How do you wash a down jacket?
Because our little treasures’ winter outings are rich in discoveries, the Tartine et Chocolat down jacket is put to the test. To ensure that baby or your older kid finds the comfort of a cosy cocoon after every adventure, delicate care is key. At Tartine et Chocolat, we put all our expertise into creating iconic styles that combine technical excellence with timeless elegance. Whether your kid wears our famous long navy or taupe down jacket powder pink, grey-blue reversible down jacket, or our lightweight down jackets…every piece deserves exceptional care.
However, a kid’s life is full of spontaneous adventures. A chocolate stain, a slide in frosty grass or simply the passage of time can dull the lustre of these precious pieces. How do you wash a down jacket without compromising its legendary loft? How do you protect the noble materials that make up your children’s wardrobe? Follow our exceptional guide for care worthy of children’s haute couture.
The Nobility of Materials: Every style has its secret
Advice from our Atelier : Every Tartine et Chocolat creation is unique. Before beginning any care routine, we invite you to carefully consult the composition label sewn inside your garment. It contains instructions specific to your style to help you preserve its beauty and softness year after year.
Natural Down and Feathers
Used in our warmest styles, such as the down jacket navy mixed-material, anthracite grey imitation fur, anthracite purple imitation fur… down and feathers provide unrivalled thermal insulation. It is this filling that gives the much sought-after "cloud" effect. Down is a living material that needs air to retain its insulating properties. This is the secret behind the lightness of our styles designed for extreme cold.
High-Precision Technical Padding
For our more urban or reversible styles, such as the long navy or Taupe down jacket, or the green sleeveless down jacket or electric blue one, we use premium synthetic padding. It mimics the structure of down while offering greater resistance to moisture and easy care, ideal for everyday wear by children up to 14 years old.
The Signature Details
Pay particular attention to the finishing touches: genuine mother-of-pearl buttons, the gold zips on the ecru mixed-material down jacket, the navy broderie anglaise down jacket, embroidered badges or the exclusive Garda print, found for example on our water-repellent navy down jacket. These details are the signature of our House and require delicate handling to retain their lustre.
Preparation: Waterproofing, the Invisible Shield
You do not always think about it before the first wash, but waterproofing is the step that extends the life of your coat. Our fabrics, such as those of the reversible parka, receive a water-repellent treatment in our workshop. However, over time and with friction (a backpack for older children, a pushchair harness for babies), this protection may fade.
Advice from the Atelier: Apply a specialist waterproofing spray (silicone-free) to your clean, dry down jacket. Spray evenly from around 20 cm away. This not only prevents water from penetrating, but also creates a barrier against greasy stains and dust. A waterproofed garment gets dirty less quickly!
The Preparation Ritual: A Precise Gesture
You should not put a down jacket inside out or a coat mottled greige for example in the washing machine without careful preparation.
-Empty the pockets: Children are treasure collectors. Check that no pebble or little secret is hiding inside to avoid tearing the lining.
-Protect accessories: Always remove fur trims (real or synthetic) using the delicate press studs. Fur must never be immersed in water, or it will become coarse.
-Fasten to protect: Zip up the zips, fasten the press studs and Velcro fastenings. This prevents metal parts from scratching the delicate fabric during the cycle.
-Turn the garment inside out: Always wash your down jacket inside out to protect the vibrancy of its iconic colours (powder blue, sugared-almond pink or pearl grey).
The Peace-of-Mind Option: Why Choose Dry Cleaning?
For our most luxurious down jackets or those adorned with intricate details, we strongly recommend using a professional. Dry cleaning or wet cleaning at a dry cleaner’s ensures that the down in your down jacket does not clump together. It is the "stress-free" option for parents who want to ensure the longevity of a heirloom piece. We recommend professional cleaning at least once a year, ideally at the end of winter.
Washing at Home: Mastering Gentleness
If you prefer to care for your down jacket at home, the golden rule is a low temperature.
Choosing Detergent
Always use a liquid detergent for delicate laundry. Avoid fabric softener: it coats the feathers and technical fibres of styles such as the navy mixed-material down jacket or anthracite, causing them to lose their precious "spring".
The Ideal Programme
Select a "Wool" or "Delicate" cycle. The temperature must be 20°C or 30°C maximum. Water that is too hot could weaken the fabrics and shrink the invisible seams.
The Tennis Ball Trick
For bulky styles, place two clean tennis balls in the drum. They will "massage" the down jacket during washing, preventing the filling from becoming prematurely compacted.
The “Cloud” Spin Cycle: Respecting Feathers
Spinning is a delicate step. A down jacket saturated with water is heavy. Excessive spinning (over 800 rpm) would exert such pressure that the feathers could break. We recommend a gentle spin at 600 rpm. It is the perfect compromise: fast enough to remove excess water from your down jacket, yet slow enough to respect the fragility of the filling.
Drying: Restoring Loft
This is often the step that causes the most apprehension, yet it is crucial. Contrary to popular belief, air-drying is not recommended, as feathers may dry in clumps and lose their warmth.
The secret? Tumble drying at a low temperature. Choose the “Delicate” or “Low temperature” programme (40-50°C maximum). Adding two clean tennis balls will "beat" the down. Take the down jacket out every 30 minutes and shake it vigorously. Once completely dry, your down jacket should have regained all its airy lightness.
Winter Storage: Preparing the Wardrobe for Spring
Once winter is over, storage is the final step in ensuring that your kid’s down jacket will be as good as new the following year.
Pre-cleaning: Never store a down jacket that has not been cleaned. Organic stains (food, perspiration) can oxidise and become permanent over time.
Choosing a cover: Avoid airtight plastic covers or vacuum bags at all costs. Down needs to breathe. Choose a cotton fabric cover or a large canvas bag that protects against dust while allowing air to circulate.
Do not compress: Hang the down jacket on a wide, sturdy hanger to avoid marking the shoulders. If you need to fold it, do so without squashing it. A feather compressed for too long will eventually lose its elasticity.
Natural protection: Slip a small sachet of cedar or lavender into the cover. As well as delicately scenting the garment, this naturally protects natural materials from moths.
Mistakes to Avoid: A Handy Reminder
Never iron: The heat from the iron would melt the synthetic fibres in our technical fabrics.
Drying on a hanger : A wet down jacket is heavy; hanging it would cause all the down to fall to the bottoms.
The scorching radiator: Direct heat can irreparably damage the delicate outer fabric.
Rushing into storage: Always wait 24 hours after drying to ensure that no residual moisture remains at the heart of the feathers.
A well-cared-for down jacket promises a thousand and one outdoor outings, safely sheltered from the cold. By caring for these precious pieces, you preserve not only their warmth, but also the memories of first slides and shared laughter beneath the snowflakes.
Does your little explorer already have their armour against winter? To create cosy layers and complete their wardrobe, discover our beautiful jumpers and cardigans in soft knitwear, our comfortable trousers designed for adventure, as well as our essential Bodies for girls and boys in ultra-soft cotton to slip under their down jacket. Pieces with refined finishes, timeless colours and materials selected with the utmost care to wrap them in tenderness throughout the season.
