caring for your knitwear.

in News
caring for your knitwear.

As we hunker down during January we thought we’d share some helpful tips.

Many people are scared of caring for knitted items but it’s actually really simple.
The main thing to note is that knitwear will only shrink and become matted in appearance when washed too hot or spun too long.

washing.
Firstly it’s a good idea to wash your woollens as least as possible as we don’t tend to wear them next to our skin. This goes the same with any clothing to be honest, it’s super helpful for the environment.
I wash all my knitwear in the machine either at 20 or 30 degrees with a short spin. You can then lay a towel flat on a table and place the knit on top nice and flat. Roll the whole thing into a sausage roll type thing and squash down to remove any excess water that’s left.
I then lay the pieces over my bannister to dry naturally. I have found that 10 mins on the radiator at the finish does bring an extra softness to the cashmere knits. You shouldn’t need to iron your knits if you give them a good shake and re-shape once washed.
Washing knits in the machine also helps keep them in shape as when you hand wash the weight of the water can cause mis-shaping.

bobbling or pilling.
Some think this is a fault but it’s actually due to very soft fibres coming loose with wear and forming small bobbles…I tend to get this across my chest and underarms where friction happens!
I have found that a non-electric de-fuzzer is the best as it’s not too abrasive as some of the electric can be.

holes.
It’s so important to repair our clothing and get the most from it. Either find a good repairs person or do it your self, there’s videos on you tube to help you.
I particularly love visible mending the Japanese way, running stitches that are purposeful to repair and make a feature. You can also buy wool repair felt online that you can use to to this if the holes are larger.
If you suffer from the dreaded clothes moth then each affected garment needs to go in the freezer for 24 hours to kill any larvae. Make sure to clean out the cupboards if you discover them.
I keep all my knitwear in sealed tubs which really has helped. Moths tend to love cashmere the most so you definitely need to keep these items in airtight containers.

Lastly, using eco friendly and non-biological detergents and softeners is an absolute must both for our clothing and the planet.

January is a great time to give the items that keep us cosy own the winter months some love.

Alby x