We want all our customers to be happy with a purchase they make from The Gown Box particularly as we are a small business, so should you wish to talk to us about anything please get in contact - we are more than happy to help.

We have posted here some helpful tips and tricks on how best to care for delicate garments such as silk Christening gowns.  A few common mistakes can be avoided and precious garments can be safely and sensibly protected from the beginning if you give some consideration to the following:

• Take care when handling your garment to prevent salts and oils from your skin soiling the item!

• Hang up your garment before the Christening once you’ve taken it out of the packaging.  Doing this is important because it will help the gown resume its original shape.  It will also give any wrinkles that may have formed plenty of time to fall out before the ceremony.  If possible, hang it a few days beforehand.

• Do not iron your garment.  However, if you absolutely must then ensure you use a medium hot dry setting with NO STEAM and ALWAYS USE A PRESSING CLOTH (in case your iron leaves any marks!)

• Dry-clean your garment before you store it.  Before storing any textile (take a look at our boxes!), it’s important that any potential problems are isolated or removed.  Textiles should always be clean before they are placed in storage.  Have your gown cleaned after wearing as soon as possible to reduce the risk of damage.  Soiling can be an open invitation to pest infestation, however by cleaning it you can remove stains that may not always be obvious to the eye (such as milk!) which may show later.  Fragile fabrics such as silk require the attention of a reputable professional dry-cleaner who specialises in Christening (or wedding) dresses.  They’ll be able to clean your gown in a way that’s kind to the silk.

• Store everything separately to your garment (e.g. hangers/pins/badges/labels/clips/photographs/blankets).  Acidity can damage fabrics causing them to weaken and break down over time.  Before storage, remove any hangers, pins, badges, dry-cleaning labels or any other tags (not forgetting the string they may be secured with!)  These items are potential sources of acidity and must be removed to prevent corrosion from staining the fabric and prevent acid migration.  Photographs, though a beautiful reminder, contain chemicals that can slowly damage textiles!  Mothballs may also stain or contaminate with harmful chemicals!

• Do not store your garment long term in plastic dress covers.  Plastic covers are suitable for hanging your dress before the Christening ceremony, but not for long term use owing to the light they let in that can cause fading and/or moisture (and in extreme cases mould!)  

• Do not store your garment in a normal cardboard box, unless it has been made with pH neutral board.  Acid contained in cardboard very quickly ages materials it is in contact with and passes into fabric causing discolouration.  Like cardboard, normal tissue paper is not suitable for storing your gown.  Tissue paper will become acidic, if in a box which is not acid free and dyes may transfer from coloured tissue paper.  We can provide you with the perfect box for storage.  

• Store your garment away from light, humidity, temperature, pests and pollutants.  To prevent deterioration of your textile you should always consider the environment in which it is stored.  Keep it in a warm, dry room, perhaps in or on top of a wardrobe, or under the bed.  Refrain from storing too many things on top of it.  Textiles last best in a stable temperature and relative humidity, protected from exposure to light, dust and pests.  Avoid storing your gown somewhere where it may be damp, including sources of water, and avoid external walls that may be cold or damp.  If it helps, think: Store away from Sun (i.e. light/heat), Sand (i.e. dust) and Sea (i.e. moisture)!  Or, more simply: not too hot, not too cold, but just right! 

• Check your garment every six months or so to ensure nothing untoward has happened to it.  You can also unpack and repack it once a year if you wish to help prevent creases becoming too permanent!

Remember: simple storage rules make good sense.

The Gown Box

for Baby's Ceremony

The most luxurious, natural and handmade gowns