Taking Care of Your Luxury Linen Tuesday, May 19 2009

How to care for your luxury linens:

Dry Cleaning or Washing in Water

Most luxury linens can be washed in water. Dirty linen should be washed as soon as possible as this is better for the fabric.

Luxury linens made from plant fibres ( cotton, linen, etc..)

These types of fibres can be washed in water regularly but they can be susceptible to shrinkage.

Luxury Linens made from Animal-Derived fibres (silk, wool, etc..)

The safest and simplest way to care for these types of linens is to have them professionally cleaned. These linens must be washed in water gently and by hand if possible. If a washing machine is used it should have a delicate cycle and a temperature setting of 30° C or less. Wool and silk require careful care when drying and ironing. If you do not have the correct equipment, patience (essential!) or time then it is suggested you take your linens to a professional cleaner as too high of a temperature or excessive spinning can damage them seriously.

Luxury Linens made from Blended Fabrics

Blended fabrics can be washed in water as long you stick to the method stated for the most delicate fibre according to the following list:

Cotton – Linen – Silk – Wool

Any fabrics with more than three fibres should be dry-cleaned.

Luxury Linen Shrinkage

All natural fabrics shrink after they have been washed in water. This can vary from four to ten percent depending on the fibre and the water temperature. The colder the water the less the shrinkage and the less the potential harm to your luxury linen. Certain luxury linens allow for normal shrinkage. The most susceptible fibre for shrinkage is Wool.

Luxury Linen Article Sorting

It is always recommended to sort your linens by the different fibres (cotton, linen, wool, silk), colours (whites, light colours and dark colours) and also by the type (towels, sheets and tablecloths for example). Avoid including synthetic fibres and any articles that can damage your luxury linens with any metal parts such as zippers.

How to care for your luxury linens Blog #2

Washing in the Washing Machine

Any article with lace or embroidering is very delicate and should be enclosed large thin pillowcase or cotton bag.

The washing machine must be good working order and be capable of operating at the required temperatures and the desired washing cycles:

Whites:  50°/60°C

Colours: 30°/40°C

Delicate Fabrics: Cold water /30°C

Cold final rinse

Pre-soaking

When the wash cycle is completed the laundry should be removed immediately and shaken to minimise wrinkles. The washer drum should never be completely filled.

Temperatures

It is always best to use the lowest possible temperature.

The washing cycle should be selected using these guide lines:

Cotton and Linen: Whites at 60°C Colours at 40°C. These are the maximum temperatures and if they are lightly soiled then use 40°C for whites and 30°C for colours. For a more intense or cleaner wash then pre-soak the  laundry instead of increasing the temperature of the water. Remember to use maximum temperatures only on the hardest to clean items.

First Washing

Any household linen should be washed prior to using for the first time as fabrics do not come already washed. The first wash is extremely important as this will determine the future beauty of the fabric. The articles must not be folded when they are loaded into the machine. The articles should be pre-soaked in cold water with a small amount of detergent. The washing machine should then be run at a low temperature again with a small amount of detergent. The final rinse should be in cold water.

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Wedding Lists Friday, Nov 21 2008

Where shall we have our Wedding List is often just another decision to make on the road to “tying the knot”?

If you live in the Harrogate area, (and even if you aren’t so fortunate, the website is almost as good!) Woods of Harrogate is the most amazing shop. It is one of the few remaining traditional retailers left in the UK and well worth a detour.

A Weding List from Woods of Harrogate is the Perfect Start

The best thing about having your wedding list at Woods of Harrogate is that there is so much variety under one roof, and it is not the run of the mill stuff that you find in all the big chain stores.

Where to start? That may be the most difficult decision to make! Well, the bed linen is “the finest” – Frette must be the last word in luxury and with so many other makes to choose from, even the cheaper ranges are of a lovely quality. But don’t stop there because up on the second floor where the beds are “dressed” in all their splendour are cashmere throws, merino wool blankets, cushions, and the best pillow in the world.

Also upstairs are the towels in every colour you can think of, together with all the tempting little bathroom accessories that you didn’t know you needed, and some luxury toiletries thrown in for good measure. (I won’t mention the adorable baby towels, blankets and the dearest little bootees, may be not for the wedding list!)

Then you can look at all the kitchen essentials, things you need but all arranged in tempting groups so that it is easy to choose your favourite colour scheme. If you need fine table linen, there is that too, and gorgeous runners and napkins for the Christmas table.

The wedding list can be substantial, because there is so much more that can be included, glassware, tableware, silver, just lots and lots of tempting things.

My daughter and her fiancée had a wonderful time being let loose with all this to choose from. They even included a beautiful antique tea caddy on their list, which was something really special and just part of another section of this amazing shop.  As far as they are concerned it was the ideal place to have their list and would highly recommend the experience. The staff can’t do enough for you, which is always a bonus in this day and age!

