Photo par stolte-sawa via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)A cashmere jumper costs a lot and gets ruined in a single bad wash. Water that is too hot and agitation felt the fibre, meaning it contracts and hardens for good. The good news: washed properly, cashmere softens over time and lasts for years. Here is the method that works, by hand as much as by machine.
Why cashmere is so delicate
Cashmere comes from the down of the goat of the same name. Its very fine fibre (around 14 to 19 microns in diameter) is softer than sheep’s wool but also more fragile. Three enemies: heat, friction and spinning. Together, they felt the knit and distort the jumper. That is why you never wash cashmere on a normal cycle.
A good habit before anything: you do not wash cashmere after every wear. Once to three times a season is enough for a jumper worn regularly. Between washes, air it and treat stains locally.
Hand washing, the safe method
This is the gentlest and most recommended way.
- Fill a basin with cold or lukewarm water, never above 30 °C.
- Add a small amount of wool detergent or a little mild shampoo.
- Turn the jumper inside out and submerge it. Let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes without rubbing.
- Gently press the knit with the flat of your hand to move the water through. Never wring.
- Rinse in clean water at the same temperature, several times, until the water runs clear.
- Press the jumper between your hands to push out the water, without wringing.
The sudden change of temperature matters as much as the heat itself: going from lukewarm water to an ice-cold rinse can shock the fibre. Keep the same temperature from start to finish.
Machine washing, if you insist
Many modern cashmeres take it, as long as you follow three strict rules.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Programme | Wool or delicate |
| Temperature | 30 °C maximum, ideally cold |
| Spin | 400 rpm maximum, or none |
Slide the jumper inside out into a wash bag to limit friction. Use a wool detergent, never a standard softener (it clogs the fibre). At the slightest doubt on the label, go back to hand washing: a failed machine wash cannot be undone.
Drying, the step where it all happens
Never a tumble dryer, never a hanger, never a radiator. Wet cashmere is heavy and stretches under its own weight if it hangs.
Lay the jumper flat on a towel, roll the whole thing up to absorb the excess water, then unroll and lay the jumper flat on a dry towel. Reshape it by hand so it returns to its dimensions. Let it dry away from direct sun and any heat source. Allow a day, sometimes more.
Pilling and creases
Pilling is normal on cashmere, it does not mean poor quality. Remove the pills with a cashmere comb or an anti-pill razor, passing gently over the knit stretched flat. Never by hand, which pulls the fibre.
For creases, forget the iron pressed straight on. A steamer or an iron on steam held a few centimetres away, with no contact, relaxes the knit. And to store cashmere, fold it, do not hang it: a hanger digs into the shoulders within weeks.