A Care Guide for Naturally Crafted Products
Caring for handmade items is a bit like tending a garden; it requires a gentle touch and a little consistency. Because these pieces lack the industrial coatings of mass-produced goods, they are more sensitive to their environment.
Here is a guide to keeping your treasures in a good condition.
Natural materials "breathe" and react to humidity and oxygen
Starting with Wood
Caring for wood especially when it's handmade or antique is less about "cleaning" and more about preservation. Wood is a living material that breathes, expands, and contracts. Treat it like a fine instrument rather than a piece of plastic.
The Golden Rules of Environment
Wood’s biggest enemies are extreme changes in humidity and temperature.
Avoid Direct Sunlight: UV rays bleach wood and dry out natural oils, leading to cracks. Keep antiques away from bright windows.
Climate Control: Aim for a consistent humidity level (around 40-55%). If the air is too dry, wood shrinks and joints loosen; too damp, and it swells or grows mould.
Heat Sources: Never place wooden items directly over a heater, radiator, vent or right next to a fireplace.
Cleaning and Dusting
Wood’s biggest enemies are extreme changes in humidity and temperature.
Avoid Direct Sunlight: UV rays bleach wood and dry out natural oils, leading to cracks. Keep antiques away from bright windows.
Climate Control: Aim for a consistent humidity level (around 40-55%). If the air is too dry, wood shrinks and joints loosen; too damp, and it swells or grows mould.
Heat Sources: Never place wooden items directly over a heater, radiator, vent or right next to a fireplace.
Dust is surprisingly abrasive. Over time, it can scratch the finish if not handled correctly.
Dust Frequently: Use a soft, lint free cloth (microfibre or an old cotton T-shirt). Avoid feather dusters, as broken quills can scratch the surface.
Damp, Not Wet: If a spill occurs, use a slightly damp cloth. Never soak the wood. Wipe immediately with a dry cloth to ensure no moisture lingers.
Skip the "Grocery Store" Sprays: Avoid many commercial aerosol polishes. They often contain silicone or paraffin, which create a smeary buildup that is incredibly difficult to remove and can ruin future refinishing efforts.
Protective Maintenance
Depending on the finish of your piece, you’ll want to "feed" or protect the surface once or twice a year.
Paste wax
Best For: Antiques & Polished Wood
Why Use It? Provides a hard, thin shell that protects against moisture and dust for up to a year.
Beeswax/Oil Blend
Best For: Handmade/Raw Wood
Why Use It? Keeps the wood supple and brings out the natural grain. It is an excellent choice for items like hand-carved spoons or bowls.
Mineral Oil
Best For: Food Safe Items
Why Use It? Use only food-grade mineral oil for cutting boards or wooden salad bowls to maintain the wood without introducing toxins.
Pro Tips:
When applying wax or oil, always follow the direction of the grain. If you’re trying a new product, test it on a hidden spot (like the underside of a table) first.
Handling Antiques with Care
Antiques require a "less is more" approach. The patina that soft glow acquired through age is part of the item's value.
Check the Joints: Periodically check for "wobble." If a joint is loose, don't just drive a nail into it. Antique glues (like hide glue) are reversible, and a professional can easily re-glue them.
A Warning on “Home Remedies”
Be cautious of "Internet hacks" like using olive oil or vinegar. Olive oil is a vegetable oil that can go rancid over time, leaving your furniture smelling funky, while vinegar is an acid that can eat through delicate old finishes.
Metals
Bronze & Brass
Identifying Features: Heavy, ranging from golden honey to deep chocolate tones.
Care Strategy: Dust only. For new items, a light coat of microcrystalline wax (like Renaissance Wax) can maintain the shine. For antiques, leave the dark "skin" (patina) alone it is the item's history.
Copper
Identifying Features: Warm, reddish hues; often shows hand-hammered facets.
Care Strategy: Keep away from moisture to prevent Verdigris (crusty green oxidation). If a new piece dulls, use a professional copper cream sparingly, but never use it on an antique.
Iron & Steel
Identifying Features: Dark, grey-black, and magnetic.
