you can simply snip the snag with scissors, but do not pull on the thread.  To minimize pulls and snags, do not wear jewelry to bed and keep nails trim. 

On occasion, a loose thread might appear after washing on the embroidery or appliqué embellishments.  Trim with scissors, never pull. 

Wash Regularly

Washing linens regularly prevents pilling, staining, and premature aging.  Fabrics soften with washings and wear. 

Rotate your Linens

Properly rotating your sheet sets will extend the life of your linens – we recommend 2-3 sets per room.  Towels should be rotated regularly for even wear and tear.

To Iron or Not To Iron?

Ironing is certainly not requisite, but linens will always look their best when pressed.  By either line-drying or removing promptly from the dryer while still slightly damp will minimize the need for ironing, and items can be smoothed and folded.