How to care for your abaya and give it a long-life

Abayas have the special quality of being both daily wear essentials and occasional festive outfits. They are no longer plain black gowns that drape over a woman’s style. Abayas are the style today - classic and timeless. 

A woman’s abaya is an extension of her own self. So it is important to ensure that it gets the exquisite care that it deserves. 

From embroidered jacket designs to delicate satin robes to gowns studded with Swarovski crystal, the range of abayas we at thowby offer are abundant. Knowing how to wash, store and look after your abaya properly is key to maintaining its quality and enhancing its lifespan. 

Here are some go-to tips by thowby to care for your elegant garment:

Read the label

Each thowby abaya comes with an attached label that contains important details on how to care for that robe. Read the label to know what’s best for that abaya in particular. 

For instance, if your abaya label asks for the garment to be dry cleaned only, then prioritise this instruction in the care and clean regimen of your abaya.  

How to wash 

Wash is only recommended for plain abayas.

Abayas with lace and embroidery is to be DRY CLEAN ONLY

You want your abaya to retain its lustre and look as good as new with each wash. Remember, the key to that is being very gentle with your overlay. 

Here is our recommendations for washing your abaya: 

• Soak the abaya in room temperature water for circa 10 minutes, gently rubbing over any soiled areas that need extra attention:

• Turn your abaya inside out to prevent fading. 

• Wash the black and the colored  abayas separately

• use a mild detergent that will clean and soften your dress. Abaya detergents/shampoos that can be used such as Persil, Tide, Soft n Cool, and Maxkleen are good options. 

How to dry

After washing, gently wring out any extra water or soapy residue. Don’t apply too much force because you want to avoid hard-to-remove wrinkles.

Lay the abaya out flat to air dry, or you can use tumble drying in the dryer machine. 

Avoid drying your abaya under direct sunlight since that could damage the fabric and colour.  

How to press and store

The best way to flatten creases on your abaya after washing is by using a clothes steamer or iron. Turn your abaya inside out, adjust the steamer/iron on its lowest heat setting and press it on the cloth, with a focus on areas with most wrinkles. 

It is advisable to use a delicate fabric guard on the iron’s metal plate to avoid exposing the garment to too much heat.

The best way to store your abaya is to hang them up on velvet hangers in your wardrobe. Do this instead of folding or using wire hangers to prevent the abaya from losing its shape. 

Caring for abayas with crystals 

thowby has a beautiful variety of abayas embellished with crystals, beads, laces, mirror work and rich handmade embroidery. As such you can only do dry clean for abayas with crystals, beads, sequence, and lace. 

How to remove stains

Noticed a pesky stain on your abaya? Don’t worry, some mild detergent and gentle rubbing should do the trick. 

Some stains can be simply removed by following the wash instructions mentioned in the steps above. Soak the abaya in room temperature water and with some special washing shampoo, rub the garment softly between your fingers, focusing on the stains. 

If the stain persists we would recommend to get it to the laundry.

Should you have any particularly question regarding how to care for your abaya:
Please send your question to: contactus@thowby.com