Up to date on: Aug 28, 2025 04:11 pm IST
Mildew, yellowing of cloth, insect holes, musty odour are among the challenges on your favorite silk garment this monsoon, if it isn’t saved fastidiously.
Whether or not it’s your treasured Banarasi silk saree or the costly Kanjeevaram silk, silk material is among the many most valued materials present in any desi wardrobe. In truth, silk clothes, whether or not it’s a saree or a lehenga, are additionally deemed heirloom items, handed down by generations. The important thing to defending these silk clothes is due care in order that the fantastic thing about the positive craftsmanship lasts. However one of many largest challenges for silk clothes in a wardrobe is throughout the monsoon.
Silk saree is delicate, making it extra prone to get broken by the monsoon’s humidity or pests. (Shutterstock)
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Khitish Pandya, Founding father of EcoTasar, instructed HT Life-style why this occurs. He mentioned, “Silk is a fragile, protein-based pure fibre that may be simply broken by extra moisture, fungal development, or improper storage—particularly throughout the damp and humid monsoon months.”
Lovingly, moms cross on their silk sarees to their daughters, so there is not any doubt in regards to the generational worth of silk sarees. However as Khitish mentioned, monsoon’s excessive humidity will increase the dampness, together with the pesky bugs that will even chunk by the fragile material. You assume your sarees are secure in your locked wardrobe, however how and from the place these bugs might ambush your loved one silk garments, you should have no thought. So as a substitute of regretting, it’s higher to undertake some proactive measures to retailer your silk clothes extra diligently.
Khitish Pandya listed out 8 sensible suggestions for shielding your silk garments within the monsoon, from storage to ample insect repellent components:
1. Guarantee silks are fully dry earlier than storage
- By no means fold and retailer silks which are even barely damp—whether or not from rain, physique moisture, or ironing.
- Moisture is the primary enemy of silk, because it encourages the expansion of mildew and weakens the fibres over time.
- If the silk has been worn, spot cleaned, or uncovered to humidity, let it air-dry fully in a shaded space earlier than storing.
2. Use breathable material covers
- Wrap your silk sarees, stoles, or clothes in gentle cotton or muslin material. These enable pure airflow, serving to to stop the buildup of moisture and odour.
- Keep away from artificial covers or tightly sealed containers. For added care, use unbleached muslin to keep away from color switch.
3. Keep away from plastic or vacuum-sealed luggage
- Plastic traps humidity, making a microclimate that is excellent for mould and fungus.
- In monsoon situations, it’s greatest to fully keep away from hermetic plastic containers or luggage for silk storage, even quickly.
4. Add pure moisture absorbers
Camphor repels bugs within the wardrobe, stopping nasty surprises. (Shutterstock)
Place moisture-control brokers in your wardrobe to soak up extra humidity:
- Neem leaves or dried lavender: Repels bugs naturally and provides a nice scent.
- Camphor tablets: Retains silverfish and moths away, however keep away from direct contact with material, wrap in a small material bag.
- Silica gel sachets: Helps management moisture however substitute them each couple of months for effectiveness.
5. Use easy pure dehumidifiers
- Place small pouches of rock salt, baking soda, or activated charcoal in your wardrobe. These attract extra moisture from the air and are straightforward to switch.
- Change them each few weeks relying on the extent of humidity.
6. Air and refold each 3 to 4 weeks
Be sure you fold your saree after taking it out, because it should not be allowed to sit down for a very long time.(Shutterstock)
- Silks ought to by no means sit folded in the identical place for lengthy durations.
- Each 3–4 weeks, take them out, unfold, gently shake them out, and refold alongside completely different strains.
- This prevents everlasting creases and permits trapped air and moisture to flee.
7. Retailer in a cool, dry, and darkish house
- Publicity to gentle, particularly direct daylight or harsh tube gentle, can fade silk over time.
- Use wood cabinets or cabinets in darkish, shaded areas of your house.
- Be sure that the house is clear, freed from pests, and never liable to leaks or wall dampness.
8. Use the correct hangers for dupattas and stoles
- Should you desire to hold lighter silk objects like dupattas or scarves, use padded or large wood hangers to stop stretching or marks.
- By no means use wire hangers; they’ll trigger everlasting dents and even rust stains.
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Catch your every day dose of Style, Taylor Swift, Well being, Festivals, Journey, Relationship, Recipe and all the opposite Newest Life-style Information on Hindustan Instances Web site and APPs.
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