What to do if a wool product shrinks after washing? How to deal with wool felting and how to prevent it?
This time we will look at the topic of wool and cashmere fabrics, how to care for them so that they retain their original appearance and color for as long as possible.
Cashmere is a type of wool fabric made from the wool of Himalayan cashmere goats. The fabric’s name comes from this – cashmere wool. Cashmere is a natural fiber known for its extremely soft feel and excellent insulation. The fibers are very fine and feel almost like silk fabric to the touch. Cashmere is significantly warmer and lighter than sheep’s wool. It is often made from a wool blend and mixed with other types of wool, such as merino, to add weight, as its fibers are very fine and thin.
Cashmere blends are types of wool fabric made from the undercoat or down of Himalayan cashmere goats. They may contain a small amount of viscose or cotton blend. However, they retain all the cashmere properties of warmth, softness, and lightness. This technology is often used to reduce costs while preserving the material’s qualities.
Wool garments and scarves made from natural wool have excellent thermoregulation properties: wool products provide especially pleasant warmth, can absorb a lot of moisture, and quickly wick it away. Unlike synthetic fibers, wool is neutral to dirt and hardly absorbs odors. Thanks to its natural self-cleaning ability, after a short airing in fresh air, it smells neutral and fresh again.
Blends of various fibers such as wool with silk, or cashmere with silk are used in clothing or scarves to combine the best properties of both materials. Wool or cashmere is a natural, warming material, while silk provides warmth and natural thermoregulation. Wool and silk blends or cashmere and silk blends are mainly used in the cold season or transitional seasons when weather conditions are variable.
Care!
Cashmere should be hand washed in cold water using a gentle detergent. After washing, never hang a cashmere sweater by the shoulders, as it will stretch out! Then wrap the garment in a towel, gently press out excess water, and dry it laid flat.
Wool fabrics should only be hand washed at temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius; wool and cashmere fabrics must not be rubbed or washed in a washing machine.
Wool/cashmere and silk blends should only be hand washed at temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius; these fabrics must not be rubbed or washed in a washing machine.
What to do if the fabric has shrunk?
One of the unusual methods is to wash the wool product with a smoothing hair conditioner and stretch it wet to the desired size. This method can fix products that have shrunk by no more than one size.
To dry wool fabric, a shawl, scarf, or sweater, it must not be squeezed or "twisted" strongly; it is recommended to dry it by gently pressing the fibers so that excess water drains. Wool fabric must not be dried quickly to prevent shrinking; wool fabrics and sweaters should be hung away from radiators at room temperature.
The higher the percentage of wool and cashmere in a garment, the greater the chance it will felt – therefore, it is not recommended to carry heavy bags on wool and cashmere sweaters to avoid abrasion. If fuzz and pills do form, it is advisable to purchase an electric fabric fuzz and pill remover, which can give wool and cashmere fabrics a "second life" multiple times.
Ironing – wool and cashmere fabrics are not recommended to be ironed with an iron – it is best to use a steamer for ironing.
You can view our warm scarves HERE.