Material Care Guide"Boa"

Table of Contents）

・What is Boa (Fur)?

・About the Material

・How to Handle Boa Material

・If You Run Into Trouble

・How to Care for Boa

What is Boa (Fur)?

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Boa (fur) generally refers to a fluffy fabric resembling sheep's wool. The name "boa," as we know it today, is said to derive from the Latin word for "large snake" (boa). It's said the name came about because the way noblewomen wrapped long-piled boa fabric around their necks looked as though they were wrapped in a large snake. There are several types of boa fabric, including sheep-like sheep boa, poodle-like poodle boa, alpaca-like alpaca boa, and pineapple boa, which resembles a pineapple's textured surface—along with many other lesser-known varieties.

With its fluffy appearance, boa is characterized by its lightness and excellent heat retention. It is often used for jacket and coat linings, hats, gloves, and the interiors of boots, making it an indispensable fabric for winter.

About the Material

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Boa comes in natural wool and synthetic acrylic materials. Natural wool offers excellent heat retention and moisture absorption, meaning it won't feel damp or sticky even when you sweat. The advantages of acrylic material include durability and the convenience of being machine washable at home in many cases.

❶Soft with a pleasant texture, it's used not only on the outside of garments but also as inner lining.

❷It has a longer pile than fleece and offers superior heat retention.

❸It's lightweight, offering the comfort of not straining your shoulders even when worn for long periods.

❶The fabric easily attracts fine dust and dirt, which can be difficult to remove. This is especially true for lighter-colored boa, such as white or ecru, where discoloration tends to stand out.

❷Regardless of whether it's natural or synthetic fiber, some boa items cannot be washed.

❸During long-term storage, there is a possibility of moth damage.

❹The volume of the boa may become flattened with continued use.

How to Handle Boa (Fur) Material

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To make the most of boa's lightweight, comfortable qualities while managing its drawbacks, regular brushing helps maintain that fluffy feel it has when new.

When First Using

If natural wool is used as the material, new or newly used items may have a distinctive animal odor, but this will fade with use. This may be especially noticeable right after opening the packaging, so we recommend airing the item in a well-ventilated, shaded area, or letting it be exposed to a breeze, before use.

After Wearing

For clothing items, it's sufficient to gently brush the item after wearing, as if fluffing it with air, to remove dirt and dust. Afterward, air it out in a well-ventilated, shaded location.

For items with leather on the outer surface, which tend to trap moisture, leaving them unattended can encourage the growth of mold, mites, and bacteria. We recommend wearing such items with a 2-3 day interval between uses to allow moisture to dissipate.

At the End of the Season

For everyday items and accessories, gently tap them on a sunny day to remove dust and debris. Additionally, some natural and synthetic materials can be cared for at home using neutral detergent or detergent designed for delicate clothing.

For boa items that cannot be washed, if there is dirt, gently wipe the affected area with a tightly wrung-out towel. Afterward, hang it on a hanger or use a flat-drying net, and let it air-dry in the shade for several hours. Once dry, lightly brush the fur to restore its texture, fixing any flattened or tangled fur.

Storage Method

Be sure to thoroughly remove any moisture from boa products before storing them. We recommend storing them in a well-ventilated location with low humidity. Placing a moisture absorber nearby (positioned so it doesn't touch the product directly) or regularly taking the item outside to air it out can help prevent mold.

For clothing, we recommend hanging it on a hanger and covering it with a non-woven fabric cover. When storing interior items or bags, be careful not to stack them with other items, as this can cause the boa to flatten or the fur to mat down into a felt-like texture.

If You Run Into Trouble

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◆If It Becomes Severely Soiled

Since home care isn't always possible, please check the care label and consult a trusted dry cleaner.

◆If the Odor Becomes Noticeable

Since frequent washing isn't possible, if the item picks up odors from places like restaurants, use a commercially available deodorizing fabric spray. Afterward, make sure it's dry before brushing.

Please be careful not to brush the item while it's still wet, as this may damage the fur or the brush.

