Clothes Worth Fussing For
Happy Sunday ladies. Clothes that pop out of the dryer looking brand new are without a doubt, my favorites. Luckily most of my wardrobe falls into that category but there is one thing I will do a little fussing for. It’s my cashmere. V-neck cashmere sweaters are a big part of my wardrobe during the winter. I reach for one 4 or 5Ā times a week.
You can pay a fortune for cashmere but the price is not always a guarantee of quality. I have a few that I paid dearly for that drive me crazy because they pill so badly every timeĀ I wear them. Then there are the ones from Cost-co that are terrific!
My favorite cashmere sweaters comeĀ from Everlane. I’m wearing the same V-neck pullovers for the 4th winter in a row and they’re holding up beautifully. The company prides itself on “radical transparency” and ensures ethical working conditions throughout its supply chain. On top of that, they’re priced well.
Most cashmere care tags insist you “dry clean only”. They say that to absolve themselves of any liability when people destroy shrink theirĀ sweaters. But I hate having anything dry cleaned because they never come home looking clean plus they reek of toxic chemicals. I wash all my cashmere knits and find they get softer each time.
Wash your Cashmere
I still use the washing machine – but differently. I wash my cashmere in lukewarm water in my bathroom sink with a mild shampoo (cashmere is hair after all). I say lukewarm because 100% cold water is miserable to put your hands in and adding a tiny bit of warmth doesn’tĀ damage the fibers. I squeeze the water through multiple times then refill the sink to rinse.
I squeeze (don’t twist or wring) as much water out as possible then put into my washing machine. I usually wash several sweaters at a time so they balance out the machine. I set the machine on the final spin cycle which gets most of the water out.
Dry Your Cashmere
It’s the dryer that felts your wool and cashmere so never use it. I drape mine over the bars of a drying rack. They suggest you arrange your sweater into shape and let it dry flat but I don’t have that many flat surfaces in my house. They always end up with wrinkles anyway, so draped works fine.
Remove Wrinkles in Cashmere
When it’s dry I iron my cashmere on a mediumĀ setting, just the way I’d iron any shirt. I let it cool before folding or hanging. Lightweight cashmere does perfectly well on a felt hanger and gets worn more often because they’re easy to see.
Removing Pills
While on the ironing board I use a sweater shaver to remove pills. They usually show up under the arms, on the cuffs, and down the front.
I use this inexpensive little fabric shaver from Amazon which does a great job and leaves my sweaters looking brand new.
These days, I’m looking for cashmere in spring colors to lighten the gloom of winter.
Are you a fan of cashmere? How do you care for it?
Thanks for reading and have a great day.
My daughter has a cashmere sweater of mine that I wore in my graduation picture in 1956- do the math- and it still looks good. Nothing, except silk, feels so good next to your skin or makes you feel so special. It’s worth the work of taking care of it and the initial cost is easy to swallow when you consider the cost per wearing.
Have you ever tried a cashmere/silk blend? I have several Ralph Lauren sweaters in that combo and they are great.
I love merino wool, too and it lasts forever and holds it shape well.
I have never hopped onto the man-made fibre bandwagon. It seems worth the maintenance time to have clothes that feel so good. And I am willing to spend the time to iron 100% cotton and linen.
Thatās amazing Penny. How lucky for your daughter too! I do not have cashmere combined with silk, but I need it now. What a fabulous sounding combination.
Hi Jennifer, I always look forward to your posts. I also love cashmere. You mention āCost-coā offers cashmere. But I canāt follow their link from your posts and when I google it, the only thing I get is Costco warehouse. Could you clarify please?
I buy mine at the local Costco around the holidays. I canāt link for you but just keep an eye out around the holidays.
Living in Vermont, lucky me, I wear Everlane, J. Crew and LL Bean cashmere sweaters all the time! So glad to see a new way to wash them. Most of the time I just air them out and steam later. When washing, Iāve always rolled them after washing and then laid them flat on a dry towel. Like you, there just isnāt a lot of flat space, so I will try the spinner and rack method. I use a hand steamer and a defuzzer, but I think Iāll try your ironing technique, and shampoo too! This was a great post!
Ironing steams them nicely and smooths them more that upright steaming.
