Care Instructions

Keeping hand embroidery and delicate fabric at their best

These are Hammad Bespoke Official's care instructions for every hand-embroidered piece we make — bridal, formal, saree, and party wear alike — worn in the UK, the USA, and Pakistan-wide. Zardozi, Gota work, Zari, and Sitara embellishment are worked by hand onto Katan silk, Banarasi silk, chiffon georgette, organza, and other delicate fabrics, and each responds differently to water, heat, and storage. Follow this page and the embroidery will hold up the way it looked the day it arrived.

The Short Version

Four Rules That Protect Everything

Never Water

Water tarnishes metallic thread like Zardozi and Dabka, and can loosen hand-set Sitara or Cutdana work. Skip the washing machine and the sink entirely.

Dry Clean Only

Take it to a professional dry cleaner and tell them it carries hand embroidery — ask for a gentle process with no harsh chemicals.

Steam, Never Iron Direct

Never press an iron directly onto embroidery. Use steam instead, and only on the plain fabric sections of the piece.

Store Flat or Rolled

Never hang an embroidered piece. Store it flat or loosely rolled, with acid-free tissue between the folds.

In Full

Care Instructions, in Detail

Care instructions for a hand-embroidered Hammad Bespoke Official piece come down to four things: no water, no direct heat, professional dry cleaning, and flat storage — followed correctly, they keep Zardozi, Gota, and Zari work intact for years.

We build every piece around hand embroidery and delicate fabric, which means it responds differently to washing, heat, and storage than a ready-made cotton kurta would. None of the steps below are complicated — they just need to be followed in order, every time.

How to Care for Your Outfit in 5 Steps

Skip water entirely: no washing machine, no sink — water can tarnish metallic thread and loosen hand-set embellishment.
Take it to a professional dry cleaner: tell them it carries hand embroidery and ask for a gentle process with no harsh chemicals.
Steam instead of ironing directly: keep the iron off the embroidery and use steam only on the plain fabric sections.
Store it flat or loosely rolled: never on a hanger, with acid-free tissue layered between the folds.
Use a breathable garment bag: not plastic, kept in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight.

Why Hand-Embroidered Pieces Should Never Be Washed With Water

Zardozi, Dabka, and Kaamdani all use metallic thread, which tarnishes and can snap under water and agitation. Sitara work and Cutdana are set by hand rather than machine-fixed, so soaking or scrubbing loosens the pieces over time. Even a fabric with no metallic thread at all — a plain chiffon georgette panel, for instance — can lose its drape and colour depth after repeated washing. Dry cleaning is the one method that avoids all of this at once.

What to Tell Your Dry Cleaner

Name the embroidery specifically rather than saying "embellished" — say Zardozi, Gota work, Zari, Resham, or Sitara work, whichever applies, so the cleaner knows exactly what they are working around. Ask for a gentle process with no harsh chemicals or aggressive pressing, and mention the base fabric too, whether it is Katan silk, Banarasi silk, organza, or chiffon georgette, since each holds heat and solvent differently.

How to Press Without Damaging the Embroidery

Never rest an iron directly on Zardozi, Gota work, Sitara, or Cutdana — the direct heat and pressure can melt, flatten, or scorch the embellishment. Steam is the safer route, held slightly away from the piece and directed only at plain fabric sections. If a fold line sits right through an embroidered panel, leave it to a professional dry cleaner rather than pressing it yourself.

Storage Store flat or loosely rolled, never hung. Layer acid-free tissue between folds and keep the piece in a breathable garment bag, not plastic, in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight.

Metallic Thread Zardozi, Dabka, and Kaamdani all use metallic or metallic-wrapped thread — keep these away from water and humidity, both of which cause tarnishing over time.

Hand-Set Embellishment Sitara work and Cutdana are set by hand rather than fused — avoid crushing or folding directly over these areas when storing the piece.

How to Store Your Outfit Between Wears

Fold along natural seams rather than through an embroidered panel, and place acid-free tissue between each fold to stop embellishment from pressing into the fabric beneath it. A heavier bridal lehenga does better loosely rolled than folded flat, since rolling avoids a sharp crease line across dense embroidery. A breathable garment bag — not plastic — keeps out dust while still letting the fabric breathe.