◆When You Notice a Loss of Volume

Brush in a way that adds air back into the fibers. When the boa (fur) is flattened, the hair fibers have become tangled and compressed due to friction and pressure, so gently loosen them by brushing while changing the angle of the brush. Also, warming the item with a hair dryer (low heat) before brushing will make it easier to loosen the fibers.

How to Care for Boa (Fur) Items

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◆How to Hand Wash at Home

【For Boa Items That Can Be Hand Washed】

This time, we'll introduce how to care for COLDBREAKER room shoes, which you can maintain at home. Since room shoes come into direct contact with the floor, they tend to get dirtier than clothing. By giving them daily care such as brushing, you can enjoy using them for a long time.

For items that bear body weight, like room shoes, the boa's volume tends to diminish compared to when new, and the fur can become felt-like. This flattening is especially noticeable at the points of contact with the floor or the body.

▲Brushing restores the raised texture of the fur

Care should be done in a container large enough to hold the item, or in a sink.

First and foremost, follow the instructions on the detergent label, but for this example, we'll use a neutral laundry detergent, dissolved well in lukewarm water below 30 degrees Celsius. Please note that using an alkaline detergent may cause the fur to shrink. Also, avoid bleach and fabric softener, as they can damage the fur, so be sure to choose a detergent that doesn't contain fabric softener.

Gently repeat pressing the item to wash out the dirt. Washing for too long can cause the wool to shrink, so the key is to keep the washing time short (about 5 minutes as a guide).

Press out the water absorbed by the room shoes, place them in a mesh laundry bag, and spin dry in the washing machine for about a minute. For small items or if you don't have a spin dryer, you can also wrap them in a towel to gently absorb the moisture.

Once you've removed as much moisture as possible, shape the item and let it dry thoroughly indoors in a well-ventilated spot away from direct sunlight, or in the shade. After spin-drying, the boa fur will still be flattened, but never brush it while it's still wet, as this can damage both the brush and the wool.

Once you've confirmed the item is completely dry, gently brush it in a way that adds air back into the fibers, and the care process is complete.

For boa material, whose texture is its defining feature, the best recommendation for care is to consult a professional cleaning service. Especially for expensive garments, if you have a trusted, regular dry cleaner, we recommend using their services.

List of Boa Product Brands

ZUTTO

"We want to encounter things we can cherish and use forever," and "We want to share the joy of that encounter." ZUTTO is a select shop born from these thoughts. As we introduce a variety of "things" from Japan and around the world—items born from handcraft, items that focus on materials, items that require skilled technique—we sometimes find ourselves thinking, "It would be nice if there were more things like this." The original items we've created with a focus on that "more" are introduced as the ZUTTO brand.

COLDBREAKER

COLDBREAKER is a brand that produces a wide range of high-quality wool products, from clothing to room shoes. The manufacturer, ALWERO, is a factory brand specializing in wool products, founded in Poland in 1999. Using a special method, the wool is cut to minimize the characteristic prickly feel of wool against the skin, giving it a wonderfully soft and gentle touch. The brand is currently sold mainly in Europe and North and South America, as well as in Japan and some other parts of Asia.

Jackman

"Jack" means "home run—to hit high into the air," a name derived from the founder's admiration for American baseball. Jackman is a brand that carries on the skills and spirit from its founding, creating products from its own unique, somewhat contrarian ("amanojaku") perspective. It's a brand that takes clothing seriously, with stories and attention to detail that make you want to wear its pieces for years to come.

 duckfeet

duckfeet is a brand that originated in Denmark, in Northern Europe. With careful consideration for the environment, the brand is thorough about using earth-friendly natural materials in both production and recycling. Rather than mass-producing disposable goods, duckfeet encourages cherishing quality items, repairing them along the way, and using them for many years. With its distinctive "duck foot" silhouette, beautiful vegetable-tanned leather, simple designs that prioritize functionality, and the natural, rustic charm typical of Scandinavian style, duckfeet is a comfort brand that has earned strong support even from those who suffer from bunions.