Who doesn’t love a good faux fur blanket or teddy bear jacket? This popular material allows us to indulge in the trendiest fashion styles with the knowledge that we are helping to protect our furry animal friends and the planet. But with this amazing eco-friendly material often comes the question of how to clean faux fur – and luckily, we have the answers.
First thing's first, what is faux fur? Before we talk about how to wash faux fur coats, blankets, or other items, let’s look at what faux fur is made of.
What is faux fur?
Faux fur, or fake fur, is a material manufactured to imitate real animal fur. It is typically made of synthetic materials which are processed, dyed, and cut to replicate real fur’s texture and colour.
What is faux fur made of?
Faux fur goes through a few different steps to be created:
Firstly, the fibres which make up the faux fur are made. Different polymers and monomers are combined together under extreme heat and pressure before being filtered, stretched, and soaked in dye.
Then, they’re turned into fur! The backing for the fibres – which is typically made from cotton or wool – is cut to shape and used to hold the strands of faux fur which are fixed in place by weaving, tufting, or knitting.
Before being given a little tender love and care. The faux fur is heated to improve its stability, put through wire brushes to remove loose fibres (known as ‘tigering’), rough sheared to achieve a consistent length, treated to improve the texture, and coloured. Embossing, to give a pretty curled design, may also be used.
With today’s advanced technology, it’s not easy to spot the difference between real fur and faux fur! In other words, you can be the most fashionable person around while also being ethically minded. A win-win situation!
Next up: How to clean faux fur
So, you’ve got your faux fur item, but wait, what’s that smell? The process of making faux fur often results in a chemical odour. New or old, the fibres in faux fur tend to retain smells from external factors such as pollution. Plus, when we buy a new faux fur coat, the fibres have probably clumped together resulting in something that looks a bit flat or matted.
Now that you know what faux fur is made of, let’s discuss how to clean faux fur coats, jackets and other clothes so that you can avoid damaging the material unnecessarily!
How to wash faux fur blankets, jackets or coats in the washing machine
As a durable and versatile material, many faux furs can be washed in the washing machine
Check the tag.
Look at the label for washing guidance and to make sure your faux fur item can be machine washed. The label should tell you everything you need to know, from the maximum wash temperature to any special instructions. Read this article from Cleanipedia on washing symbols if you’re unsure what they mean
Place the item in the washing machine.
Place your faux fur item in the washing machine without any other clothes. We recommend going one step further by placing your faux fur item in a separate wash bag or pillowcase before washing. This will help prevent fibres from coming loose in the wash. If your clothing only used faux fur for part of the design – such as trimming – then turn the item inside out before washing it.
Select the right washing machine setting.
Set your washing machine to cold water and the delicate wash cycle. Start the machine and add a gentle, mild laundry detergent. Add Comfort Intense Fuchsia Passion Fabric Conditioner for clothes that smell, look, and feel extra fresh after every wash. Our conditioner and odour control technology helps neutralise malodour in materials such as polyester and can be effective on these types of faux fur by realigning and plumping up the fibres. Check the label to make sure your faux fur is made of this material as results on other materials may vary.
Dry and reshape.
Once the wash cycle stops, give your faux fur jacket, coat, or blanket a nice shake to fluff it up and to remove any excess water. Allow it to dry naturally while hanging up as the heat of a tumble dryer can melt the fibres and result in damage. Avoid ironing for the same reasons – if there are deep creases or wrinkles you can try removing them by ironing on a low heat and through a cotton towel.
How to wash faux fur jackets, coats and blankets by hand
Some faux fur items need a gentler approach when washing. Here’s how to wash a teddy bear jacket or any other delicate faux fur item by hand.
Prepare the hand-washing materials.
Whether you want to know how to wash a teddy coat or how to wash a faux fur jacket by hand you’ll need to get all the materials ready first. You will need:
A bucket
Cold or lukewarm water
A mild laundry soap (especially for hand washing)
Comfort Intense Fuchsia Passion Fabric Conditioner
Spot clean.
Instead of putting the entire garment into the water, gently spot clean the parts of the item that need cleaning. Rub the soap with your fingers and be careful not to be too rough! The last thing you want is to damage your faux fur.
Rinse your blanket, coat, or jacket in cold water.
Make sure all detergent suds have been washed out and that the garment is clean. If adding a fabric softener to polyester-based faux fur, do this after cleaning and rinse thoroughly again. Be careful not to use too much conditioner when handwashing by following the instructions on the packaging.
Dry the item.
Just like when learning how to wash faux fur in the washing machine, you need to take your item out of the water, remove excess water, and give it a good shake to reshape it. Remember not to tumble dry or iron faux fur as the heat could weaken or damage the fibres.
Voila! You now know how to wash a teddy bear jacket, how to wash a faux fur blanket and any other garment that includes this eco-friendly material. When it comes to our wardrobe, we know that it’s the most special items that deserve extra care. By putting in a little effort, you’ll know that you’ll look fabulous in your faux fur time and time again.