How to Care for Cashmere & Luxury Knitwear

Some knitwear is machine-washable on a certified wool cycle; some is hand-wash only; a few pieces are dry-clean only because of trims or construction. Whatever the label says wins over any general guidance below.

Use lukewarm water - no warmer than 30C (86F), never above 40C - with a pH-neutral wool detergent (skip enzymes, 'bio,' or bleach). Soak time varies by source (Woolmark ~10 min, The Laundress up to 30, ACI 3-5); 10-15 minutes is a safe middle ground for cashmere. Submerge and squeeze suds through it - never wring, twist, or rub, since wet fiber is at its weakest. Rinse twice at the exact same temperature as the wash - a sudden swing (thermal shock) can trigger felting alone. Press, don't wring, the water out, then roll it in a towel.

Machine-wash only with a certified wool cycle: drum a third full, garment inside out in a mesh bag, cold or 30C water, low spin. No wool cycle means hand-wash.

Wool fibers are covered in microscopic cuticle scales. Heat, moisture, and agitation together make those scales lift open, then hook into neighboring scales - only in one direction, why rubbing is so damaging - and pull tight. That's felting: irreversible shrinkage and matting, up to roughly a quarter of the garment's area. Finer fibers felt faster, with more scales per inch, so cashmere and superfine merino felt more readily than coarser wool. Prevent it by controlling all three triggers together and keeping wash and rinse water at the same temperature.

Lanolin, wool's natural coating, is antimicrobial, water-repellent, and odor-resistant, and the fiber airs itself out between wears rather than holding odor the way cotton does. A merino sweater can typically go 5-8 wears between washes, cashmere 8-12, with airing out in between. That's not a 'never wash' rule - visible stains and sweat still need washing. What shortens a garment's life is over-washing, which strips lanolin faster than normal wear ever would.

Wet wool has no structural strength; hung on a hanger, its own weight stretches it permanently out of shape. Press out excess water, roll it in a towel, then lay the garment flat on a rack or towel. Reshape it to its original dimensions while it's still damp - this is your only chance to correct any stretching. Keep it out of sun and heat, and expect 12-24 hours to dry fully.

Pilling happens when friction breaks short surface fibers in high-wear spots - underarms, waistband, wherever a bag strap sits. Cashmere's fibers are finer and shorter, so it pills more: heavily in the first 5-10 wears, then noticeably less after a de-pill or two. It's normal fiber behavior, not a defect.

Remove pills gentlest-first: a cashmere comb worked in one direction (start here), then a fabric brush or de-pilling stone, then an electric shaver as a last resort (can pull fibers, not recommended for luxury knits), then a lint roller for loose pills only. Hand-washing, folding instead of hanging, and layering over a smooth base all cut down future pilling.

Clean garments before storing them - moths are drawn to soil and sweat, and specifically eat keratin (wool, cashmere, fur). The Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute recommends 15-25C and 45-55% relative humidity, out of direct sun, in acid-free boxes or breathable cotton/linen bags - never sealed plastic, which traps moisture and invites mold.

Cedar helps but loses potency as its oil evaporates; refresh every 3-6 months by the calendar, not by smell. Lavender is a secondary option; skip naphthalene mothballs. Fold every knit - hanging stretches it over months, same risk as drying that way. Larvae already present? A hot wash or the freezer kills them.