Many men can become attached to their go-to wardrobe pieces and so feel the pain when these become stained or wrinkled, leaving them lost as to where to find a replacement that’ll ever measure up.
Among the list of the most delicate things a man can own, silk ties are one item in a man’s wardrobe for which proper care is essential. There has always been a lot of speculation regarding the best ways to look after your silk ties, but it needn’t be as elaborate as you think.
By following a few simple rules, you can ensure that your silk neck tie has a long and happy life. As part of DarbyMade’s commitment to ensuring quality and treasured pieces can be passed down to future generations, they’ve pulled together the definitive list of these rules for you to follow.
HOW TO – Untie Them
When it comes to caring for your silk tie, one of the most important factors is that you always untie it properly.
⦁ The most important thing to remember is never leave the tie knotted when not in use. This will create permanent creases that will leave it looking dishevelled and limp.
⦁ Always untie your tie knot by reversing the method used to tie it. This takes longer, but continually pulling the small tail blade through the knot will pull the silk out of shape.
HOW TO – Store Them
Silk ties can be stored loosely rolled or hung. Do not store ties folded or leave them crumpled, as they wrinkle very easily.
⦁ Roll ties from the small tip first and keep the furl very loose to avoid creasing.
⦁ Hanging takes up less space and is better for silk ties as it allows gravity to act on the natural fibres and gently pull out any wrinkles.
⦁ As a natural fibre, silk will fade and eventually be damaged by exposure to sunlight, so however you choose to store your silk tie, ensure it’s in a cool, dark place like a wardrobe.
HOW TO – Pack Them
The best way of transporting ties is in a tie case that holds them flat and secure. These are not expensive, but take up additional room, which is often critical when travelling e.g. flying with carry-on luggage only.
⦁ A more practical method is to fold the tie gently into four and carefully place it in another piece of luggage, such as the inside pocket of your suit jacket, or inside your shoes.
⦁ When you arrive at your destination, remove your tie and let it hang overnight before wearing to allow any wrinkles to relax.
HOW TO – Remove Wrinkles
Despite your best efforts, it’s likely wrinkles will form where the knot is made. Given how delicate silk is, for smaller wrinkles, it’s best if left hung up to let gravity do its work.
⦁ To remove stubborn wrinkles DarbyMade highly recommend you get a small hand steamer and gently steam away the wrinkles. Alternatively, hang the tie in the bathroom whilst you shower so the steam created can help the fibres relax.
⦁ Avoid ironing neckties as irons are likely to scorch or discolour silk ties. If you must iron your tie, place a towel beneath it, cover it with a slightly damp towel and use the lowest temperature setting on your iron. Allow the towels to dry before lifting them from the silk tie.
HOW TO – Clean Them
Acting quickly is the key to successfully remove stains from a silk neck tie.
⦁ Remember to always blot or dab a stain, never rub it as this will just spread the stain over more of the tie.
⦁ Remove water based stains immediately by dipping a clean cloth in a little sparkling water or tonic water and use it to gently dab away what you can.
⦁ For grease or oil stains, use a little talcum powder or corn-starch on it as soon as possible. Leave it overnight to absorb as much of the stain as possible before carefully brushing away it off with a clean soft cloth. Depending on the stain, you may need to repeat this process once or twice.
⦁ For serious stains, you’ll need to take a trip to the dry cleaners’. We recommend specifically asking them to use the gentlest chemicals they have. Also note that dry cleaners typically press ties flat using steaming machines. To preserve those rolled edges, always remember to ask them to hand press the neck tie.
