How to maintain natural colors
The colors are natural, they are sensitive but last over time, they don't fade after the first wash. Treat the fabric with care and attention, as something alive and sensitive, perhaps even precious. You can wash any of the products by hand or in the washing machine on a short cycle. It is important to use a mild detergent and not to use strong or bleaching agents or detergents. I do not recommend dry cleaning. Dry in a place away from direct sunlight. The wool is extremely thermo-adjustable, the new generation yarns ensure thermal comfort both when it's hot and when it's cold. You can wear a wool product all year round. If the product you bought is made of wool or cashmere, it does not require frequent washing. Merino wool has self-cleaning and antibacterial properties, is resistant to stains and odors. The simplest form of cleaning is by airing: leave the product outside to breathe, but not directly in the sun. You can wash it rarely, preferably by hand with as cold water as possible, or in the washing machine with the wool program (with reduced rotations). Use wool detergent or organic detergent with enzymes. Dry the product horizontally, on a towel, on the drying rack and not by hanging.
What is ecoprint technology?
Unique and unrepeatable creations - I have wanted to learn the ecoprint or botanical print technique for many years. For me, it was something particularly beautiful. I wondered what it would be like to have window blinds printed with real plants - natural, delicate pigments made by nature itself. I imagined the afternoon sun filtering through those colors, I saw myself contemplating the subtle, non-standard beauty of each leaf. Then, I could see myself wearing clothes embellished with ecoprint. They seemed simple, graceful, pure and, at the same time, sophisticated, refined but also funky.
In the age of copy-paste and speed, the plant printing method is the exact opposite. Ecoprint is by definition a slow, artisanal and sustainable craft . For me, it's an in-depth way of getting to know plants and an ongoing botany lesson. It's an alchemical craft, which you learn through experiment and patience, through observation and curiosity. A product printed with plants cannot be other than unique, unreplicable, unrepeatable. Ecoprint is a partnership between me and nature, where nature always brings its own variables, its own personality, into the equation.
The final product is born from the interaction of many factors and many printing techniques can be used. Plants that contain tannins, for example, print better. It matters a lot whether the leaves or flowers are fresh or dry or the season in which they are harvested, because the sap of the plant is different depending on the season. Printing is done by a boiling process in water or steam. The boiling time and pH of the water will influence the final result. The technique of preparing the material with different solutions, and the printing times, depending on the weight of the materials, are also part of all this alchemy and collaboration with nature. It is a laborious process , in which organization, discipline and continuous study are decisive. They say that sometimes it's the journey that shows you the destination. Here in the Valley, I fell in love with the journey - with the process itself of printing with plants.