how to care for your Little Strudel clothing

wear it, love it, pass it on

 

We want your little ones to get the most of their little strudel purchases. 

Our wash care instructions have been tailored to each product so that you can keep them looking their best for longer. Always follow the care label provided inside the garment and check out our handy tips below 👇

 

Knitwear

  • We recommend washing at a maximum of 30 degrees. Most of our knitwear is made from 100% cotton. It’s durable,doesn’t bobble easily and keeps its shape well. But cotton + high heat = shrinking. Spot treat stubborn stains before washing and avoid high water temperatures. 
  • Always wash on a gentle cycle to keep knitwear looking its best. A hand wash setting on a washing machine is perfect. If you don’t have this, lower the spin to around 800 so the yarn doesn’t become too agitated. 
  • For heavy knitwear that may still be too wet from the machine, you can gently roll the garment up in a towel to squish out any excess water.
  • Avoid putting knitwear into the machine with heavy or abrasive clothing like denim or garments with zips/ metal trims that could rub against the yarn and cause damage. 
  • Gently reshape the garment by hand before drying on a drying rack. If you have the space, dry flat, especially for heavy pieces as this helps keep the shape. 
  • Avoid drying on or very close to a radiator to avoid unwanted shrinkage or any damage to the fibres. 
  • You may find most of our knitwear doesn’t need ironing after washing, especially if washed and dried with care. If you do want to iron your Little Strudel knitwear, avoid high heat. 

Snags and loose threads

  • Snags and loose threads can happen (especially with childrens clothing which have to stand the test of heavy play). If you find a snag or loose thread has appeared on your little ones knitwear, use a pin or a sewing needle if available, to poke it through to the reverse side of the garment. If the yarn is long enough, tie it in a knot to secure it. If it is not long enough, just try to poke it neatly between the knit on the reverse side and it should stay there and avoid becoming any worse. 

Faux Fur

  • Faux fur often starts out looking great, but can become worn and matted over time. You may even be afraid to wash faux fur when the care label says it's safe to do so in case the pile becomes flat or tangled. The secret to keeping faux fur looking brand new for longer is brushing! Just use a soft bristled toothbrush or a baby hairbrush that you no longer need and gently brush in the direction of the pile until it fluffs up again (just remember to keep the toothbrush well away from your bathroom cabinet afterwards! That’s a mix up you don’t want to happen!)
  • You can also brush off any dried dirt/ marks before wiping with a damp cloth to avoid the washing machine. 

Embroidery/Prints and Embellishments

  • Avoid ironing directly over embroidery/ prints and embellishments. If there’s a stubborn crease in that area, turn the garment inside out and place a tea towel or piece of cotton fabric over the embellished area before ironing. 
  • Turn clothing inside out before popping in the washing machine so that the visible side isn’t being rubbed against other clothing or the washing machine drum.
  • On hot sunny days, hang to dry inside out to keep prints from degrading in high heat or bleaching out in the sunlight. 

Avoid fabric softener

  • For baby and childrens clothing this is a tough one, because of course we want our little ones' clothing to be as soft and comfortable as possible. But avoiding softener will keep their clothing in tip top shape for longer. Softener can actually break down the fibres over time and damage the fabric, making it more prone to stretching and tearing. It can also leave a residue on the fabric that can reduce the breathability of the clothing. 

More general tips

  • Washing,drying and even ironing clothing inside out can avoid any damage to the outside of the garments and keep them looking new for longer.
  • Washing very bright colours on a cold wash will stop colour fading as fast
  • Black and navy also benefit from being washed on cold to keep the rich colour for longer. Pre-treat stains wherever possible to avoid having to use hotter water. 
  • Air dry clothing instead of using a tumble dryer wherever possible. The tumble dryer can damage and strip away the fibres, making the fabric weaker over time. 
  • Avoid using too much detergent or very strong detergent, as this can leave residue on the fabric which will weaken it over time. 
  • If your well loved and worn pieces are starting to look bobbly, invest in a bobble remover. It’s very satisfying to use and will leave tired looking garments looking brand new with very little effort.