we all reuse

When cleaning reclaimed textiles it's hard to know if the items are safe to be machine washed.

In addition garment labels may be hard to read or missing.

It's generally safe to assume that hand washing in cold water will be safe, but for many projects, it's too time consuming.

Wool and viscose shrink the most, so look out for these, and handwash. Everything else will probably come out OK, but may loose special finishes or colour.

It hard to know which articles have dye that will run, so when washing coloured items throw in an old cotton t shirt or pillowcase.

It's a bit indelicate to mention this, but it's really important when sourcing vintage fabrics and materials - other people have worn these clothes, and chances are they've not been washed since.

Check for

• moth holes, moth eggs (whitish tiny pearl like things, often seen with the cigar shaped husks of the already hatched wrigglers)

• fleas, lice or their eggs along seams.