Our products are handcrafted from start to finish, and are built to last. If you have specific questions about care, please don’t hesitate to email us. We would love to hear from you at hello@kakawdesigns.com

Naturally-dyed garments

Please treat our naturally-dyed and hand-woven cotton garments with gentle care, preferably washing by hand and drying flat or on a line in the shade. The dyes have been locked-in with a mordant and the yarns carefully pre-washed before weaving, but it is still normal for some color to run during the first couple of washes. If this occurs, you can choose to "wash it out" separately, or oak the textile in a tub of cold water mixed with a bit of vinegar or lime juice for a few hours. Hand-wash, air dry in the shade, and ta-da! We recommend further washing to be done separately to avoid any bleeding of color into other garments. Please use gentle detergent.

For wool products, be especially mindful that warm/hot water and rigorous washing will felt your textile. Felting will also shrink your piece. Sometimes this is desirable, but if this is not what you are looking for, make sure to wash gently with cold water only. Here are tips on how to maintain your wool rugs clean without washing them.

Vintage garments

Because pre-loved pieces have already been washed many times, you don't have to worry about the color running. This is true for the vintage huipiles and garments made with repurposed corte fabric on our website. We do recommend all backstrap-woven pieces (huipiles, fajas, etc.) to be flipped inside out and washed by hand, but larger pieces made with repurposed corte can be machine-washed in gentle cycle. Please use gentle detergent and line dry in the shade, preferably garments inside out (to minimize sun damage). If there are fringes to take care of, it's a good idea to use a mesh bag.

Other handwovens

Many of our Artisan Direct listings are not naturally-dyed, but handwoven on either backstrap or pedal looms. For these newly-woven pieces, we recommend washing by hand separately in cold water with gentle detergent, and line drying in indirect light. Be careful not to tangle up fringes.

Products with leather

Handmade quality leather products can last many happy years. Shoes become more and more comfortable as you wear them, since the leather molds around your feet.

Here’s a little guide to make sure your leather bags, shoes, and boots enjoy a long and happy life:

1. Polish the leather.

We include a shoe polish kit with each pair of shoes and boots to make this easier for you! Just rub the polish onto the leather parts of your boots with the crote cloth. This will protect your boots, give them a nice shine, and make them softer.

For bags, we recommend using a clear polish or oil and wiping it very well so it doesn't stain your clothes when wearing.

2. Clean the textile.

Spot-clean by dabbing the textile with a bit of water and gentle detergent.

Here in beautiful Antigua during the rainy season, everything gets damp and inevitably some things mold if they are not properly maintained. If you live in a similar climate, we recommend a healthy dose of sunshine, air, and tea tree oil.

Ceramics

Our original ceramics are fired at high temperature, making them resistant and practical pieces for use. They are dishwasher and microwave safe. But for best long-lasting care, we recommend washing by hand and avoiding the microwave, as our ceramic artist friends tell us that repeated exposure to these machines ultimately decrease the piece's lifespan.