Cashmere is so great. I think people are afraid of caring for it so shy away from it. So thank you for this post. There are some great tips!
I wish I could wear it. My wool allergy extends to cashmere, too.
There are some cashmere I canāt wear. Too itchy. Same with most merino. Maybe my skin has changed over the years.
I love cashmere sweaters and have always hand washed them (and merino wool sweaters) in cool water with a mild detergent like Woolite, wrap in towels to get out the excess moisture, then lay flat to dry. Great suggestion to use shampoo – I will try that.
Sadly I am allergic to cashmere. I love the soft feel, but I start to itch immediately.
I have luckily found some acrylic sweaters that have a similar look, and no surprise –
they get washed the way you wash your cashmere in order to keep them looking new.
I just bought some alpaca yarn to knit an infinity scarf. If it doesn’t itch, I might try to
find alpaca sweaters that have that luxurious cashmere feel.
I canāt wear alpaca at all! Itās way too itchy. I knit a poncho with a merino/alpaca yarn and could never wear it.
I wash my cashmere by hand, squeezing out the excess water, then lay flat on a towel. When mostly dry, I hang on a hanger over a heat vent. The air dries them nicely without any wrinkles. I love the feel of cashmere.
Thatās a brilliant idea! My vents are sadly on the ceiling
I live in North of England and until about 7 years ago man used to come down rom Hawick with knitwear either seconds or surplus stock that he sold at very reasonable prices so I bough lots of cashmere from him. I have always washed these in machine on lingerie setting and dried draped over a rack; I still have and wear every item I bought from him. Incidentaly for thos not from UK Hawick is town in Scottish borders home to several mills producing high quality knitwear.
Love all you scarves! I would love a column on different types of scarves and how you accessorize with them!
Great idea for a post.
I love cashmere and have always washed mine as well. However I cannot keep the moths out of mine so I am trying not to buy any new ones until I get my closet organized so all my sweaters can be in drawers. i am going to pick up one of those shavers. Thanks for the tip!
I had a moth invasion in my house on Vancouver Island. It was an epic disaster and took years to clear up. Good luck!
The cotton bags with cedar ships inside from BedBath&Beyond solved the moth problem for me. They come flat, for drawers and containers, and with a little loop, for hangers. I use them with anything that has a speck of wool, cashmere, or alpaca.
cedar chips š
I also wear cashmere and the tippi merino wool sweaters from J.Crew. My last sweater was from Everlane and itās lovely and warm. I use a shampoo that I purchased from Pure cashmere years ago. The cashmeres are kept in large plastic baggies. I have a special cashmere comb that I use but the gadget from Amazon looks promising. Has anyone putchasedbshoes from Everlane?
Do you know that you can put your cashmere in a lingerie bag on delicate cold in the washer? It comes out great. Dry like Jennifer does. Iāve been doing this for years.
I love cashmere, too. I’m allergic to wool but am able to wear cashmere, which is a godsend – it’s so warm and soft. It was a thrilling day when I realized I could wear it after drooling over wool for years.
While I do wash my cashmere and most of it comes out fine, I washed a Talbots sweater a couple years ago (my favorite color) using all the same techniques as my other cashmere, and it ended up half its size. Waaah! Luckily, they were great about refunding my money, but I now dry clean another favorite by Talbots given that experience. It’s one of my favorite colors and, of course, fashion has moved away from it for the time being. Better safe than sorry on that one!
I love cashmere, I hand wash all my cashmere, and silk, lay flat to dry. I roll in a towel to remove water, works fine.
I use Eucalan wool wash – a common wool wash used by yarn crafters. You can hand wash with it or machine wash and it isnāt ārinsedā out like shampoo would need to be. It comes unscented or scented. I love it! I even purchased single use pods to take on our European vacation so I could carry them on and do some simple laundry on our trip.
Then I use this OXO garment drying rack I found at the Container Store. It folds flat to store and units can be stacked to dry more items at once. I sound like a commercial but these items have worked especially well for me.
Good tip about final spin for hand wash items. I have one of those inexpensive pill removers and I have to say, itās saved my life more then once.