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The Best Duvet in the World Friday, Jun 13 2008

How to select the Best Duvet

Since they were first introduced into the UK in the 1960s, duvets have gradually replaced traditional sheets and blankets. Today most people prefer to use duvets, not only because they are warm and light but also bed making is so much easier, a few quick shakes in the morning and it ‘s done.

Duvets are available with so many different natural or synthetic fillings, choosing the right one for your requirements can be daunting and finding stores with knowledgeable staff is not always easy. At Woods of Harrogate, our sales team are all fully trained to explain the different qualities of duvets and why buying the best quality duvets you can afford, is so important.

Natural filled duvets can look very similar but prices differ greatly, so what is the difference?

Starting with the cambric case, these vary in quality, the best ones being densely woven cotton cambric constructed in boxes with walls between to hold the filling in place. The walls are needed to stop cold spots, some cheap duvets are just sewn through, and this creates thin areas with no filling where heat escapes. Next the filling, this is usually goose feathers, goose down or a combination of the two. Adding feathers to a duvet makes it cheaper but also heavier. Top quality duvets are filled only with pure white goose down from geese bred in the coldest parts of Europe and Canada. These birds are left to mature until the down is at its prime to ensure the lightest softest down possible. Some duvets are filled with down from birds bred for their meat, these birds are killed before their feathers mature, this smaller down does not have the same “loft”, so will not feel as soft and will not last as long as it breaks down much more quickly.

Woods of Harrogate have a full range of top quality white goose down duvets in various tog ratings (tog ratings are the warmth values, the higher the tog the warmer the duvet). These include, our luxury 13.5 tog Canadian snow goose down duvet for cold winter nights, our four seasons Hungarian white goose down duvets in 4.5 tog summer weight and 9 tog spring/autumn weight (these are sold separately but can be clipped together to give a full 13.5 tog winter weight). We also have duvets filled with silk or wool; these are a good alternative for people who are allergic to feathers.

Stop Fighting in Bed!

The latest addition to our choice of white goose down duvets is “The Perfect Partner Duvet”. After listening to couples trying to decide the warmth needed when choosing a duvet together, we commissioned our German manufacturer to make a duvet to suit partners who require different tog ratings. One half of this wonderfully soft and light pure white goose down duvet, is a medium 9 tog and the other half is a full 13.5 tog. This ensures both partners have a comfortable night’s sleep and reduces bedtime fights! We have been amazed at how common this problem is as “The Perfect Partner Duvet” introduced 18 months ago, is now our best selling duvet.

All Woods of Harrogate duvets are made in Germany from the finest white goose down encased in top quality walled cambric cases and have a 15 year guarantee.

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The Best Dishcloth in the World Wednesday, Jun 11 2008

Wood’s Famous Linen Dishcloths

When William Ernest Woods opened his shop in 1895 his aim was to build a reputation for selling only the finest quality household linens available. From sheets and blankets to dusters and floor cloths, only the best were good enough to be put on the shelves of his Harrogate shop. If he couldn’t find an item to meet his exacting standards, he would find a manufacturer to make it for him.

Even the humble dishcloth had to be worthy of the Woods label. After trying several which he was not happy with the quality and performance of, he travelled to Ireland to find a manufacturer to make a linen dishcloth to his own specification. It had to be highly absorbent, long lasting and keep its whiteness. Once he was happy that these entire requirements had been met, he placed his first order and the famous Woods dishcloth was born. Customers soon realised just how good the Woods linen dishcloth was and it became a kitchen essential in many homes throughout Yorkshire.

That was 100 years ago this year and today Woods of Harrogate sell thousands of these highly absorbent linen dishcloths to our loyal customers both at home and abroad. They are sent all over the world to customers who tell us they cannot find anything to compare with the qualities of the Woods dishcloth anywhere else.

Woods linen dishcloth is far more absorbent than cotton, so mops up spills and splashes leaving work tops dry and smear free. It can be washed at a high temperature, if required, and will last for several months, maintaining its original whiteness throughout.

Thousands of satisfied customers throughout the world have used the Woods linen dishcloths for generations. If you have never tried one, in its centenary year, why not discover the secrets of the best dishcloth in the world. We know you won’t be disappointed and will never want to use anything else!

P S They are great in the bathroom too!

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The Best Pillow in the World Monday, Jun 9 2008

Restful sleep is so important to help you enjoy life to the full. One of the most critical, and sometimes overlooked, parts of getting the sleep you need is choosing a good quality pillow. There’s so much choice on the market today of fibre filled pillows, foam filled pillows and natural feather and down filled pillows that you could lose sleep trying to decide what to buy!

Woods of Harrogate have been supplying pillows for over 100 years and still believe that despite all the new synthetic fillings available, for softness and comfort natural, breathable pure white goose down is still the best filling available.