Care Strategy: Highly prone to orange rust. Apply a thin, invisible layer of specialized wax to create a moisture barrier, especially for older, hand-forged pieces.
Silver
Identifying Features: Bright white lustre; may have "hallmarks" or stamps.
Care Strategy: Use a dedicated silver polishing cloth. Never use "dip" cleaners; they are too aggressive and will remove the beautiful dark contrast in the recessed details.
A Note on the "Patina”
The most important thing to remember is that patina is value.
In Antiques, the patina is a record of time and should never be polished away.
In New Handmade Items, the patina is often a deliberate artistic choice made by the maker using heat or natural acids.
In both cases, "less is more." If you aren't sure whether a piece should be cleaned, it is always safer to leave it as is and enjoy the natural character that only handmade metal provides.
Preservation Through Purpose
By following these simple steps, you ensure that your collection, whether it's a 19th century ceremonial vessel or a contemporary hand-cast sculpture, remains a testament to human craftsmanship for the next generation.
Cotton, Silk and Wool
The “Big Three” Natural Fibres: A Legacy In Every Thread
In the world of ethnographical art, textiles are more than just fabric; they are woven records of a culture's environment and ingenuity. At Naturally Crafted, we focus on the "Big Three" natural fibres that have defined handmade textiles for centuries. When you invest in these pieces, you aren't just buying an accessory, you're preserving a piece of artistry.
Cotton: The Breath of the Earth
Cotton is the most versatile of all natural fibres. In many cultures across Africa and South Asia, hand spun cotton is prized for its durability and its ability to take on vibrant natural dyes like indigo and madder root.
Artisanal Appeal: Look for "slubs" (slight irregularities in hand loomed cotton), which provide a soulful, organic texture that machine-made fabric lacks.
Silk: The fibre of Prestige
Produced by silkworms, silk is the strongest natural fibre and has been a symbol of luxury for over 5,000 years.
Artisanal Value: Our silk pieces often feature complex Ikat or brocade techniques. Silk’s natural lustre reflects light in a way synthetic fibres simply cannot replicate.
Wool: The Guardian of Warmth
Whether sourced from sheep, goats (cashmere/mohair), or camelids, wool is celebrated for its resilience, "bounce," and insulation.
Cultural Identity: From the knotted rugs of Central Asia to the fine spun shawls of the Himalayas, wool carries the history of nomadic tribes. Its natural lanolin provides water resistance and incredible longevity.
Preserving the Art: Care & Longevity
Natural fibres are organic and sensitive to their environment. Because our shawls and stoles feature delicate natural dyes and meticulous hand weaving, they require a specific touch to maintain their beauty.
Why Professional Dry Cleaning?
While natural materials are durable, they are sensitive to the pH levels and agitation of home laundering.
Protecting Natural Dyes: Organic pigments can "bleed" or fade if exposed to the wrong water temperature or harsh detergents.
Maintaining fibre Integrity: Hot water or machine spinning can cause fibres to felt, shrink, or lose their signature drape.
Structure & Shape: Dry cleaning ensures handmade items with hand-rolled edges or intricate weaves retain their original dimensions.
fibre Specific Care
Cotton
Key Vulnerability: Light & Mildew
Care Instruction: Store in a breathable cotton bag. Lightly steam; avoid high heat ironing.
Golden Rule: Keep it dry and ventilated.
Silk
Key Vulnerability: UV Rays
Care Instruction: Never hang in direct sunlight. Professional dry clean only to prevent fibre "shattering" (the microscopic breaking of the silk strands).
Golden Rule: Avoid the sun at all costs.
Wool
Key Vulnerability: Pests (Moths)
Care Instruction: Use cedar blocks or lavender. Store clean in airtight containers for long-term protection.
Golden Rule: Cleanliness is the best repellent.
Tips Between Wearing
Air it Out: Natural fibres breathe. Hang your shawl in a well ventilated area after use to release odours naturally.
Spot Clean with Caution: Blot (don't rub!) spills immediately with a clean, dry cloth. Avoid "DIY" stain removers which may react with natural dyes.
