Organza fabric is made of highly twisted silk or synthetic fibers with a high thread count, resulting in its characteristic crisp, stiff texture. While these properties are desirable for bridal wear and formal evening apparel, you may want to soften organza that you'll wear next to your skin in order to make it more comfortable. Whether you want to soften an organza garment or treat organza fabric before sewing with it, check the manufacturer's washing instructions before you start the process.
Things You'll Need
Mild laundry detergent
Fabric softener
or
Hair conditioner
or
White vinegar
Clean bath towel
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Step 1
Fill a sink with lukewarm water, add about 1 tbsp. of mild laundry detergent and swish the water around to dissolve all the soap.
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Step 2
Submerge the organza fabric so that it is completely saturated with the soapy water.
Step 3
Wash the organza by lifting, turning and squeezing it in the soapy water for several minutes. There is no need to scrub or rub the fabric, just agitate and soak it so that all the areas of the fabric get washed. This removes any sizing (starch used during fabric manufacturing) left in the organza, leaving it a little softer already. It should also remove any excess dye from the fabric.
Step 4
Squeeze out the fabric, drain the soapy water and fill the basin with clean, lukewarm water.
Step 5
Swish the organza around in the water to rinse out the soap. Squeeze the water from the fabric, then rinse it again. Squeeze out most of the excess water from the organza and set it aside.
Step 6
Empty the rinse water from the sink and fill it with fresh lukewarm water. For synthetic organza (polyester, rayon) add 1 tbsp. fabric softener or 1 tsp. hair conditioner. For silk organza, add ¼ to ½ cup white vinegar, which (unlike softener) will not dull the sheen of the silk.
Step 7
Submerge the fabric in the water and move it around so that all the fibers are evenly saturated. Swish the fabric in the water for a few minutes, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Drain the water and rinse the fabric in the same manner as before.
Step 8
Spread out a clean bath towel on a table and lay the fabric flat on top of it. Starting from one end, roll up the towel with the fabric, applying pressure as you roll to help the towel absorb the remaining liquid. Unroll the towel, then roll it again, but this time place the fabric on the other (drier) side of the towel.
Step 9
Unroll the towel and hang the fabric on a line or hanger to air dry.
Tip
Some organza fabric is safe to machine wash and/or dry, however, if you are not certain, then use this washing technique to be on the safe side.
Warning
Some organza must only be dry cleaned, in which case you should not use this method for making it softer. Consult your dry cleaner instead.