Natural fibers that are knitted can be hand washed using a natural, mild soap. Hand washing is better for a knitted garment in the long run as chemicals used in dry cleaning are can be hard on cashmere fibers. Woven items should always be dry cleaned as they could lose their body. Be sure to dissolve all cleaner thoroughly and then put the sweaters into the water. After washing, be sure to rinse until the water is clear. Then lay the sweater out flat away from heat and sun. Reshape side seams and sleeves if necessary, as some sweaters will twist during washing. When dry, press with a damp cloth and cool iron. Sweaters should be washed after approximately 6-7 wearings to keep them looking their best. It is best to store cashmere and fine woollens in either a cedar chest or plastic bags to keep clean and moth free. I personally hang moth cakes in my closets and cedar chest for extra protection and replace them monthly. Moths may also go after any food particles that may be on the garment, so it is very important to keep your garments clean. Pilling, (the little balls that get on the sweaters) is a natural occurence on cashmere and wool. Not all sweaters will pill, and some will pill more than others, being all natural fibers have their own chemistry that will differ from yarn to yarn. However, a quality sweater should not pill excessively. The pilling is usually caused by a friction of some sort; such as a seat belt, purse strap, golf strap, or even synthetic linings of jackets. When pilling occurs, pull or carefully cut the pills off, breaking the connection. Then wash the garment according to the above instructions. questions, comments, suggestions, etc., please e-mail us at carmelcashmere.com |
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