Details & Care
About our fabric
Salty Hippo Studio designs are screen printed by hand in small batches on Robert Kaufman Kona® Cotton.
Kona Cotton is a quilting-weight, 100% cotton fabric with a smooth surface that holds both detailed lines and bold areas of ink beautifully. It can be quilted, pieced, appliquéd, sewn into clothing and bags, or used anywhere you would normally use quilting cotton.
Panel size
Our hand-printed panels measure approximately 18½" × 22".
The printed design sits within the panel, with some unprinted fabric remaining around the edges. Because the fabric is cut and printed by hand—and because the width of a bolt can vary slightly—the exact dimensions and borders may vary a little from panel to panel.
Made by hand
Each panel is individually screen printed in our studio in Chillicothe, Missouri.
During printing, ink is pulled across the screen by hand. This can create subtle differences in ink coverage, texture, and placement from one panel to the next. You may notice areas where the ink is slightly heavier or lighter, an overlap that shifts a little, or a mark that isn’t exactly the same as the panel beside it.
These variations are a natural part of the screen-printing process and are part of what makes each piece distinct.
Before you sew
Our fabric is not prewashed or preshrunk.
The fibers can tighten slightly where the ink has been applied, sometimes making a freshly printed panel appear a little wavy. Washing allows the fibers to relax and softens the feel of the printed areas.
In my experience, Robert Kaufman Kona® Cotton does not shrink significantly. However, fabric manufacturers recommend prewashing because the weave can occasionally constrict in unexpected ways. If you plan to combine your panel with other fabrics, we recommend treating all of the fabrics in your project consistently—either prewashing them together or using them all unwashed.
Washing and care
Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Avoid bleach and harsh stain treatments directly on the printed areas.
The fabric and ink will soften with washing. All panels are heat-set in the studio to cure the ink and make the finished print washable.
As with any printed or dyed textile, repeated washing and use may gradually change its appearance. We think fabric should be made into things that are used and loved.
A note about color
We do our best to photograph each fabric and ink color as accurately as possible. However, colors can appear different depending on your screen settings, lighting, and the device you are using.
The same ink can also look different when printed on different base fabrics. If you are coordinating colors for a particular project, please refer to our Fabric Colors page for a closer look at the current palette.
Questions about your order?
If something doesn’t look right or you have a question before cutting into your fabric, please email us at hello@saltyhippo.com. We’ll be happy to help.