Rotation: If displaying a textile on a wall, rotate it every few months to prevent "stress tears" from its own weight.
Vacuuming: Use a low suction vacuum with a mesh screen over the nozzle to remove dust without pulling at delicate threads.
The Naturally Crafted Difference: By choosing these materials, you are choosing a biodegradable, sustainable, and deeply human form of art. Treat your accessories with care, and they will stay vibrant for years becoming true heirlooms in your wardrobe
Paper
In an age of mass produced, bleached wood pulp, handmade paper stands out as a sensory experience. Our collection celebrates paper as a primary medium, where the "imperfections" of the fibre are the very source of its beauty
Handmade Paper
Himalayan Lokta Paper: Harvested from the bark of the Daphne bush, this paper is naturally resistant to insects and decay. It has been used for centuries to preserve sacred Buddhist texts and royal decrees.
Washi & Hanji: These East Asian traditions use fibres like mulberry (kozo) and gampi. The resulting sheets are incredibly strong, sometimes even used in historical armour or architectural screens due to the long, interlocking fibres.
Global Paper Taditions
Papel Amate: An ancient Mesoamerican craft where bark is boiled and then pounded with stones into a felt like sheet, often decorated with vibrant folk-art paintings.
Why Choose Handmade Paper?
Sustainability: Most handmade paper uses "regenerative" fibres like bark, hemp, or recycled cotton, meaning no ancient forests are cleared for its production.
Textural Depth: You can feel the history in a sheet of handmade paper. It has a "deckle edge" (a soft, natural border) and a weight that feels substantial and grounding.
Longevity: Because these papers are typically acid-free, they do not yellow or crumble over time like modern acidic paper, making them ideal for archival art and heirlooms.
Caring for Paper Crafts
Paper is the most sensitive of all organic crafts. It "breathes" with the air around it, expanding and contracting based on the weather.
Light (UV)
Threat: The Enemy. Direct sunlight will fade pigments and "cook" the fibres, making them brittle.
Prevention & Care: Always display paper art behind UV protective glass or in shaded areas.
Humidity
Threat: Excessive moisture leads to "foxing" (brown spots caused by mold or metallic impurities).
Prevention & Care: Keep paper in a stable, dry environment.
Threat: Damage from non archival materials.
Prevention & Care: Never use standard tape, glue, or cardboard backing. Only use archival, acid-free mounts to prevent "burning" the edges of the paper.
Acid Migration
Threat: Damage from non archival materials.
Prevention & Care: Never use standard tape, glue, or cardboard backing. Only use archival, acid-free mounts to prevent "burning" the edges of the paper.
Pests
Threat: Silverfish and beetles love the starch in paper.
Prevention & Care: Ensure your display area is clean and well-ventilated.
Handling Your Paper Art:
Clean Hands: Even "clean" hands have oils. Handle the edges only, or better yet, use two hands to support the sheet from underneath to prevent "mooning" (small crescent-shaped creases).
Flattening: If a paper item arrives rolled, do not force it flat. Let it rest in a room with moderate humidity for 24 hours before gently weighting it down with smooth, clean objects.
The Naturally Crafted Philosophy
At Naturally Crafted, we view paper as the "silent witness" to human creativity. Whether it’s an antique manuscript or a contemporary hand pressed sculpture, we source pieces that showcase the raw power of botanical fibres. By choosing handmade paper, you are supporting a craft that requires immense patience, water purity, and a deep respect for the natural world.
Grasses and Kampok
"Wild Harvested" category. Grasses (like seagrass, sisal, or raffia) and Kapok (a silk-cotton tree fibre) represent some of the most eco friendly, sustainable materials in ethnographical art.
Beyond the "Big Three" fibres, many cultures utilize "wild-harvested" materials that are gathered directly from the landscape. These items ranging from woven baskets and floor mats to insulated shawls bring a raw, earthy texture to any collection.
Woven Grasses (Raffia, Sisal, Seagrass)
Used across Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, woven grasses are prized for their structural strength and rhythmic patterns.
