A styled laundry room corner with natural light streaming in through a window, woven bamboo roller shade, patterned wallpaper, a wooden countertop, a washing machine, and Coral & Tusk embroidered linen tea towels and dinner napkins.

Materials & Care

At Coral & Tusk, we believe in creating items that are not only visually appealing but also crafted to stand the test of time. Our commitment to quality is evident in every step of our process, from thoughtful design to the careful selection of materials. We aim to foster a deeper connection with the things we own, promoting sustainability and a more meaningful relationship with our possessions. With proper care, we hope you’ll enjoy your Coral & Tusk items for many decades to come.

Close-up of Coral & Tusk embroidered linen Feathers Table Runner, featuring detailed embroidery of large-scale feathers.

Linen

We use linen made from 100% unbleached, undyed natural flax fiber. By embracing the natural beauty of linen, we reduce our use of harsh chemicals and pollutants that accompany standard dying practices.

The flax is grown in Lithuania, then wet spun into yarn at an ISO 9001 company in West Bengal, India, before arriving at our weaving workshop in Bangalore, India.

All of the fiber is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified and does not contain any harmful substances or chemicals.

A close-up of Coral & Tusk Downhill Skiers Pillows, unstuffed, showing the corners to compare natural variations in linen color. The top pillow is a slightly darker linen, though the embroidered winter animals and thread colors are the same.

Variations in Our Linen

Sometimes we see variations in the shade of our natural, undyed linen fabric. This variation occurs from one flax crop to another and can stem from a range of natural factors, including weather and soil conditions. When we receive orders for multiple products, especially items designed to pair together, like napkins and pillows, we do our absolute best to match the linen shade across all the products in your order.

If you have previously purchased Coral & Tusk items and want to ensure the linen fabric matches with a new order, do not hesitate to email us at hello@coralandtusk.com or give us a call at 718-388-4188. We’re always happy to review any questions you may have.

Care

Based on our practices in the Coral & Tusk studio and traditional linen care recommendations, we’ve compiled a list of general cleaning, storage, and care tips for our linen products. We also recommend checking the product page for any care instructions specific to that item.

A styled laundry room scene with a beige ceramic pitcher, small glass bottle of laundry detergent, bar of soap on a glass tray, a folded Coral & Tusk tea towel with a feather embroidery, a blue-rimmed dish, and a woven basket on a wooden surface.

A styled laundry room scene with a Coral & Tusk embroidered linen towel featuring a fowl feather, laid on a wooden surface alongside a white enamel bowl with a blue rim, a small ceramic bowl, a wooden brush, and a bottle of linen spray, with a woven basket and patterned wallpaper visible in the background.

Dry Cleaning

This is our default recommendation. To maintain the character of your linen from the moment of purchase, the safest way is dry cleaning.

We especially recommend dry cleaning for our table runners, since they are backed with a plain fabric and only the face of the runner is embroidered.

Close-up of Coral & Tusk embroidered linen Wheat Harvest Table Runner, featuring detailed embroidery of wheat and feathers.

Table Runners

We recommend dry cleaning all table runners, since they are backed with a plain fabric and only the face is embroidered. Shrinkage may occur to the plain fabric backing when machine washed.

Close-up of a corner of Coral & Tusk embroidered linen Bat Branch Pillow, showing a bat hanging from a branch with three-dimensional liftable wings.

Products with Magnets

Some of our products feature unique elements, such as magnets, to enhance their playful design. Please dry clean these items to ensure they remain in optimal condition. Never place a product with magnets in a machine washer or dryer.

Overhead view of a person's hands washing a Coral & Tusk linen dinner napkin with a fowl feather embroidered on it in a blue-rimmed bowl on a wooden table, with a woven basket, a laundry spot-cleaning bar and brush in a dish beside the bowl, and a pile of linens beside it.

Washing:

Many of us have lived with, washed and dried our Coral & Tusk products for years and years and can testify that they stand up very well when treated with care. The caveat is that the linen does change and evolve. We see this as a positive, but not everyone does, which is why if in doubt at all, dry clean.

If you are someone that is familiar with how linen responds when washed, and you enjoy the character the fabric develops after washing, we encourage the following guidelines.

If you choose to wash, here are some options:

Hand wash in cool to warm water
Machine wash, gentle cold cycle up to 65° F
NEVER USE BLEACH
Detergents that will work best and do not alter the natural color of linen are Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, All (powder), Allens Naturally, Cheer (all versions) and Woolite.

Drying:

Never tumble-dry linen as this can over-dry the fibers and make ironing more difficult. Use spin cycle and/or line dry.
Dry flat or hang dry.

