Warm, soft, light as a feather: Anyone who owns a cashmere garment has something very special in their wardrobe. Because cashmere is probably the most valuable natural fiber. It is obtained from the fine hair of the cashmere goat living in the high mountains of China, Mongolia, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. During spring molting, the precious wool is gently combed.
Why is cashmere so valuable?
To make a sweater, you need the lining of about three animals. If you buy such a special specimen, you want to have something from it for as long as possible. Unfortunately, it often happens that the precious piece loses its shape or suddenly lints. Put an end to that with the tips below! This is how cashmere is maintained.
How to wash cashmere?
Forget hand washing! For woollens, a gentle program at a low speed is more convenient and easier than the hand care variant. Most modern washing machines have this wash cycle.
Here’s how it works: Turn the cashmere piece over, wash at 30 degrees (never higher!), and spin at low speed. Use mild detergent, hair shampoo or cashmere silk shampoo.
How often can you wash cashmere?
Cashmere should never be washed after each use. This encourages nodule formation and in the worst case causes small holes. Even if it is your favorite garment, you should give the high-quality product a 24-hour rest period.
more tips
It is ideal to wash cashmere every four times you wear it and hang it in the fresh air to ventilate in between. It’s worth keeping a scented sachet containing lavender or cedarwood in the cupboard so that moths don’t eat sweaters and the like. In this way, holes can be avoided.
How is cashmere dried?
Stay away from the dryer! Even in cold weather, the risk of shrinkage and loss of shape is very high. Better: Lay on a drying rack to dry. Use a towel as a base – this is faster and streaks from the drying rack are not visible on the fabric. If the good piece is a little too short, it can exceptionally be hung to dry on a hanger.
remove small nodules
At times, pilling occurs, which are small nodules caused by friction. Heavily stressed areas, such as the inside of the arms, are particularly affected. These annoying hairs should be removed from time to time. However, you should never pluck or cut small nodules as this will only cause damage. There are special razors or cashmere combs to remove pilling. The former is particularly suitable for knitting fine hosiery, while the comb is also suitable for structured items such as cable knits.