How To Care For Your Cashmere Jumpers

Cashmere is a luxury wool that is used to make quality clothing such as jumpers, cardigans, hats and scarves to name but a few. And if you care for your cashmere in the proper manner, then it will last you and benefit you for years to come. So how do you look after your cashmere jumpers to ensure they last?

Cashmere wool is the soft undercoat found on the cashmere goat. This is covered by a thicker, coarser layer of fur that, during the early stages of manufacturing, needs to be separated. These individual layers help to keep the goat warm throughout the harshest of weathers, and this quality in turn then benefits us whenever we wear an item knitted from cashmere.

But Cashmere isn't the same as your everyday wool and isn't just an item that you can mindlessly throw in the washing machine. Because it is softer it requires a little more attention than other wools. Most cashmere jumpers require hand washing or dry cleaning to prevent ruining them, and many come with their own washing guidelines that should be followed. There are also special cashmere shampoos that can be purchased to help prolong the quality of your jumper.

Pilling on wool jumpers is inevitable. Pilling is caused by loose fibres in the wool that tangle together when worn to form those annoying little balls that so often accompany woollen garments. These balls can be removed by hand or you can buy a specially designed cashmere comb that removes them and keeps your jumper looking like new. One of the benefits of cashmere is that after de-pilling, the material consolidates, softens and starts to look much better.

Moths are also a great threat to cashmere and can easily ruin any piece that is hanging in your wardrobe. Always go to lengths to prevent moths from ever taking up residence among your clothes. There are a variety of ways in which you can do this such as never storing worn clothes without cleaning them first and by investing in mothballs that deter them. There are other ways too. Some cashmere shampoos contain a light odour that moths don't like, much like mothballs. Another way is light. Moths are nocturnal and prefer the dark. By airing your garments in a light area will disturb any moth and deter their larvae, causing them to drop off in a bid to seek darker areas.

Some have also suggested freezing your garment. By wrapping it in an acid-free paper and freezing overnight will kill any moth and larvae and won't actually ruin the cashmere quality.

But nothing works better than the usual rule of keeping your wardrobe clean.

By giving cashmere jumpers that extra bit of special care, your jumper in turn will look after you. It will keep you warm and cosy year after year, will remain looking in tip-top condition and will ensure you look good no matter where you are. Cashmere is one of the only materials that look better with age, and by looking after it and following these few guidelines, your jumper will last you a lifetime.