Caring for Cashmere
About Cashmere
Extend the life of your cashmere clothing and deter damaging moth larvae by following the advice below:
About Cashmere
Cashmere wool products are made from the fine undercoat fibres produced by a cashmere or pashmina goat. Cashmere is gathered during the spring moulting season when the goats naturally shed their winter coat. Cashmere goats produce a double fleece that consists of a fine undercoat of hair mingled with a straighter and much coarser outer coating of hair. For the fine undercoat fleece to be of the right quality for producing cashmere garments, it must be de-haired, a process that separates the coarse hairs from the fine hair. After this stage, the resulting "cashmere" is ready to be dyed and converted into yarn.
Cashmere derives its name from the Kashmir goats of Tibetan origin which are found in the mountainous regions around central Asia.
Cashmere Care
Friction causes pilling, so before washing, de pill cashmere by hand or use a applying a gentle gliding action as you go across the garment and to avoid ‘snagging’. Pilling will reduce over time as long as the garment is cared for as indicated below. We also recommend removing small particles and hairs using a good quality before storing or washing cashmere garments.
You will find below advice on washing and storing cashmere wool clothes as in addition to effective clothes moth damage prevention.
Washing Cashmere Knitwear
Always treat stains first and pre-soak for most effective removal
Cashmere knitwear can be hand washed or dry-cleaned. Some cashmere can also be washed using the handwash, delicates or woollens cycle on your washing machine.
Before washing your cashmere clothing, turn each item inside-out. This prevents abrasion during the washing process, which may cause further pilling, and lengthens the life of colour dyes.
Hand Washing Cashmere: hand washing is the preferred method and it is always best to use a specialist mild detergent. When hand washing, submerge the garment fully and agitate the water and detergent gently with your hands. The detergent should be gently squeezed through and not rubbed or wrung to protect the shape of the garment. Then rinse through to remove all the laundry liquid using lukewarm water – this may need several rinses to completely remove the detergent and result in clear running water. To avoid stretching, do not lift out the garment until the excess water has been squeezed out or slowly spun in the washing machine.
After washing your cashmere garment, it should be smoothed back into its original shape and laid flat on a towel away from direct heat or sunlight until dry – You can accelerate this process by rolling the garment in the towel, but it may take more than one towel. You should not tumble dry the garment unless expressly allowed in the manufacturers’ care label.
Hand washing will prolong the life of coloured dyes in your garments.
Machine Washing Cashmere: only wash cashmere in a machine of permitted by the manufacturers’ care label in the garment. Do not use biological detergents, but use a specialist cashmere laundry liquid and do not set water temperatures over 40 degrees. Use a ‘woollens’ or ‘delicates’ setting for the wash.
Dry Cleaning Cashmere: Dry cleaning cashmere garments not only cleans but also helps eliminate any clothes moth larvae and eggs.
When your cashmere clothing is dry, depill again if required by hand or using a and you may press it lightly with a cool iron to remove any slight creases. Ideally use a steamer.
Storage and Clothes Moth Protection for Cashmere
Cashmere wool garments should be stored clean – this is critical because clothes moth larvae feed on human and animal hair and skin which is a form of protein, and they are also particularly attracted by food stains and the residual from perspiration, which also provides the moisture that is essential to their survival
Do not hang cashmere knitwear – it will probably lose shape. We recommend that cashmere clothes are stored neatly folded in breathable cotton storage bags in a dark and dry place. We have the prefect solution for you in our knitwear storage bags and garment covers.
If you are storing your cashmere clothing for a long period we recommend that you periodically shake the clothing and air in bright light to deter any potential moth larvae settling. An alternative approach is to freeze overnight in a sealed bag any garment that may not be able to be washed. Any moth larvae will be killed and the ‘fluffiness’ of the cashmere is likely to be enhanced by the freezing process.
Finally we strongly recommend that you include a natural anti-moth repellent in the bag with the clothing, which will add fragrance as well as deter moths from laying eggs near the valuable knitwear.
MothPrevention.com provides a number of solutions to both eradicate moths and their larvae, as well as preventing further moth damage to your clothing.
For severe infestations by moths and elimination, check out our full range. For ongoing moth prevention solutions, visit our range.
There follows some further tips from around the web that may help you to take good care of your cashmere clothes.
It's important not to hang up any article of clothing made from cashmere; otherwise, it will lose its shape. Your best recourse for storing is to fold the piece and lay it on a flat surface such as a dresser drawer or shelf.
Do your best to keep your cashmere piece stain free. Cashmere attracts moths and moths are attracted to food stains as well as those stains caused by sweat and body oils. When placing your piece in long-term storage, use an air tight container or garment bag and throw in a couple of moth balls or other moth repellent. Sachets made of lavender oil are also recommended, as are cedar chips or cloves.
As you can see, it's really not difficult to care for cashmere. As long as you're gentle in the washing and drying process, remember to lay the garment flat when drying and keep it safe from moths, your cashmere should last a very long time.
Taken from http://www.essortment.com/clothing-advice-care-cashmere-60375.html
It is advisable to regularly hand wash your garments by immersing them in a solution of warm water and a gentle wool wash product. When you do wash by hand, don’t rub, but instead squeeze the suds gently through the fabric. Never wring or stretch the fabric in any way. Finally, rinse the garment several times in clean lukewarm water until the water runs clear without traces of detergent.
Certain cashmere products could also be washed using the hand-wash, delicates, or woollens cycle on a washing machine, but be sure to check the garment’s care label first to make sure that it is suitable for machine washing. If you do decide to wash your cashmere in this way, ensure that you use a specialist cashmere or delicates washing liquid rather than your general purpose product. Never wash cashmere above 40 degrees; ideally wash it at less than that. Avoid biological detergents.
Taken from http://www.cashmeremerinoyarn.co.uk
Please note that MothPrevention.com takes no responsibility for any loss or liability due to information included on this site.
