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Garment Care

A high quality piece of cashmere or wool knitwear will last many decades if you take good care of it. It is our belief that well made garments should be treasured over a lifetime and passed on (just like it used to be) and it is our hope that knitwear you purchase from us will become deeply personal items to you for many years to come.

We have set out below some simple steps you can take to care for your garment.

Washing

You can dry clean or hand wash your knitwear, but hand washing using baby shampoo is best.

We do not advise that you machine wash your knitwear.

Washing your knitwear helps settle the fibres and reduce pilling in the long run.  

For sweaters and cardigans that you use mainly as a mid-layer or outerwear, with minimal contact with your skin, we would suggest that they only need to be washed once or twice a year. For tops that you wear directly on your skin, you may need to wash more often, say after 2 - 5 wears. 

To hand wash your knitwear:

  1. Find a tub or large bowl that is big enough for submerging your knitwear
  2. Fill the container with cold or gently tepid water
  3. Put a small amount of baby shampoo into the tub (around 5 - 10 ml)
  4. Turn your knitwear inside out and place it into the tub, submerging it completely and leave for 2-3 minutes. Let the garment soak in the water (do not wring it or squeeze it)  
  5. Take the knitwear out (again, do not wring), set it aside on a dry towel, and empty the container, rinsing it of any dirt and residual baby shampoo
  6. Fill the container with clean water and place the knitwear back into the tub, let the garment soak for another 2 - 3 minutes to get rid of the baby shampoo
  7. To dry your knitwear, take it out and place it completely flat on a dry towel, making sure there are no sharp folds. Do not hang your knitwear on a rack or on a hanger as this will cause the knitwear to be stretched out

For very chunky knitwear, for example, our shawl collar cardigans, it may be best to take this to a trusted dry cleaners rather than hand washing, as they would be quite heavy when soaked and difficult to dry. 

Removing pills 

With cashmere and to some extent, wool knitwear, it is inevitable that you will encounter some pilling (bobbles) on your sweater during its life. This is entirely normal given that cashmere and wool are natural fibres.

With higher quality cashmere or wool knitwear, you may find that this happens more in the beginning but, if washed according to the instructions above, this should reduce over time as the shorter fibres are brought to the surface and removed, leaving the longer fibres. Washing, therefore, remains the best way to minimise pilling over the long run. 

However, if you are short of time and you want to remove pilling quickly, we find that running an emery board (nail file) gently over the affected parts of the sweater the most effective way to pick up these little bobbles, leaving your sweater smooth once again. Be careful not to overdo it or use too much force on the sweater as the fibres are delicate. 

Storing

For day-to-day storage of your knitwear, simply fold your knitwear and put it inside your drawer. Do not hang your knitwear as this will cause it to be stretched out. 

Before you store your knitwear away for a long period of time (for example, over summer), make sure that you wash it first. This is important to keep moths away as they are attracted to dirt and moisture.

Once you have washed it, make sure that it is completely dry. Then put it inside a zip lock bag which is the best way of keeping moths out and keeping your knitwear clean from dust until the next autumn. 

If you have any questions regarding the caring of your garment, please do not hesitate to contact us.