Expert tips on caring for your investment piece
As cashmere is a natural fibre, there is no need to dry clean it, rub it excessively, write on it or stick it in a tumble dryer so please don’t.
For the best results and longevity here are our top tips for caring for your cashmere garment.
Firstly, don’t be fearful!
Cashmere might be top on the world’s luxe yarn list, but it's a natural fibre that can be washed.
You just need to treat it like your best friend.
Do not put it on a hot machine wash, use fabric softener, rub it excessively or, dry clean it, as this splits the delicate fibres.
We’re advocates of hand washing. Simple and old fashioned, fill a bucket of warm water and add with our cashmere wash, or an approved wool wash. Let it sit for 30 minutes and give it a few good squeezes so the sudds pass through the fibres.
Then, rinse and gently squeeze the water out.
For delicate pieces, you can roll the wet garment in a dry towel, squeeze the water out by softly rolling the rolled towel withteh cashmere inside it, then dry the cashmere flat, either on the towel or on a portable clothes line. i
Do not peg it on a clothes line wet so it drops and stretches.
Best is one of those mobile washing lines, that you can drop the garment over the wires.
If need be, use a cool iron on a wool setting.
Can I machine wash cashmere?
The answer is yes, however it is best done in a front loading washing machine, rather than a top loader that has a central agitator.
Top loaders can trap sleeves or neck lines under the agitator that moves the garments and water in the middle.
So for safety sake, we recommend machine washing only in a front loader on a wool cycle.
Wool cycles are generally set to a temperature of 40 degrees.
The wool cycle includes a gentle spin , which will not hurt your cashmere in any way.
What about Dry Cleaning? Is this the best method?
Yes our garments can be dry cleaned and are tagged as such.
A good dry cleaner will accept cashmere and treat it perfectly.
However, we personally prefer the hand washer method.
It has been said that the ‘dry’ cleaning bit of the process heats the bibles which can in the long terms lead to splitting and then balling or pilling.
Why Tumble Drying is a Bad Idea
Tumble dryers involve heating the garment so it drys in a barrel environment.
The risk here is over heating the fibre so it shrinks.
Best NOT do this for any wool, cashmere or delicate silks.
Put simply, it’s better to be old fashioned and take the time of gently hand washing any treasured garment that gives you something back on your skin when you are wearing it.