Your Most Common Questions About Buying Vintage Chenille, Answered.

Thinking about buying vintage chenille? Before you do, here are the questions we are most commonly asked::

Should I buy vintage if I experience allergies or other sensitivities? The bottom line: NO.

Jump to: Allergies and associated sensitivities (when purchasing vintage chenille bedspreads, garments, or other textiles)

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Will it fit? What about a true vintage 40s style robe? Our handcrafted robes generally fit up to a size L/XL; true vintage robes are very unlikely to fit unless you are considered VERY small by today’s standards. 

Jump to: Sizing and fit (a must read when buying vintage chenille robes or other garments)

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What kind of condition can be expected when purchasing vintage chenille? The short answer: imperfect!

Jump to: Condition of vintage chenille items

Should You Buy Vintage Chenille When You Have Allergies?

The short answer to that – absolutely, NO.

All of the chenille we use here is vintage – this means that just like us humans, every fluff and tuft has enjoyed a very colorful life before being transformed into a handmade chenille robe.

As such, the fabric may have come into contact with perfumes, pets, cigarette smoke, dust, mold and associated potential allergens. Not only that, chenille as a fabric is very…well, fluffy! Give it a shake or sew with it and you’ll know what we’re talking about – you’ll literally see little dust particles floating about everywhere.

Due to the above facts, we will never recommend purchasing vintage chenille if you suffer from allergies or sensitivities of any kind.

How Do We Launder Our Vintage Chenille Bedspreads and Robes?

People also often ask what detergent we use – our #1 recommendation at this time is Puracy. We also use Woolite and several brands of high end linen washes as well, but for general purposes, we use the Fresh Linen or Fragrance Free varities of Puracy detergent.

You can purchase Puracy’s brand of detergents (their stain treatment as well as general purpose cleaner also comes with our highest recommendation) at retailers such as Amazon. We also do not use dryer sheets; instead we use wool dryer balls scented with various blends of natural essential oils.

What About Sizing? Will My Chenille Robe Fit?

By far, questions related to fit and sizing are the most common ones we answer.

The easiest way to answer the “will it fit?” question is to break down the chenille robes we offer into two categories: true vintage and “modern”.

How True Vintage Chenille Robes Fit

Unless you are T-I-N-Y by today’s standards, a true vintage robe (manufactured from the 1930s-early 1980s) is very unlikely to be a good fit for you. Unfortunately, beautiful as these robes are, sizing back then was much different than what we’re accustomed to today.

In general, we like to say your average true vintage 1940s chenille bathrobe is going to fit max a modern size Small. They’ll also do well on XS and XXS sizing.

Don’t be fooled by vintage tag sizing either – a “10” or “12” marked on a tag from the 1950s would barely be a size 0 today if you’re lucky.

How Our Handmade Chenille Robes Fit

We no longer make “Small” size chenille robes unless it’s specially requested. Instead, virtually all the robes we make – whether traditional shawl collar or hooded – should accommodate a modern size Large. We make two different styles of shawl collar robes – one generally fits up to a modern size L; the other may accommodate up to a 1X. We also make robes for our plus size lovelies in sizes up to 4X.

Some helpful robe sizing guidelines for you:

1) All our chenille robes are “full-length” – where they fall will depend on your height of course, but they are meant to fall to the lower leg  or ankle area on an adult of average height.

2) If you are smaller boned or more petite, our standard shawl collar or hooded robes will have a more draped or oversized look on your frame.

3) If you are of average build, you can expect to “fill” the robe out more than someone who is very thin or small boned in stature.

4) No matter what size you are, the best way to determine fit is to compare the general measurements provided in every listing to a similar favorite garment of your own.

5) If you do not have a similar garment to compare to, you can use your own body measurements. Just be sure that you also allow several extra inches around each measurement for a comfortable fit.

Condition of Vintage Chenille

If you are expecting any type of “perfection” when buying anything vintage, you’ll want to pass right on by. By nature, anything antique or vintage has been pre-loved, very often across many generations.

When it comes to vintage chenille in particular, you should always expect one or more of the following:

• Color variations
• Age spots and associated patina
• Small pinholes, rough spots or mends
• Tuft loss or inconsistent tuft height
• Loose or pulled threads (common with needletufted florals)
• Odors, most commonly of perfume, that may never fully vanish

Those of us who appreciate antique and vintage textiles are more than willing to accept what the mainstream may consider “flawed” – and in fact, these are often the hallmarks of a true vintage item to look for.

Basically, if you’re not the type of person who loves a good pair of super distressed old Levi’s, vintage isn’t for you.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We love hearing from fellow chenille aficionados! To view the robes we currently have available for purchase, click here. 

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