The Craft: Whether coiled, plaited, or twined, grass weaving is a mathematical art form. Because grasses are stiff, they retain the "memory" of the artisan’s hands for decades.
Why it’s unique: Unlike processed textiles, grasses often retain a faint, pleasant scent of the fields or marshes where they were harvested.
Woven Grasses
Primary Threat: Brittleness
Care Strategy: If a basket feels "crunchy" or brittle, it may be too dry. Give it a very light misting of distilled water (don't soak it) once a year to restore flexibility to the fibres.
Dyes in Grass
Primary Threat: Fading
Care Strategy: Natural grass dyes (like those in raffia) fade very quickly in UV light. Display away from windows to keep the colours deep and vibrant.
Kapok (The “silk-Cotton Tree)
Kapok is a moisture resistant, seed hair fibre harvested from the Ceiba tree. It is famously used as a sustainable alternative to down or polyester for stuffing pillows, but it is also blended into high end "Kapok shawls."
The Properties: Kapok is 8x lighter than cotton and naturally hypoallergenic. In shawls, it provides incredible warmth without the weight, making it a "miracle fibre" of the natural world.
Caring for Wild Harvested Products
Because these items are essentially "dried plants," their primary enemies are extreme dryness (which leads to brittleness) and extreme moisture (which leads to rot).
Kapok Shawls
Primary Threat: Compression
Care Strategy: Kapok fibres are hollow and can lose their "loft" if compressed for too long. Shake out your shawl regularly to trap air between the fibres.
Maintenance and Storage
De-wrinkling: If it gets wrinkled, steam it. Avoid direct contact with an iron, as high heat can "toast" the fibers, making them lose their signature loft.
Fluffing: If the shawl feels a bit flat after storage, give it a gentle shake. The air will move back into the hollow fibers and restore the volume.
Storage: Store it in a breathable cotton bag. Avoid plastic bins, which can trap moisture and lead to yellowing over time.
Cleaning Grasses: Use a soft brush (like a clean paintbrush) to get into the crevices of the weave where dust settles. Never use a damp cloth on coloured grasses, as the natural dyes may run.
Washing Kapok: Kapok is naturally water repellent. If a shawl gets dirty, spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. Avoid total immersion, as the fibres take a long time to dry internally.
Storage: Always store grass items in a place with good airflow. Never seal them in plastic bags; "trapped" moisture is the quickest way to ruin a hand-woven basket.
Why These Materials Matter
At Naturally Crafted, we celebrate these "low intervention" materials. Grasses and Kapok require very little processing, no heavy machinery, no harsh chemicals, and no habitat destruction. They are a testament to how humans can create high-art in total harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.
Glass
Whether it is ancient Roman inspired glass, hand-blown "forest glass," or contemporary recycled beads, glass is a unique material that is chemically stable but physically vulnerable.
The Art of Handmade Glass
Handmade glass is a "frozen liquid." Unlike factory made glass, which is perfectly uniform, ethnographical and artisanal glass contains tiny air bubbles ("seeds"), swirling colour densities, and subtle tool marks. These are not flaws; they are the signature of the breath and movement of the glassblower.
Varieties of Artisanal Glass
Recycled Glass: Popular in West Africa (such as Krobo beads) and Mexico, this involves crushing old glass into powder or fragments and melting them in clay moulds. The result is a beautiful, matte, or translucent texture.
Hand-Blown Vessels: Created using a blowpipe, these items often have a "pontil mark" on the bottom, a scarred spot where the glass was broken off the rod, proving it was made by hand.
Ancient & Roman Glass: Often found with a "silvery" or "rainbow" iridescence. This isn't a dye; it’s a chemical reaction to being buried in the earth for centuries.
Caring for Glass items
Glass is incredibly durable—it won't rot, rust, or attract pests but it is highly sensitive to thermal shock and physical impact.
Cleaning & handling Tips
Thermal Shock
Threat: The biggest risk. Rapid temperature changes (e.g., washing a cold glass in hot water) can cause immediate cracking.
Prevention & Care: Always use lukewarm water to ensure a gradual transition.
Clouding (leaching)
Threat: Long-term exposure to hard water can cause "sick glass," which is a permanent white cloudiness.