Special Care

Many of our products feature playful elements and a touch of sparkle!

Please note special care recommendations for pocket pillows and items with metallic gold or silver threads.

Close up of Coral & Tusk Red Barn Pocket Pillow with embroidered farm animal design and a horse pal on a wooden surface.

Pocket Pillows

Before washing our pocket pillows, remove the stuffed pals from the pillow pockets and turn the case inside out. Spot clean pals separately.

Metallic Thread Care

Metallic thread adds a touch of shimmer to many of our designs! To preserve the brilliance of the thread, avoid using heat on these items. Products with metallic embroidery should be washed only in cold water and line-dried. When ironing this product, avoid direct heat on the metallic stitching to prevent damage.

Ironing

Always iron linen when damp, first on the back of the embroidered side to eliminate creases and then on the face if you wish to enhance the fabric's natural sheen. If the linen has already dried before ironing, use a spray bottle with water to re-dampen it, especially any creases and wrinkles. A good steam iron set to the linen setting will work best.

Ironing your linens is also a matter of personal preference. The degree to which you iron, steam, or fold them fresh from the dryer will affect their final appearance.

A close-up of an ironed Coral & Tusk Wheat Harvest linen Napkin, showing its smooth, pressed finish, styled on a dining table with a matching Table Runner, brown ceramic plates, and gold-toned cutlery.

Ironed Dinner Napkin

A close-up of an unironed Coral & Tusk Wheat Harvest linen Napkin, showing its natural, relaxed texture, styled on a dining table with a matching Table Runner, brown ceramic plates, and gold-toned cutlery.

Unironed Dinner Napkin

Dinner napkin, machine washed and air dried, without ironing.

Stains

Fresh stains are much easier to remove than old ones, so address them promptly.

Blot up any excess liquid with a clean white cloth or paper towel.

Avoid rubbing the stained area with a linty terrycloth towel to minimize fabric pilling. Using a flat cloth, first dab at the stain with a bit of water. If it does not come out completely, add a tiny bit of OBA-free detergent and dab at the spot, repeating the process until the stain is removed.

Never rub a fresh stain with bar soap. Soap sets many stains.

A close-up lifestyle shot of a person's hands washing a Coral & Tusk linen towel with a brown and fowl feather embroidery. The scene is set on a wooden table with a glass dish containing soap and a brush, alongside a blue-rimmed bowl of soapy water.

A close-up of hands holding and spot treating a stain on a folded Coral & Tusk embroidered linen tea towel with a colorful embroidered fowl feather design, set on a wooden table next to a glass tray with a soap dish and a spray bottle.

Storage

Whenever possible, store linen articles without folding. Linen tablecloths or long pieces of fabric store best when rolled. Keep linens in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to avoid normal color fade. Our table runners, quilts, and tree skirts are packaged in a muslin bag; please feel free to keep it and use it to store your Coral & Tusk piece.

Questions?
We're happy to help!
  Contact us

Coral & Tusk stylized embroidered fox sitting on a small stool and holding a pink heart, shown on a plain white background, facing left.

Every collection begins with a world of inspiration and curiosity.

Our Process

Start with A Story 01

Stephanie first creates her irreverent characters and bold pattern designs by putting pencil to paper. Every collection begins with abundant research and each individual design stems from her original hand-drawn illustrations.

Drawing To Digital 02

Stephanie then scans her original drawing, creating a digital file. She redraws the design, stitch by stitch, using specialized software.

Connecting Threads 03

Once her designs are digitized, Stephanie connects with our partners in India to begin production. Together they work to perfect each design, finalizing layouts and colors. Our partners in India implement ethical working conditions and provide fair wages.

Bring it to Life 04

Once the design is perfected, it is machine embroidered in India by our embroidery partner of over ten years. The large scale embroidery machines make it possible for us to scale Stephanie’s creative process with the flexibility of small production runs.

From Fiber to Cloth 05

Nearly all of our products are embroidered on 100% unbleached and undyed linen, avoiding the pollutants found in standard textile dying practices and reducing water consumption. Our linen begins as a flax plant in Lithuania and is then wet spun into yarn at an ISO 9001 company in West Bengal, India, before arriving in Bangalore, India for weaving. All of our linen fiber is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified, confirming that it does not contain any harmful substances or chemicals.

Stitch It Up 06

Sewing is the final step of our production process. Every Coral & Tusk embroidery is transformed into the final product by our long-time tailors who expertly hem and stitch every piece for you to enjoy in your home.