Wardrobe Maintenance

The Art of Garment Care | Colibri Boutique

The Art of Garment Care

A field guide to keeping the wardrobe you love alive — the most sustainable fashion is the one you already own.

Let’s cut the noise. Sustainability isn’t a shopping category; it’s a behaviour. Every wash, every hang, every repair is a vote for how long your clothes stay in the world. The lowest-impact piece is the one already in your wardrobe — and care is how you keep it there.

Fast fashion sprints to the bin because fibres get stressed: heat, friction, over-washing, bad storage. Good care breaks that cycle. It preserves colour and shape, slows fibre breakage, and keeps you wearing what you love — not replacing it.

Think of it as cost-per-wear for the planet. If a blazer lasts five seasons instead of two, its footprint per wear drops dramatically. Same garment, smarter habits. That’s the quiet revolution: repair, refresh, and rotate instead of discard.

So here’s the playbook. Wash less, steam more. Brush coats. Shave pills. Store properly. Spot clean early. These tiny rituals compound into longevity — and longevity is style.

“Sustainable wardrobes aren’t bought. They’re maintained.”
Steamery at Colibri

Meet Steamery, Stockholm

Steamery began with a simple question: if care felt as elegant as getting dressed, would we keep our clothes longer? The answer became a suite of minimal, intuitive tools — made to live on a dresser, not hide in a cupboard. Scandinavian design meets studio-grade function.

Every detail serves longevity: steam that relaxes fibres without flattening them; shavers that remove pills without snagging; lint brushes that reset wool without water; fabric sprays that refresh between wears. Quick rituals, repeatable every day.

Why the brand matters in sustainability

Longevity is the quiet climate lever in fashion. When maintenance is easy and beautiful, it becomes habit — you launder less, repair sooner, and retire later. Steamery connects intention to action: thirty seconds of care that compounds across months of wear. That’s sustainability via use, not just purchase.

Short version: If the tools live where you get dressed, you’ll actually use them — and your clothes stay in circulation.

Four essentials. One system. Refresh, renew, reset — then get dressed.

Steamery Lint Brush colours

Lint Brush

Water-free refresh for wool and outerwear. Lifts dust, lint, and hair without stressing fibres.

Shop Lint Brush →
Steamery Fabric Spray Sandalwood 500ml

Fabric Spray

Reset between wears. Neutralises odours and adds just-dressed freshness without a wash.

Shop Fabric Spray →
Steamery Cirrus 3 Iron Steamer

Cirrus 3 Iron Steamer

Hybrid plate + steam for crisp collars and fluid drape. A daily alternative to heavy ironing.

Shop Cirrus 3 →
Steamery Pilo 2 Fabric Shaver

Pilo 2 Fabric Shaver

Erase pilling on knits and coats. Gentle, fast, and deeply satisfying — like a reset button.

Shop Pilo 2 →

Fabric-by-Fabric

Wool & Cashmere

Warm, breathable, self-cleaning fibres.

  • Steam inside-out to relax fibres; avoid flattening with heavy irons.
  • Use a fabric shaver to remove pills — light circular motions.
  • Fold to store; add cedar or lavender to deter moths.

Silk

Glossy, delicate, hates friction.

  • Hover steam from the wrong side; don’t drag plates.
  • Spot clean swiftly; press between towels to dry.
  • Use padded hangers; avoid rough straps and zips.

Denim

Shape memory, fades beautifully.

  • Brush + steam to refresh; wash sparingly, inside-out, cold.
  • Air dry flat to keep hem and rise true.

Tailoring

Structure lives in canvas and seams.

  • Steam along lapels and vents; never soak.
  • Use broad hangers; rest jackets 24h between wears.

Wash Less, Wear More

Over-washing weakens fibres and wastes energy. Refresh first, launder last.

  • Steam first: 30–60 seconds kills odours and drops creases.
  • Surface reset: a lint brush lifts dust and hair without water.
  • Spot clean: cool water + a drop of gentle soap before stains set.
  • Air out: 10–20 minutes on a hanger by a window.

30-Second Routine

  1. Hang on a sturdy hanger.
  2. Brush downward.
  3. Steam seams, collar, front.
  4. Light fabric spray from 20–30 cm.
  5. Air 10 minutes. Done.

Stain First Aid

  • Oil/grease: dust with cornflour 15–30 min → brush off → dab mild soap + cool water.
  • Wine/coffee: blot (don’t rub) → cool rinse from the back → gentle soap.
  • Make-up: dry wipe first → tape lift → then spot clean.

Test in a hidden area. Heat sets stains — keep it cool.

Steam vs. Iron

  • Steam: fastest refresh, safe on most fibres, preserves drape.
  • Iron: sharp creases on cotton/linen; use a pressing cloth.
  • Hybrid (Cirrus 3): convenience of steam + polish of a plate.
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