Prevention & Care: Use distilled water for cleaning, if possible, to avoid mineral buildup.
Physical Stress
Threat: Stacking handmade items.
Prevention & Care: Never stack handmade glass bowls or glasses inside one another; slight variations in shape can cause them to wedge together and shatter.
Dust buildup
Threat: Dust can actually be abrasive over time.
Prevention & Care: Always rinse glass before wiping to ensure you aren't "sanding" the surface with dust particles.
The Two Hand Rule: Always support glass items with both hands, never pick up a pitcher or vase solely by its handle, as the joint may have microscopic stress fractures.
Drying: Use a lint-free linen towel to dry glass. This prevents "fuzz" from sticking to the textured surfaces common in handmade pieces.
Iridescent Antiques: If you own ancient glass with an iridescent "skin," do not wash it. Water can cause the delicate layers of oxidation to flake off. Use only a very soft, dry air blower or a makeup brush to remove dust.
Why Handmade Glass Matters
At Naturally Crafted, we value glass for its ability to play with light. Unlike plastic or modern crystal, handmade glass has a "soft" look and a unique refractive quality. It is a 100% recyclable material that, if cared for properly, will remain as vibrant and beautiful in a thousand years as it is today.
Clay and Pottery. Pottery is one of humanity’s oldest technologies, a transformation of earth and water into stone through the power of fire. From unglazed tribal terracotta to high fired stoneware, clay products carry the "fingerprint" of the land they came from.
Clay
The Earth’s Signature: Handmade Pottery
Handmade pottery is distinct from industrial ceramics because it often retains the "memory" of the maker’s hands. Whether it is coil built, pinch-potted, or wheel thrown, each piece has a unique density and character.
Varieties of Clay Art
Terracotta & Earthenware: Fired at lower temperatures, these pieces are often porous and "breathable." They have a warm, matte finish and are common in Mediterranean and African traditional cooking and storage vessels.
Stoneware: Fired at much higher temperatures, these items are dense, durable, and stone-like. They are often used for functional art that needs to withstand daily use.
Unglazed (Burnished) Clay: Some of the most beautiful tribal pottery isn't glazed with glass; instead, it is polished with a smooth stone before firing to create a soft, metallic-like sheen.
Caring for Clay and Pottery
Clay is chemically "immortal" but physically brittle. It does not handle impact and its porous nature means it can absorb what it touches.
Unglazed Terracotta
Primary Vulnerability: Staining & odours
Care Strategy: Because it is porous, it can absorb oils or soap. Clean with warm water and a stiff brush only. Avoid harsh detergents.
Glazed Stoneware
Primary Vulnerability: Crazing (Fine Cracks)
Care Strategy: Rapid temperature changes can cause the glass glaze to "crackle." Always warm a piece gradually rather than pouring boiling water into a cold vessel.
Burnishing Pottery
Primary Vulnerability: Surface Scratches
Care Strategy: The shiny surface is created by compression, not glass. Use only a soft cloth to dust; never use green scrubby pads or abrasives.
Preservation & Handling Tips
The "Lifting" Rule: Never pick up a teapot by its spout or a large urn by its rim. Always support the weight from the base with one hand.
Moisture Management: If you use an unglazed antique pot for flowers, use a plastic or glass liner. Water seeping through the clay can damage the wood furniture it sits on and cause "blooming" (white salt deposits) on the clay.
Efflorescence: If you see white powdery salts on the surface of old pottery, don't panic! This is a natural process where minerals migrate to the surface. Simply wipe it away with a dry cloth.
Why Handmade Clay Matters
At Naturally Crafted, we believe pottery is the most grounded of all arts. It is literally the soil of a specific region, shaped by a local artisan and hardened by fire. Unlike plastic, it is nontoxic and returns to the earth at the end of its life without a trace.
This is just a guide for the caring for products that are handmade from natural materials including wood, fibres which include cotton, silk, wool and kapok
Metal (Antique & New), metals, grasses, paper, glass and pottery. This is just a guide we recommend there are others methods out there
