How to care for Wool
Wool is well known as an environmentally positive fiber choice with a number of benefits, such as being 100% natural, renewable and biodegradable. Not to mention that it is thermo-regulating, easy to care for, and can be repaired and enjoyed for years and years if you invest a little time in keeping your wool happy.
Wool as a fiber keeps itself clean naturally, expelling odours through moisture control, and is naturally stain and wrinkle resistant. This means you shouldn´t have to wash it very often, in most cases some airing will do. Preferably once or twice a year, depending on the design. Slim fitted items will of course need more attention!
NEVER WASH YOUR WOOLWEAR IN THE MACHINE. Most 100% wool products (unless it has a special treatment) cannot tolerate the mechanical movements of the machine. The heat, water and movement will cause the fibers to shrink and your woolen friend will never be the same again.
Here´s a guidance to keep your wool happy and beautiful. How we treat our wardrobe, is crucial for the longevity of our clothing.
Key points:
- Air your wool often
- Only handwash, and wash rarely
- Stain wash
- Remove pilling with your fingertips (recommended for Petra, Edith & Thora Knit.
- Remove pilling with a small pair of scissors, avoiding tearing of the fibers (recommended for Beate & Alba Knit)
Airing:
Let the woolen item hang indoors or outdoors, or let it lie on a chair, bed or place where air can circulate after use. Damp air (in the bathroom) is fine, as is fresh air; h the bedroom is also fine. Air is more effective than both water and detergents in moving sweat odors from wool. When you do need to wash, keep the following in mind:
Handwash:
Put your woolen wear in a big bowl with lukewarm water and a drop of wool washing liquid.
(Tip: Like human hair, wool is a protein fiber, so if you can´t get wool detergent, a drop or two of shampoo will do)
Move the wool clothing gently in the water so that water and detergent flows through the material and the fibers don´t shrink or felt. Scoop the wool clothing from underneath with your hands with your fingers spread out, so the water drains through – the less you wring or in other ways stress the wool, the better. Press your hands together so the water is pressed out. Then rinse properly a couple of times. Use the same temperature for washing and rinsing and don´t wring the wool item. To remove excess water lay the woolen item in a towel and roll it into a sausage, pressing it lightly. Lay it flat on a towel to dry in a warm place. In winters time a heated floor is ideal, in summertime you can lay it flat outside. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can possibly damage the color.
Stain wash:
If you get a stain, we highly recommend removing it separately and as fast as possible.
If the stain is in a difficult place, take a kitchen bowl and spread out the area where the stain is, on top of the bowl. Pour water down into the bowl, now running through the stained area. If you are quick to perform this “operation” shortly after getting the spot or stain, preferably still wet, this can be a little trick of genius.
Pilling:
Pilling - sometimes referred to as bobbling - is a natural gathering of fiber that may occur on, especially, knitwear. The chunkier a knit, the more likely to pill. As we only use natural materials, some pilling might occur when using the knitwear. This is perfectly normal when you do not add synthetic fibers, but might
require a little maintenance from your side. We recommend you to gently remove the pilling gently with your fingertips or place the garment on a flat surface and then use a small pair of scissors or a razor blade to carefully remove fluff and pills.
After removing the first pills of “leftover” yarns, your knitwear will most likely not create pilling again. Sometimes 2-3 times are required, and maybe again some times over the years.
Storage:
When you do not use your woolen knitwear, be sure to fold it neatly and do not squeeze it into places with no space or no air. Preferably hang it over a chair to let air easily pass through it. Avoid hangers or hooks, since this can make your sweater loose its shape, especially if it is a heavy piece.