How to Care for your Knits and Cashmere

Care for them correctly and your knitwear will bring you years of warmth.

Knitwear and cashmere are true investment pieces for the wardrobe and can last years if cared for correctly. To save both your wallet and the environment, here are the tips and tricks for caring for your knits.

Pre-treat:

De-pill the item first if there is heaving pilling. For fine knits and cashmere use a Sweater Comb and brush the pilled areas. For heavyweight knitwear, use a Sweater Stone, de-pill and shake out. Always work tools in one direction.
Use a knitwear/cashmere brush between wears to remove lint, fuzz, and hair and release natural oils that rejuvenate yarns.
For stains, dirt, grease and grime (i.e. ring around the collar): pre-treat with a delicate stain solution or bar. For effective removal, always treat stains first and pre-soak.
Prior to washing, turn your clothing inside out. This prevents abrasion of fibres and lengthens the life of the clothing dyes.
Do not mix colours, wash with like-colours only.

Hand washing:

Turn item inside out to wash the fabric where stains and odors buildup on the inside closest to your body and under arms.
Prepare a wash basin of cool/tepid water with 2 capfuls of a Wool & Cashmere Shampoo.
Submerge item(s) in the basin using your hands to agitate the water and detergent.
Soak for at least ½ hour. Note: It is harmless to leave soaking for longer, unless you are washing silk. Soaking silk for longer than a few minutes may unsettle the colours.
Rinse well - running room temperature water until soapy water is gone.
Gently press the water out of the item between your hands or against the sink. Do not wring.
Note: Seeing colour in the water? Don't panic, this is normal and it is simply the yarn dye releasing colour. There will not be any loss of colour after washing.

Machine washing:

Hand washing is the best and safest option for washing your knits. However if you choose to machine wash, ensure you change your machine setting to woollens/delicate cycle, water temperature to cold and spin speed to low.
Add the appropriate amount of a Wool & Cashmere Shampoo to the machine depending on machine size, 2 capfuls should do.
Turn item inside out and place in a Mesh Bag (this will protect them from agitation and friction that can cause pulls). Start cycle.
After cycle is complete, remove from the washer promptly to reduce creasing. Never put knits or cashmere in the dryer.

Dry/Finish:

To dry - place item on top of a towel (more than one towel will speed up drying process). Make sure the towel and item is flat and in its original shape, then roll up in the towel (like a rolling pin) to remove excess water. Repeat several times.
Avoid direct sunlight and heat sources, such as a heater which can shrink or damage wool. Never hang wet wool.
To finish drying - lay item flat in its natural shape on a drying rack or towel. Hang, if item will not stretch or deform.
When dry - finish removing any extra pills and steam out creases for the perfect finish.

Tips and Tricks:

When storing for the season, place item(s) in a breathable cotton bag, plastic storage bags can attract bugs.
Never hang your knitwear, this will stretch it over time.
Hand washing will lengthen the life of coloured garments.
Clean your washing machine monthly to ensure the best wash for your garments.
Steam your knits to remove wrinkles, odours, bacteria.

So there you go, some simple steps to ensure your knitwear and cashmere remains pristine. Follow these steps and you'll protect your investments.

Lei xx