The short answer: yes, you can machine wash it. Cold water, delicate cycle, and give it the whole machine to itself (it deserves the space). Air dry or tumble on low, and that's the entire secret. The rest of this guide is the why, the what-ifs, and one very good dry cleaning joke.
We've been making handwoven blankets for over 20 years, and "wait, can I really wash this?" might be our most-asked question. A blanket that looks like folk art feels like it should live behind glass. Ours shouldn't. They're made with 100% recycled materials and built for real life: picnics, campfires, couch forts, beach days, dog naps, and whatever your Sunday turns into.
The wash, step by step
- Give it a solo cycle. Zippers and velcro from other laundry are the only real enemies a woven blanket has. No roommates in the wash.
- Cold water, delicate cycle. Cold keeps the colors doing the thing everyone compliments them for.
- Air dry, or tumble low. High heat is the one move to avoid, and that's the whole list.
No special soap ritual. No hand-wringing in a bathtub by moonlight. It's a blanket, not a bonsai tree.
Washing a tapestry blanket or woven throw
Call it a tapestry blanket, a woven blanket or a handwoven throw. The wash is the same: cold water, delicate cycle, its own load, then air dry or tumble low.
Plenty of you hang yours on a wall. "I use it as a tapestry to cover a wall mounted tv but it will be an excellent buy however you choose to use it." (Cathy W., verified review)
A wall-hung blanket gets the same care as one on the couch. Take it down, run it cold and delicate, and let it dry flat or tumble it low.
Will the colors fade?
Nope, and don't take our word for it. "The colors are rich and they don't fade with washing. The weave is substantial but yet not so tight that it's hot." (Juliana M., verified review)
It gets better
These blankets soften with every single wash. Brand new, the weave has a sturdy, rustic feel. A few washes in, it relaxes into the blanket the whole house fights over. "I've had Trek Light blankets for years, they are SO durable and get softer with every wash." (Bronwyn S., verified review) Most things you buy are at their best on day one. This one's just warming up.
What about dry cleaning?
You can, and it's technically the gentlest option. But as promised, here's the comedian Mitch Hedberg on clothing labels: "This shirt is dry clean only. Which means it's dirty." We feel the same way about blankets. Wash it. Use it. Repeat for a decade or two.
The long game
Cared for this way (which, again, is barely any care at all), these blankets stick around long enough to become family lore. "My first purchase has been on my living room couch with almost daily use for several years and looks almost new." (Katie C., verified review) And because every blanket is handwoven from recycled materials, no two are exactly alike. Yours is one of a kind. The wash instructions are just how you keep it that way.
Washing questions we get
Can you machine wash a woven blanket?
Yes. Use cold water and a delicate cycle, and give the blanket the machine to itself. Then air dry it or tumble it on low.
How do you wash a tapestry blanket?
Same as any of our woven blankets: cold, delicate, its own load, then air dry or tumble low. If it hangs on a wall, take it down first.
Will washing fade a handwoven blanket?
Customers tell us the colors hold up. Cold water is what keeps them bright, and high heat is the one thing to avoid.
Do handwoven blankets get softer when you wash them?
Yes. They start out sturdy and rustic, then soften a little more with every wash.
Can you dry clean a handwoven blanket?
You can, and it's technically the gentlest option. A cold, delicate wash at home does the job for most blankets, so you don't need to.
