FAQ

People love linen—and they have questions. Here are some of the queries we often field when talking with customers. (Your question’s not here? Shoot us an email. We’d love to help.)

Caring for Willow Ship table linens (see below for other products):

How should I wash my new table linens?
We recommend machine washing cold and gentle tumble dry or line dry.
Do I have to iron them?
Up to you, whether you like a crisp look or something soft and casual. Often simply smoothing and folding the napkins while warm from the dryer is sufficient. Washing linens in full loads and drying with wool dryer balls helps to prevent creases from setting. If you choose to iron, we recommend a hot iron with steam, on the reverse side of the printing. (NB: Don’t linger too long on the edge stitching: it’s nylon and could melt with over-heating. See below for info on the serged edge.)
How permanent is the printing?
Our goods are hand-printed with professional textile ink, and heat-treated for permanence. That said, like all printed textiles, a slight degree of fading and aging of the printing should be expected with normal wash and wear. We use (and abuse) our napkins every day at home, and they hold up beautifully.
How absorbent are these linens?
Once laundered, the fibers of linen open up dramatically and become remarkably absorbent. Using linen in the kitchen is a great move, as it’s a very strong, durable textile. 
Anything I need to know about the serged edge?
Our table linens are sewn with a nylon-thread serged edge. Rarely, slight unraveling may occur at the corners, and the thread can be re-sealed with a (brief!) touch of flame. A lighter or kitchen torch works great.

How should I care for non-tabletop items?

Pillow Covers
We recommend unfastening the buttons (if applicable), turning the cover inside out, and washing gently with cold water. Especially if your style contains the coconut button closure, we suggest air drying flat. You may then steam iron on the reverse of printing for a fresh, crisp look.
Yardage
It’s always wise to wash and dry new yardage prior to starting your sewing projects, but it’s up to you. For long-term care of your sewn item, we recommend a cold wash and gentle tumble or line dry.
Zipper Pouches
To maintain the crisp structure of the canvas-weight linen used for our zipper pouches, we recommend spot cleaning only.
Café Aprons
We recommend a cold wash and gentle tumble or line dry. A hot steam iron on the non-printed side will bring back a crisp shape.
Throws & Scarves
We recommend a cold wash and gentle tumble or line dry. Ironing with steam (on the reverse of printing) is up to you — we think a slightly rumpled look is cool and casual.
Totes & Project Bags
We recommend either spot cleaning or a cold wash and gentle tumble or line dry. If you wish to iron the bag into crisp shape again, a hot steam iron on the reverse of printing works great. Just turn the bag inside out and press.
Wall Art
Spot clean only, if necessary.

 

When do you offer sales?

We offer a few sale opportunities each year, announced via email primarily, as well as on social media. For our email Insiders, we reserve the highest level of discounts, not published elsewhere. We also pass along secret perks like access to premium gift wrap styles, and exclusive gift-with-purchase bonuses. Sounds good, right? Join us.

I see an item is out of stock. What if I need it now?

You can always sign up to be notified when we re-stock, on the shop page for that item. If you need it immediately, let us steer you to our wonderful retail partners; they frequently have a different product mix on hand. Just email us and we’d be happy to point you in the right direction.

Why do you use 100% linen for everything?

We love the character and beautiful earthiness of linen, and it combines naturally with our abstract design motifs. Most people know linen as a garment: it’s cooling (but also nice in Winter under a sweater), It's naturally anti-bacterial, anti-static, and was beloved by ancient Egyptians. And, as a napkin or tea towel, linen is strong and hard to beat for longevity. But, did you know that linen, which comes from the flax plant, is more sustainable to grow? Flax requires far less water and basically no fertilizer interventions, compared to other crops like cotton. Plus, the entire plant can be used (edible flax seeds, etc) and any unused portion can be composted. No wonder flax and linen have been part of human fiber culture for, literally, millennia.⁠ We're excited to continue learning about the efforts to revive the Oregon flax industry; we're keeping our fingers crossed for someday using local linen for select Willow Ship goods.

Are Willow Ship products Made in America?

Yes, as much as currently possible. We source our base fabric from long-standing flax mills in Europe (hoping to source Oregon flax linen someday), but the design development, artisan hand-printing and ethical sewing of our wares is completely US-based. All together, this ratio of sourcing allows us to say with pride that our products are made in USA.

Do you offer custom work?

Our production processes usually make it inefficient to handle small custom projects, but please email us your thoughts: hello@willowship.com

Do you offer wholesale terms?

Yes. We’d love to learn about your shop. Please be in touch for the latest line sheet by emailing hello@willowship.com

Do you sell to the trade?

Yes, please email to inquire: hello@willowship.com