Materials and 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.

We use linen that is made from 100% unbleached and 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.

There is an inherent beauty in the shade variation from one crop to another. This variation stems from a range of natural factors including weather and soil contributing to soft fluctuations in the natural tones which start from seed and end in a beautifully woven natural cloth.

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.

Dry Cleaning:

This is our default recommendation. In order to maintain the character your linen has from the moment of purchase, the safest bet is dry cleaning.

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

We also recommend it for any product that uses a metallic thread in the design.

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.

Metallic thread adds a special touch to many of our designs! To maintain the quality and shine, we recommend dry cleaning products that feature gold or silver thread.

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.

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 makes ironing more difficult. Use spin cycle and/or line dry.
Dry flat or hang dry.

Ironing

Always iron linen when damp, first on the backside of the embroidered front 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 out before ironing, use a water spray bottle 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.

Ironed dinner napkin.

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

Stains

Fresh stains are much easier to remove than old ones, so take care of stains 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 keep fabric pilling to a minimum. 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.

Questions?

We're happy to help!

Email: hello@coralandtusk.com

Phone: 718.388.4188

We want you to be delighted with your purchase and are here to help you take the best care of your Coral & Tusk products for years to come!

Our Process

Every collection begins with abundant research, drawing from a wide variety of inspiration.

Step 1. Start with a story.

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.

Step 2. Drawing to Digital.

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

Step 3. Connecting threads.

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.

Step 4. Bring it to life.

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.

Step 5. From fiber to cloth.

Nearly all of our products are embroidered on 100% unbleached and undyed linen, avoiding the pollutants found in standard textile dyeing 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.

Step 6. Stitch it up.

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.

Linen

Care