At Calf & Co we understand how important the soft hand-feel of our yarn is to you. We have spent years working with luxury yarns and spinners, sourcing the finest and most tactile fibres to work with so we understand the requirements for cashmere to look and feel so soft. This can often mean taking a little extra care when washing and storing cashmere pieces to ensure a long and happy life. Here are some guidelines on aftercare.
Washing Cashmere
We recommend that you dry clean or gently hand wash cashmere in cool water, cashmere always responds best to the most delicate approach and washing is best when using the purest of soaps. When rinsing out the suds it is important not to wring the cashmere or run under hot water as both could stretch the knit. When drying, use a clean light towel to remove any excess water buy laying the piece flat on top and roll the towel gently pressing as you go, once finished un-roll the towel and discard, then lay the cashmere on a flat surface so it will keep its shape as it drys. A mesh drying rack is also suitable. With stains please treat immediately with cold water and an appropriate stain remover, if in doubt take it to a professional dry cleaner. The cashmere should not need ironing but if necessary only ever use one on the coolest setting.
Pilling
It is a preconception that the little bobbles that sometimes form on knits known as pilling is indicative of bad quality, in fact this is a characteristic of the delicate fibre and the processing needed to achieve its extremely soft hand-feel. If pilling does occur we advise that you use a cashmere comb to gently remove any surface bobbles or fuzz. Combing is the friendliest way to treat the pills and once they are removed the cashmere can even feel softer. By doing this you are maintaining its quality and increasing its longevity.
Moths
Humans are not the only fans of cashmere, moths also gravitate towards the luxury natural fibre to lay their eggs and feed off the certatin in the yarn. They don't like it quite so much when it is clean, so only ever put your cashmere away when it has been laundered. They also don't like the light so try to avoid burrying knits away in the deepest sections of the wardrobe. Lavender is also a very good natural deterrent for moths as they absolutely hate the smell, they also hate being disturbed so always move around cashmere pieces that you are storing as this will unsettle them. If you suspect an infestation in a piece of cashmere you can also put the item in a freezer bag and kill the larvae by putting it in the freezer for a couple of days, once removed and the garment is back to room temp wash as normal.
We hope this helps with your cashmere care, if you have any further questions drop us a line on enquiries@calfandco.com