I ordered from Everlane for the first time yesterday. Iām trying their ballet-neck cashmere that is described as ācroppedā in hopes that it will fit my 5ā 3ā frame. Itās also a relaxed, more boxy fit which should help with the muffin top issue. I got the pretty pale blue for spring. Fingers crossed!
Let me know because I love that blue!
Have always hand washed cashmere. wool and silks. After rinsing and squeezing water out. I lay sweater flat on a towel, then roll towel. That removes most water from sweater. Hand washed feels so much cleaner than dry cleaned.
This inspires me to give cashmere a try — didn’t live in a climate where I could wear it until recently. I’m also curious about Merino wool — do you want it, and if so, how do you care for it?
Merino wool is a staple in my upper midwestern wardrobe – a good everyday option. Good quality is as soft as cashmere bu the yarn has less of a halo. Care for the same as cashmere.
I love the v-neck sweaters you have showcased in many of your posts and covet them! However, I try them on everywhere I go including every style at Talbots this year and feel like they accentuate my large bust and muffin top. Any advice (other than lose weight!) on different styles to try? Usually I am a petite large occasionally an XL.
V or scoop necks should be best for you. Try going up a size and keep to deeper colors on top and lighter colors on bottom. Add larger earrings to draw the eye up and skip a necklace. Muffin tops are also caused by your waistband so make sure the rise is as high as possible and not snug. Thatās one of the reasons I love Eileen Fisher pants so much. Elastic waistbands š
I have the same problem, so I buy cashmere without the bottom band. Mine are shirttail-shaped or have side slits. Works like a charm.
Thank you Jennifer and Shawn. I’d better get back out shopping before all the winter items are gone!
OK, meant chic not sheekāwhat kind of spell-check was that?!
Gotta love spell check š
I shrunk a cashmere sweater once because I forgot and dried it in the dryer. So I have been taking mine to the dry cleaner ever since. But I do hate the chemical smell not to mention the cost. At the end of our cold season, I will give your method a try. I love to wear cashmere sweater. Nothing can come close to cashmere for cozy comfort and warmth. I am ordering one of those fabric shavers today! Thanks for the style tips and the care info.
Those little shavers are wonderful. Be sure the cashmere is flat on the ironing board when you shave it.
OMG, until reading this post I would have never been brave enough to wash my cashmere sweatersāof which I have many living here in Colorado. But now, you have me feeling brave enough to just do it. Do you or can you wash merino wool sweaters the same way? And, what shampoo do you use for washing? Love this post!
And, as always, I love your classic yet casually sheek style!
Ok spellcheckāmeant chic not sheek.
Lol!
Yes, Iāve washed Merino wool the same way, Marlene. I use an organic baby wash from Whole Foods but have also used organic liquid hand soak in a pinch.
My cashmere all packed away since I live in Florida now.
Thatās too bad..and nice too because youāre warm. I know the humidity there would make cashmere pretty miserable.
Cashmere really suits you! I absolutely love cashmere! It is so soft and luxurious looking and feeling. I will try your tips of using the final spin cycle and hanging it when dry. I find they slide so much when folded. I almost exclusively steam clothes ratherer than iron them. Have you tried steaming cashmere?
I do have a steamer and often steam cashmere but after theyāre just washed, I prefer the smoothness I get from a steam iron.
I have three v neck cashmere sweater, deep grey, burgundy and black…love them. But so far only dry clean them. Two are pretty old, in good shape, and may try your hand washing idea….obviously it works.
Love cashmere in my scarves (cold here in northeast) and other accessories too.
(Gloves, winter berets)…..,,
Yours are all deep colors so you may be shocked at what comes out of them in some mild soapy water.
On my first trip to England in 1987 I bought several cashmere sweaters. Our guide for the trip gave the same advice that you offered here. āThere is no need to dry clean cashmere. Wash it carefully in cool water and dry flat. Your sweaters will last and last.ā I still have those sweaters. I wish they were v-neck, but they are crew neck. Still love them!!!!
They are treasures.
Very helpful post, Jennifer. I often wish I lived in a climate where I could wear more cashmere….but I love the few pieces I own. You wear it well!
I can see why you reach for your cashmere sweaters frequently — they all look so cozy and soft! Your outfits in this post are great!
Thank you Beth. Cashmere is such a nice treat and mine last for years and years so cost per wear is low.