Cashmere has always been one of my favorite textiles to wear throughout the fall and winter season. There are some pieces in your closet that can be labeled “trendy” or “here now, gone tomorrow.” But a cashmere sweater is evergreen. It’s a classic piece that can be kept for years to come with the proper care. Today, I’m sharing how to properly care for cashmere.
A perfect compliment to a cashmere sweater is a blazer. I rounded up the best blazers for fall in this post HERE.
How to Properly Care for Cashmere
If you’re thinking about investing in a cashmere sweater, the first thing I’d tell you is, “Do it!” for many different reasons.
A cashmere sweater is easily styled several different ways. Whether you choose to dress it up with trousers or a skirt or dress it down with jeans, a cashmere sweater is as versatile as they come.
A cashmere sweater is also breathable, ultra soft and is effective at insulating your body temperature. So you don’t necessarily have to have a bulky sweater on to keep warm if it’s cashmere. Cashmere is also a dream to travel with because it’s not prone to wrinkles.
What to Look for When Purchasing
When your purchasing a cashmere sweater, you want to be well-versed in this textile to get the highest quality possible. Cashmere can vary quite a bit in price point, so you want to know exactly what you’re getting when making the purchase.
The first thing you want to find out is if it’s ethically sourced. How are they treating the animals? Are the herders receiving fair wages? According to leafscore.com, there are a few labels you can search for when it comes to ethically sourced cashmere, including: The Good Cashmere Standard, The Sustainable Fibre Alliance and the Global Recycled Standard.
Find out what the percentage of cashmere the sweater is made of. I find cashmere to be very soft, but wool blends can be itchy, depending on the brand. Ideally, you want the sweater to be 100 percent cashmere.
Aside from the percentage, you also want to see what the thickness of the knit is. Typically, 7 to 12 gauge is what you’ll find in cashmere sweaters. A 7 gauge stitch means there is 7 rows of yarn per inch of the knitted cashmere. So when you have a 12 gauge stitch that means there is 12 rows of yarn – meaning this is more thick and dense compared to the 7 gauge.
How to Maintain Your Cashmere
Cashmere can be a delicate fabric and is prone to pilling with wear. This is because it’s a natural fabric and not synthetically made. It’s completely normal and isn’t a sign of poor quality.
To properly care for your cashmere, here’s what you should do:
- Follow the washing instructions
- Ideally, hand wash in cold water
- Lay flat over a towel and roll the towel to ring out excess water
- Lay flat on a towel to dry
- ** Note I said should.. I personally wash mine in the washer on a delicate cycle in COLD water. The most important thing when caring for cashmere properly is avoiding heat because it can cause it to shrink.
How to Depill Cashmere
Pilling can be caused from wear and consistent friction against the sweater. You can easily depill your sweater using a depilling comb. Simply lay your sweater flat on a hard surface and brush away any lint. The most important thing is to follow the washing instructions for your cashmere sweater.
How to Store Cashmere
Another important step with how to properly care for cashmere is the storage situation. The first thing to remember is not to overwash it. It’s a breathable fabric and can be worn many times before you wash it.
Let it air out and spray with a cashmere spray to freshen it up before you fold it and tuck it away in your closet. You want to avoid hanging your cashmere sweater up in your closet to prevent it from stretching.
Shop Cashmere Pieces
If you’re trying to decide what holiday gift to buy for someone, who is tough to shop for, a cashmere sweater is a great option. It’s a piece they can keep for years to come and is timeless.
Do you have a cashmere sweater in your closet? Let me know below!
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