When it comes to women's fashion there are few things as luxurious as cashmere garments. Cashmere has been loved for centuries because it is incredibly soft, luxurious, long lasting, and looks beautiful. Cashmere is a natural fibre that is very similar to wool harvested from sheep but rather than being produced by sheep, cashmere comes from goats.
Every single cashmere producing goat will only make a few grams of usable fibre per year which drives up the price of this precious material. Another factor that drives up the price is the fact that cashmere has a labour intensive production process, involving laying out the fibres, separating them, and categorising them by diameter, length, colour, and overall quality.
The very finest cashmere fibres I used to make premium garments and accessories, and will always fetch the highest price. Fibres that are of a slightly lesser quality are still absolutely fine for use in garment making although they may not last as long and maybe more prone to pilling.
Pilling is what happens when cashmere fibres, or indeed any kind of natural fibre, is exposed to friction that causes the loose ends to bunch up on the surface of the garment or cashmere accessory to give it a bubbled look. Pilling is a natural process but it does alter the way our favourite wool garments look.
Luckily pilling can be removed pretty easily from cashmere and wool clothing, and there are several methods for doing this. One of the most highly recommended ways of dealing with pilling in cashmere clothing is to use a cashmere comb. Cashmere combs have fine teeth that are able to remove bobbled fibres from the surface of a cashmere garment without damaging the fibres beneath.
With proper care it is possible to reduce the amount of bobbling and pilling that your favourite wool clothing will experience over time, but more than anything it is important to protect your cashmere clothing from excessive friction. For example, if you are wearing a cashmere jumper then avoid leaning on rough surfaces and make sure your cashmere clothing is wrapped in tissue paper when it is being stored long-term to prevent it from rubbing against other items in your drawers.
Washing cashmere clothing and accessories
Many people believe in terms of washing and drying. If you love the look of cashmere but are put off at the thought of complicated care needs then you do not need to worry. These days the majority of Cashmere clothing and accessories such as ladies cashmere jumpers and cashmere baby blankets can be gently machine washed at home. You will of course check the care instructions on the label of the piece, and will need to follow these instructions carefully.
If you have fallen in love with a particular piece of cashmere and the label says it is hand wash only you should still feel confident that you will be able to look after the piece correctly with minimal effort. Washing cashmere clothing by hand is very simple, and because of the naturally dirt repelling qualities of Cashmere clothing you'll find that you don't need to wash it as often as other materials.
To properly wash cashmere clothing and accessories by hand you will need to buy some mild detergent that is suitable for cashmere. Mix this mild detergent with lukewarm water in your bathtub, sink, or a plastic bowl and swish it until it forms some bubbles. Suck your garments in this mixture for 10 minutes or so, then gently swish it back and forth in the water to loosen any dirt.
You should then rinse the clothing in cool water that is fresh and clean until all of the detergent residue has been rinsed out. You should never squeeze your cashmere garments to remove excess water as this can damage the structure of the fibres. Instead, allow your cashmere clothing and accessories to dry flat. You should reshape your garments at this stage so they dry in the correct shape. Once your cashmere clothing and accessories are fully dry, you should avoid hanging them in a wardrobe as the weight of the material will cause it to deform. Always store your cashmere folded in a chest of drawers and protect it from direct sunlight when it’s not being worn.