Fabric & Embroidery Care at a Glance
Fabric or Embroidery	Water	Heat	Storage Note
Katan silk / Banarasi silk	Never	Steam only, plain areas	Flat, with acid-free tissue between folds
Chiffon georgette	Never	Low steam, plain areas only	Loosely rolled, breathable garment bag
Organza	Never	Avoid direct heat	Flat, minimal folding to keep its crisp finish
Zardozi / Dabka / Kaamdani	Never	No heat directly on the embroidery	Flat, tissue-wrapped, away from humidity
Sitara work / Cutdana	Never	No heat directly on the embroidery	Flat, padded to avoid crushing the pieces
Gota work / Zari	Never	Steam only, plain areas	Loosely rolled for dense borders, flat for light work

For general background on the cleaning method behind every row above, Wikipedia's overview of dry cleaning covers how solvent-based cleaning differs from washing with water.

Storing a piece correctly matters even more once you know our refund and cancellation policy — since a made-to-measure order cannot be returned after delivery, getting the ongoing care right is what keeps it looking the way it did on day one.

Questions

Care Instructions — Common Questions

How do I wash hand-embroidered clothes?

You don't — skip water entirely on hand-embroidered pieces. Water can tarnish metallic thread like Zardozi or Dabka and loosen hand-set Sitara or Cutdana work, sometimes permanently. Take the piece to a professional dry cleaner instead, and tell them it carries hand embroidery so they use a gentle process with no harsh chemicals. This one habit protects the detailing more than anything else.

What does "dry clean only" mean for my dress?

On a Hammad Bespoke Official piece, "dry clean only" means the fabric and embroidery need a solvent-based process instead of water, since water is what damages metallic thread and hand-set embellishment. Choose a cleaner experienced with hand embroidery, tell them about any Zardozi, Gota, or Sitara work on the piece, and ask for a gentle process with no harsh chemicals or aggressive pressing.

Can I machine-wash a silk saree?

No — a silk saree, whether in Katan silk or Banarasi silk, should never go in a washing machine or a sink. Machine agitation weakens the weave and can pull embroidery threads loose, and water alone can dull the fabric's natural sheen. Take it to a professional dry cleaner instead, and mention any hand-worked border or embroidery so they handle it with the right care.

How do I store a bridal lehenga so the embroidery doesn't get damaged?

Store it flat or loosely rolled rather than hung, since a hanger puts constant weight on the waistband and embroidered panels over time. Layer acid-free tissue between the folds to stop embellishment from pressing into the fabric, and keep the whole piece in a breathable garment bag, not plastic, in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight.

How do I care for Zardozi, Gota, or Zari embroidery specifically?

Keep Zardozi, Gota, and Zari away from water and direct heat entirely, since all three use metallic thread or metallic-wrapped elements that tarnish or flatten easily. When ironing is unavoidable, steam only the plain fabric sections and keep the iron away from the embroidered area itself. For storage, wrap the embroidered sections in acid-free tissue before folding or rolling.

How do I remove stains from embroidered fabric?

Don't attempt to treat a stain on embroidered fabric yourself — home stain removers and rubbing can set the mark deeper or damage the surrounding threadwork. Blot the area gently with a dry cloth if you catch it immediately, then take the piece to a professional dry cleaner as soon as possible and point out exactly where the stain is and what caused it.

Should I iron a hand-embroidered dress?

Never iron directly over hand embroidery — the heat and pressure can flatten Gota work, melt Sitara pieces, or scorch metallic thread. Use steam instead, and only on the plain fabric sections of the dress, holding the iron or steamer slightly away from any embellished border, neckline, or panel. When in doubt, a professional dry cleaner can steam the piece safely.

How should I store my outfit between wears?

Store it flat or loosely rolled, never on a hanger, with acid-free tissue between the folds to protect embroidery and embellishment from pressure. Use a breathable garment bag rather than plastic, since plastic traps moisture and can encourage mildew over time. Keep the bag in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight, which fades embroidered colour and weakens fine fabric over time.

Can chiffon or organza pieces be dry cleaned safely?

Yes — chiffon georgette and organza both hold up well to professional dry cleaning, which is the recommended method for either fabric. Avoid water and direct heat on both, since organza in particular can lose its structured, crisp finish if handled roughly. Tell your dry cleaner which fabric it is and mention any embroidery, so they choose a gentle process suited to both.

Not sure how to care for a specific piece?

Send us a photo on WhatsApp and tell us what it's made of — we're happy to walk you through the right cleaning and storage for that exact fabric and embroidery.

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