One thing I still don’t really know how to look after, though, is cashmere. How does one wash cashmere at home? Is that a fashion crime? Should your cashmere sweaters go in the freezer or something? Are there especially evil moths that will just come for my cosiest knits at a certain time of the year? How long can I wear a cashmere sweater for and expect it to last or look passable? Questions, questions! Some older machines will be too harsh to wash cashmere. If your machine doesn’t have a minimize spin or gentle wash option, don’t use it.

Cashmere, From a Knitwear Expert | Who What How to Care for Cashmere, From a Knitwear Expert | Who What

You know how you normally have to rinse the soap out after washing? Soak does away with that step. Their environmentally friendly soap is designed to not require rinsing — just soak, squeeze out the excess, and you’re all set.Fabric Shaver : if you want the best option on the market, consider the fabric shaver. A favorite in Italy, this machine runs over the cashmere to get rid of any bubbles or pilling. But it’s designed for the most patient among us since it takes 15 minutes to depill one sweater. Ecover's Wool & Silk Delicate Laundry detergent is another top choice that takes the cake (without spilling any of it on your favorite sweater, of course). It's one of the few brands available in the U.S. that features Woolmark certification, essentially a stamp of approval from an Australian-based non-profit and global wool authority. In other words, it's been tested and trusted to care for merino wool, helping you properly maintain it for as long as possible.

Cashmere Care, How to wash and dry your cashmere – GARIN Cashmere Care, How to wash and dry your cashmere – GARIN

And there you have you, you’ve successfully washed (and dried) your cashmere sweater. The Best Detergents for Washing Cashmere Along with washing or freezing your cashmere pieces, you also want to exterminate your space. You can get moth traps or moth balls, but to be honest, moth balls smell and moth traps don’t always eliminate the entire family. Your best choice is to hire an exterminator. Your coats are most at risk Ok, we’ve graduated from cashmere 101—now let’s get into the cashmere care practices that will make you a true connoisseur. From how to care for a cashmere hat to preventing wrinkles, this is everything you need to know to major in cashmere. How do I keep wrinkles out of cashmere? To meet this demand more cashmere suppliers have popped up across the Gobi desert and the goat herders are being pressured to provide more cashmere as fast as they can. The unfortunate side effect is that goats are being brushed sooner, not letting their hairs fully grow. Remember, shorter hairs mean a sweater is more likely to pill. To battle this, many of the new manufacturers are treating their cashmere with silicone to soften it. Unfortunately silicone treated cashmere pills more and doesn't last nearly as long as natural cashmere. So how do you tell quality cashmere from cheap?

Removing Pilling (Bobbles)

Even if you get the urge to hand your cashmere off to a professional to deal with, using a dry cleaner is not always a great choice. Feel free to use them for coats and woven cashmere. I wash everything else at home. Here’s why: Cashmere Kiwi Moth Protect Sweater Storage : this compact option can fit multiple sweaters and coats with less structure. It’s a great choice if you need to store a lot of cashmere in a very little space. Step one in making cashmere last for 50 years is choosing the right cashmere! Not all cashmere is created equal and quality can vary across brands. Over the past 15 years cashmere garments have exploded in popularity and driven up the global demand for cashmere yarn. It's also worth mentioning that in addition to the smaller, 16-ounce bottle that's available, you can buy it in a 50-ounce size that's even more cost-efficient. It's also fine to use on cotton, polyester, nylon, and other materials so you can reach for it for a regular load of laundry, too.

How to Wash a Cashmere Sweater Without Ruining It

Step 1: Fill the basin with tepid water and a tablespoon of laundry detergent (this is one instance in which we highly recommend using specialized soap as opposed to your regular heavy-duty stuff).Cotton is the best material for clothing storage bags, as it allows the delicate material to breathe. If you’re afraid of it getting sweaty, don’t be. Cotton or polyester keeps smelly odors, but cashmere and other animal fibers repel smells. Let’s say you wore cashmere on a hotter day and got super sweaty. In three days, you wouldn’t be able to smell the sweat at all. However, if you wore cotton on the same day, the smell would linger and you’d need to wash it before wearing it again. Buy cashmere detergent If you opt to wash by hand, know that you're in good company. Take your time, and as you're getting used to the washing wool, always be mindful of instructions on your clothes and on the wool wash itself. In fact, 99% of modern washing machines are cashmere friendly. Cashmere sweaters can be washed over 100 times in a newer machine and still look brand new. You can stop wasting money on the dryer cleaner now. On top of its warmth, cashmere is the softest fiber on the planet. Cashmere fibers fall off naturally or are brushed off vs. the shearing process used for sheep’s wool. This process of brushing the goats means that only the longest and softest fibers are harvested to make cashmere yarn.