Wool and Cashmere Care Tips: How to Keep Your Knits Soft, Shapely, and Lasting for Years

Wool and cashmere fibers are naturally protected by microscopic scales, which give these fabrics their signature warmth and softness. Those same scales, however, make the fibers vulnerable to heat, agitation, and harsh detergents. Rough handling causes the scales to open and interlock, which is what leads to shrinking, matting, and felting.

Cashmere is especially delicate because its fibers are finer and shorter than sheep's wool, so it demands a gentler hand at every stage, from washing to drying to storage. Treating these garments with the same routine as everyday cotton is the single most common cause of ruined sweaters.

Can you wash cashmere in a washing machine? In almost every case, no. Even gentle or wool-specific cycles involve more agitation and spinning than cashmere fibers can safely withstand, and the risk of shrinkage or distortion is high. Hand washing at home is the better route for most cashmere and wool knits, provided the care label allows it.

Does dry cleaning ruin cashmere? Not when it is done correctly by a professional who uses appropriate solvents and pressing techniques. Dry cleaning is actually the safer choice for structured wool garments, blazers, and anything with tailoring, lining, or embellishment that water could damage. As a rule, choose hand washing for simple knit sweaters you can monitor yourself, and choose professional dry cleaning for tailored pieces, heavily soiled garments, or anything with a dry-clean-only label.

Fill a basin with cool water and a small amount of detergent formulated for wool or cashmere. Submerge the sweater and gently press the water through the fabric with your hands, avoiding any twisting, wringing, or scrubbing motion.

Let the garment soak for around ten minutes, then drain the basin and refill with clean water to rinse until no suds remain. Press out excess water by rolling the sweater in a clean towel rather than wringing it, which preserves its shape and prevents stretching.

How often should you wash a wool sweater? Far less often than you might think. Airing a sweater out after each wear and spot-cleaning small marks is usually sufficient, with a full wash needed only every few wears or once visible soiling or odor develops. Overwashing accelerates fiber wear and shortens the life of the garment.

Pilling is a natural result of friction against bags, seatbelts, and other fabrics, not a sign of poor quality. To remove pilling from cashmere, use a dedicated fabric comb or a sweater stone, working in short, gentle strokes in one direction across the surface of the knit.

For a bristled sweater brush instead, use light, even strokes to lift loose fibers without pulling at the weave. Afterward, a light steam or a careful hand wash will help relax the fibers and restore the plush, soft hand-feel that makes cashmere so prized in the first place.

Heat is the primary cause of shrinkage in wool and cashmere, so tumble dryers should be avoided entirely. Instead, lay the damp sweater flat on a clean, dry towel, gently reshaping it to its original dimensions before allowing it to air dry.

Keep the garment away from direct sunlight and radiators, and flip it periodically so both sides dry evenly. Once completely dry, store wool sweaters folded rather than hung, ideally with cedar blocks or lavender sachets to deter moths, in a breathable cotton bag rather than sealed plastic.