Last year, Woods decided to commission a luxury white goose down pillow made to their own exacting specification. To do this a huge amount of time was spent finding the finest cotton cambric woven to make the outer case, sourcing the very best white goose down available and finding a manufacturer that could be trusted to put together all these elements.

We are proud to say that this pillow is, in our opinion “the most luxurious pillow in the world“, a statement that has been verified by the many satisfied customers who have taken the trouble to call and tell us just how wonderful it actually is.

Soft and plump, this luxury pure white goose down pillow has just the right amount of filling to give support while retaining its wonderful softness. After sleeping on this exquisite pillow we are absolutely confident you’ll agree it’s the most comfortable pillow you’ve ever slept on.

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Sarah joins the firm – Woods of Harrogate welcomes a new family member Wednesday, Apr 23 2008

Sarah Woods Biography

Woods of Harrogate are pleased to welcome Sarah Woods, a 5th generation family member to the company, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

After gaining a B.A. Joint Hons degree from Leeds University, Sarah went on to study Interior Design at one of the most highly regarded Interior Design Colleges in London and on completion of her course was head hunted by one of London’s leading interior design companies.

Sarah has since quickly made her mark at Woods, where she has built up a considerable client base. Sarah is a young, enthusiastic and talented designer who is never happier than when she has a design problem to solve, or a blank canvas on which to work. She is always ready to take on new design projects, large or small. She is personally involved at every stage from initial concept to completion, allowing her to follow her lifelong passion for design. Sarah has embraced wholeheartedly Woods philosophy of “never standing still” and continues to take Woods forward, combining the best of the past with the designs of the future.

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Luxury Egyptian Cotton Bed Linen Friday, Apr 11 2008

The unique collection of luxury Egyptian cotton bed linen available from Woods of Harrogate is woven from the finest Egyptian cotton and manufactured to the highest standard. It includes cool, crisp, sophisticated cotton percale with traditional cording, drawn thread work or romantic embroidery and soft silky smooth cotton sateen, woven in intricate jacquard designs with a subtle sheen, all carefully chosen for style and quality.

Luxury Egyptian cotton bed linen is not only an indulgence but essential for a good nights sleep. Only Egyptian cotton has the qualities needed to weave the beautiful fabrics used for luxury bed linens.

What makes Egyptian cotton so special?

Egyptian cotton has always been recognised as the finest cotton produced anywhere in the world. Grown in the rich fertile soil of the Nile delta with plenty of sunshine and moderate rainfall, it takes seven months for the cotton to grow; it is then harvested by hand. This slow growth ensures a strong long staple fibre and it is this that makes Egyptian cotton so special

Only the very best of the long staple cotton produced is selected by the spinners to produce the extra fine yarns needed to weave the high thread count fabric used by leading manufacturers of luxury bed linen. This fabric is known as Egyptian cotton percale and has a minimum thread count of 200 threads per square inch, but can be as high as 500 plus.

There is a lot of confusion caused to customers by thread counts and the meaning of percale. Fabric can be woven using a mixture of cotton and polyester; if it is then woven with a thread count of 180 threads per square inch it can be called percale. Likewise fabric woven with inferior cotton yarn which is crammed tightly together to create a high thread count can be described as percale but this produces a heavier courser cloth. Only the finest Egyptian cotton is used to weave the fabric for luxury bed linen manufacturers.

The unique collection of bed linen available from Woods of Harrogate is only woven from the finest Egyptian cotton and manufactured to the highest standard.

Many of our new customers come looking for luxury bed linen after staying in 5 star hotels and have experienced the difference sleeping in smooth soft Egyptian cotton makes. On average most people spend a third of their life in bed so it is well worth investing in good quality bed linen which will give so much pleasure and comfort for many years.

To dress your bed in beautiful bed linen, some well chosen cushions, and a soft throw can transform your bedroom, adding style and elegance and making it a special place to sleep or just relax in pure indulgent luxury.

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April at Woods of Harrogate Friday, Apr 11 2008

April is always an exciting time for us here at Woods of Harrogate with new stock arriving daily.

It’s always nice to see the fresh new season colours for the bedroom, bathroom, and dining room. There’s also a fabulous new collection of kitchen co-ordinates and home luxuries.

Brighten Up Tired Rooms

After a dreary winter many people are looking to brighten up tired rooms without too much expense. Try new cushions for the sitting room using this seasons colours, it can to make a real difference.

A new duvet cover and pillowcases from our latest collection (we particularly like the Petit Pois range of Italian fine cotton sateen bed linen) can transform your bedroom, giving it a fresh new look.

And for the bathroom try a new towel in soft subtle shades with matching bath and pedestal mats and co-ordinating ceramic accessories.

So why not check out the Woods of Harrogate website or come along to the Woods of Harrogate Shop and be inspired. We will be delighted to show you all the beautiful new products available for the coming season.

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