FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Where are you?

Nettle & Silk is a British company but owner Susanna splits her time between Portland, Oregon and Sussex, England. Orders are currently shipping from Oregon.

 

I want to use your ribbon for my bridal bouquet. How much should I buy?

  • To wrap just the stems, with no streamers, one metre (just over a yard) is sufficient
  • To wrap the stems and have medium-length streamers, 3 metres is best
  • To wrap the stems and have dramatic, editorial-style streamers, we recommend 5 metres

 

Are your products colourfast? Can I wash them?

Yep! My ribbons, table runners and napkins are dyed with plant and mineral-based colour. The colour is permanent, though some may fade a little if exposed to constant direct sunlight. If you’d like to wash them I recommend a gentle wash in PH-neutral soap. You can also iron them on a warm setting or use a hair straightener to flatten them.

Exposure to drastic changes in PH - like flower food - can change the colour, however.

Please do not have them dry cleaned! Dry cleaning is not actually dry; it uses a chemical solvent (often toxic and harmful to you and the environment) in place of water. In all likelihood it will alter the colour of your silk or cotton.

 

I want to use your ribbon to wrap my invitations. How much do I need?

Decide whether you want to wrap once around the centre, or both ways like a parcel and whether you would like to tie a knot, or a bow. 

  • For once around the middle, measure across the invitation suite and double it, then add three inches for a knot or five for a bow.

  • For both ways, like a parcel, measure both dimensions, add them and double it, then add three inches for a knot or five for a bow.

  • It’s also sometimes useful (and less maths!) to use a piece of string or cotton thread and tie it, then measure that and multiply by the number of invitations and/or suites you’ll need.

If you get stuck or need any help at all, don’t hesitate to ask!

 

I am creating a large project and want the colours of the ribbon to all be the same. Can you do that?

Sure! I recommend letting me know beforehand so that I can craft a batch large enough for your project in one go. Colours vary a little bit between batches because I work with natural dyes only and it's in the nature of these colours to vary a little (due to slight variations in water quality, dye stuffs and even the weather). I also recommend that you purchase a little more than you think you'll need, in case of fluff ups or mistakes in estimations, which do happen quite often.

 

I want to buy a table runner. How do I figure out how much I need?

Most tabletops are about 76cm (30”) off the floor. If you would like a runner that hangs off the end of the table at both ends, runs the length of the table and pools a little on the floor, take the table length add two times the height of the table and at least 1m for the pooling - more if you'd like a really luxe, dramatic look.

If you have any questions at all, let me know!

 

Do you do wholesale deals?

Making plant-dyed textiles by hand is truly a labour of love and so it's not possible to make industrial-sized amounts all at once, as you can in a factory with artificial colour. However, we've recently started partnering with other businesses to bring Nettle & Silk products to brick and mortar shops around the world. If you would like to carry our ribbons or table linens, please do get in touch.

 

Will you contribute to my styled shoot?

At some points in the year and depending on the shoot, this is sometimes possible. Please feel free to inquire, bearing in mind these requirements on my end:

  • That you will not use any other company’s ribbon (or if borrowing table runners and/or napkins, any other company’s linens) in the shoot.

  • That anything lent for the shoot will be returned in good condition within 2 weeks of the shoot date.

  • That I will receive high res images of the full shoot, including at least 3 flat-lays or close up product images of my products.

  • That I will receive credit and links to my social media (IG, Pinterest and website) every time images from the shoot are shared on social media or websites.


    Shipping

    • 1-3 day express shipping via UPS to anywhere in the world is also possible*. Please enquire for details.
    • Orders are currently shipping from Portland in Oregon, via USPS or UPS and in about 7 business days from the date the order is placed.
    • Returns are possible but only if the ribbon is returned in the condition it left the studio. They may also be charged a 15% restocking fee, depending upon the circumstances.

    Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about shipping. You can also see our shipping policies here.

     

    * some very remote places may take a little longer for UPS to reach you, but for most locations, it’s about 2 days for express shipping and if you would like an estimate on arrival times, I'm happy to get specific - feel free to ask!