Habotai Silk is a very fine fabric that requires some extra handling care to ensure its longevity. To make your silk fans last it is recommended to store them somewhere safe or inside a soft bag. I personally store mine unraveled and hanging to keep the silks from creasing. Eg. close staved inside a wardrobe with silk hanging down from the top shelf.

When transporting silks I would recommend a soft fan bag (Available to purchase here)

If you want to keep them crease free I personally carry them inside a suit protector using a hanger with clips.

Pay attention to your surroundings when dancing with them to avoid getting them hooked on a small splinter and tearing. If you do accidentally make a rip in your silks they may be repairable using a fabric tacky glue such as ‘Dritz Liquid Stitch’. You can also use this glue if the silks have peeled away from the staves after prolonged use.

Avoid getting your silks too wet as the dye might bleed from one colour to another. You can hand wash your silks by spot dabbing or dipping each colour separately into cold water and a mild silk detergent. Use fresh water for each colour. Make sure the colours don’t touch each other when drying. Do not dip the staves, only the veil part.

You can iron your silks if they are creased using the lowest setting on your iron or the ‘Silk’ option if there is one. A heat protective ironing cloth is highly recommended. (Available to purchase here)

Loose rivets can be tightened by using a hammer to gently knock the pin in the staves closer together, if you loose a rivet you might find one in your local hardware store or you can order them online here.

If you find a bamboo stave has split you can use a PVC / tacky glue to fill in the crack and it will dry in 24 hours

Be aware that dyed silks will gradually fade when exposed to sunlight.

Depending on usage and how well you care for your silks you can expect them to last between 3-5 years.

Veil Wings

When you receive your order I highly recommend practicing with the poles alone to work out the best length to extend them to, it is very easy to tear the silk on the poles when they are too long and accidently scrape the ground or ceiling, for this reason I would make sure your poles do not touch the floor when your arm is fully extended and pointing down.

Holographic wings are prone to crease marks therefore it is best to keep them hanging whilst in storage, avoid scrunching them up into a ball and if you have to travel with them then try rolling the fabric instead of folding too much.