Hi there Rachel,

Yes, the entire Jaipur collection is made of 100% cotton sateen and it is completely machine washable. The actual label says "Use front load commercial washer or dryer. Machine wash warm, normal. Wash with like colors. Only non-chlorine bleach when needed.  Tumble dry low. Remove promptly."  We know not everyone has a commercial size, front-loading washer in their home (or even access to one) but what that really means is that you need a machine large enough for the duvet to fit and spin freely.  We also recommend washing it alone for that reason and also to avoid any zippers or buttons from other clothes catching on the fabric. Using a smaller machine may result in an uneven cleaning and actually may encourage more wrinkling. Front loading machines are also more gentle on fabrics as opposed to the rougher agitation from the traditional top-loading machines.  Lastly, due to the bright colors of the Jaipur design, we recommend a gentle wash cycle with a cold temperature setting and a mild detergent. The colors are color-fast, but cold will keep everything sharp and crisp for longer.   In order to reduce wrinkles, remove the duvet immediately and shake it out prior to placing it in the dryer. Use a low temperature setting and remove it while it's still slightly damp.  Then you can hang it dry to lessen additional wrinkling.

I thought you might also be interested in a little bit of background on cotton sateen and how best to care for it to make it last.

Cotton sateen is generally made from combed thread, but uses a finer thread than cotton percale. Sateen starts with this long-fiber, combed cotton which is then mercerized to bring out a sheen. Mercerization (invented by John Mercer in 1844) causes the fiber to swell and that's acheieved by soaking the fiber in a caustic soda of sodium hydroxide (i.e., lye) and then neutralizing it in an acid bath. The result makes the cotton fiber stronger and more easily dyed. It also adds a luster to the fibers.  Sateen should be very soft to the touch, with a high thread count and should drape well.  Thread count refers to the number of horizontal and vertical threads used to create one square inch of fabric.  Sateen fabric uses the satin stitch in construction, which means four over and one under or basically, the threads are mostly on one side of the fabric, giving it that smooth look. A traditional stitch is one over, one under. Therefore cotton sateen is softer than cotton percale as sateen has a higher thread count and uses finer threads.

Sateen has been a popular fabric since the early 1900s. Being made of cotton, it is much cheaper than silk satin, and is also more durable, as well as being machine washable. In the early 20th century, sateen was often used for women's undergarments because of its durability and smooth feel.

Thanks for writing in Rachel!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Echo Design Web Concierge

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From: Rachel [mailto:*****@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Rachel
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 4:35 PM
To: AskADesigner
Subject:  Weblog - Ask a Designer
Name: Rachel
Email: *****@gmail.com

Is the Jaipur duvet machine washable?