Looking after your Culaidh
Every Culaidh piece is made to serve you for years. The cloth is exceptional — and exceptional cloth rewards careful attention. These guides will help you keep your pieces in the best possible condition, for as long as possible.
100% pure new wool — woven at Lochcarron of Scotland
Wool is one of nature's most intelligent fibres. It is naturally antibacterial, odour-resistant and remarkably resilient. Because of these properties, your Culaidh tartan suiting does not need to be cleaned frequently — far less often than you might expect. The guidance below will help your pieces stay fresh, retain their structure and last a great many years.
Day to day
01
After wearing, give your Culaidh garment a gentle shake in a well-ventilated space. This removes dust particles and allows the fibres to breathe and recover their natural shape. Hang on a good wooden hanger — never wire — and allow the garment to air for several hours before returning it to your wardrobe. This simple habit significantly reduces the frequency of dry cleaning required.
02
Wool's natural waxy coating makes it more resistant to staining than many fabrics — light marks should lift easily. For small stains, dampen a clean lint-free cloth with lukewarm water, add a very small amount of gentle wool detergent, and blot the area slowly. Never rub. Blot with a fresh damp cloth to remove any soap residue, then leave to dry flat and naturally away from heat or direct light.
On pilling. Some light pilling in areas of friction — the inside of the elbow, the side of the trouser — is entirely normal in the first months of wear. It is not a fault; it is wool behaving as wool does. Remove pills gently with a fabric comb or pilling remover, working with the grain of the cloth.
Cleaning
The care label on every Culaidh tartan garment specifies dry clean only. This is the recommended method for all our suiting and the safest way to maintain the structure, colour and weight of the cloth.
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Use a dry cleaner who has experience with tailored wool suiting and structured garments. Tell them it is 100% pure new wool tartan — the solvent, temperature and pressing method used all matter. A good cleaner will hand-press the lapels, seams and pleats as part of the service, which a home iron cannot replicate.
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A Culaidh garment worn regularly and aired properly after each wear will need dry cleaning only two to three times a year. Over-cleaning shortens the life of any wool garment. Dry clean when the piece genuinely requires it — not as a matter of routine.
Storage
01 · Hanger
Always hang blazers on a wide, shaped wooden hanger that supports the full shoulder seam. Wire or thin plastic hangers will distort the shoulder over time. Trousers should hang from the waistband, not folded over a rail.
02 · Space
Store with space around each garment. Overcrowding causes creasing and traps moisture. Wool needs air circulation to remain fresh and retain its shape between wears.
03 · Long term
For longer storage periods, use a natural cotton garment bag — never sealed plastic. Plastic traps moisture and creates the conditions for mould. Ensure the piece is clean and fully dry before storing; moths are attracted to perspiration and body oils, not to clean wool.
04 · Moths
Cedar blocks or lavender sachets placed in your wardrobe will deter clothes moths naturally. Replace cedar every six months as the scent fades. Inspect your wool pieces regularly — take them out, shake them, let them air. Moths dislike being disturbed.
Our tartan is woven at Lochcarron of Scotland — a mill that has been producing exceptional wool cloth for generations. It is a durable, timeless material that rewards careful attention. If you are ever uncertain about the care of a specific piece, or if something has gone wrong, please contact us at hello@culaidh.com before taking any action. We would always rather advise than have a piece lost to an avoidable mistake.
100% silk
Silk has been prized for thousands of years for its lustre, its drape and its remarkable ability to regulate temperature. It is a strong fibre when dry — but it requires particular care. Treated correctly, a Culaidh silk blouse will hold its beauty and drape for many years.
Cleaning
The recommended care instruction for all Culaidh silk blouses is dry clean only. Silk absorbs a significant amount of dye during the weaving process. That dye can be released when the fabric is exposed to water — making professional dry cleaning the safest method for maintaining the colour integrity and structure of your blouse.
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Take your silk blouse to a dry cleaner experienced with fine silk. Machine washing is not recommended under any circumstances. Although some dyed silks may be hand-washed at the owner's risk, we recommend dry cleaning for all Culaidh silk blouses to protect the colour, drape and construction of the garment.
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After each wear, hang your blouse on a padded hanger in open air for at least an hour before returning it to your wardrobe. This releases body heat and moisture, and helps the blouse retain its natural drape and freshness between dry cleans.
On perfume and deodorant. Apply perfume and allow it to dry completely before dressing. Alcohol in fragrance can stain and weaken silk fibres on contact. Allow antiperspirant to dry fully before putting on a silk blouse. Over time, perspiration and product residue that has not been dry cleaned out can cause discolouration that even a professional cleaner cannot fully reverse.
Storage
01 · Hangers
Hang silk on a padded or fabric-covered hanger. Wire hangers or wooden hangers with sharp edges can snag the weave or leave permanent dimples in the shoulder.
02 · Light
Silk is sensitive to UV light. Store in a dark wardrobe or in a breathable cotton garment bag away from windows. Even diffused daylight will fade silk with repeated exposure over time.
03 · Travel
When folding for travel, fold loosely and place tissue paper between the layers. This prevents creasing and protects the weave from friction against itself or against other garments in the same bag.
04 · Long term
Never store a silk blouse unworn for a long period without dry cleaning it first. Body oils and fragrance residue oxidise over time, causing permanent discolouration that a professional cleaner cannot lift even with specialist treatment.
A Culaidh silk blouse, cared for correctly, is a piece that will remain in your wardrobe for many years. It is cut to work with the suiting — tucked into the Pitlochry trouser, worn under the St Andrew's blazer, or alone. It is not a seasonal piece. If you have any questions about caring for a specific item, or if something has gone wrong, contact us at hello@culaidh.com before doing anything else. We would always rather help than have a piece lost to an avoidable error.