How to care for your cashmere? The complete guide from Charlotte Björklund, founder of Linnea Lund

You have just treated yourself to a cashmere sweater and you are wondering how to maintain it without making mistakes? Charlotte Björklund, founder of Linnea Lund, a premium cashmere brand, demystifies everything: washing, drying, storage and pilling, for a beautiful cashmere, season after season. And you will see, there is nothing complicated about it.

 

⭐ Cashmere care, Charlotte's 5 golden rules

• Contrary to popular belief, cashmere is not a fragile material and it is very simple to take care of.
• Wash it cold, with a suitable detergent.
• Dry it flat, away from a heat source (keep the drying rack away from the radiator).
• Store it folded, never on a hanger (hanging it is the guarantee of deforming the knit).
• Comb it from time to time (yes, yes, to eliminate pilling).

 

How to wash your cashmere without damaging it?

Charlotte, can we easily and regularly wash our cashmere clothes?

Yes, of course! It is even essential for it to keep its softness. In contact with water, cashmere revives and, by drying, the fiber regains all its suppleness. It's a bit like having a brand new cashmere after each wash!

How often should it be washed?

While you can wear a cashmere sweater 2 or 3 times before washing it, for a cashmere t-shirt, it is one day. The fiber does not like perspiration.

 

Washing cashmere: by hand or in the machine?

Which wash do you prefer?

In truth, both work very well! Personally, I wash by hand when I only have one sweater or t-shirt to wash. A basin of cold water, a little suitable detergent, I let it soak for 20 minutes and that's it!

And in case of a stain, do we rub? Especially not, it would make the material twist. We dab gently and that's all. Then, machine or basin!

How do we wring it out? We do not twist the knit, we gently press the garment between our hands to remove excess water, quite simply. And if you put the cashmere in the machine, forget the spin cycle or else no more than 400 rpm.

What are the other rules to follow for machine washing?

Personally, I like to slip my cashmere clothes into a laundry net to protect them from the drum. If you don't have one, you can use a pillowcase closed with a rubber band. I never overload the machine and I always choose a cold program (20 °C, 30 °C maximum).

 

How to dry your cashmere without deforming it?

What is your secret for hanging your cashmere without stretching it?

I always lay it flat, away from the sun and far from radiators so that the fiber dries naturally, at its own pace. This is the secret to keeping its softness and preserving its shape.

If we cannot wring out the cashmere, how to avoid it dripping everywhere?

I have a great infallible technique: the cotton towel! I place the garment inside then I roll the towel up while pressing so that it absorbs the water.

Can cashmere be ironed?

Yes, we can when we like the laundry to be perfect like I do. But we barely heat the iron and we slip a pressing cloth (a damp cloth) between the iron and the cashmere. Lots of steam, little heat, that's the rule. And if you have a steam steamer, it's ideal!

 

In what way should you store your cashmere?

What is your method?

I embrace my Marie Kondo side for cashmere. Sweaters, cardigans, vests, I fold them in a drawer or on a shelf. I never hang them so as not to deform them. Even for T-shirts like our Jeanette, I recommend folding them instead.

Do you use moth repellent?

Yes, better safe than sorry! For a 100% natural moth repellent, I use linen or cotton pouches in which I slip a few cloves. It's effective, natural and it smells good! Cedar balls or lavender sachets work very well too.

And if the garment has been in contact with moths?

Heading for the freezer! The cold destroys the larvae and protects the fiber. At my place, there are always one or two sweaters in the freezer, which makes my friends laugh a lot. But it really works!

 

Pilling: the nightmare of cashmere

How to avoid them?

It's impossible… Pilling is a completely natural phenomenon, notably because of repeated friction. It is inevitable, but it is manageable.

How to get rid of them?

I use a special cashmere comb. I brush the garment flat in the direction of the knit with short movements. It's radical and allows in the process to eliminate dust and hair.

 

3 frequent questions on cashmere maintenance

How to avoid cashmere shrinking in the wash?

So that a cashmere garment does not shrink, it must always be washed cold (20 °C maximum) and dried flat and far from heat sources (forget the tumble dryer).

Can we recover a cashmere sweater that has shrunk in the wash?

Yes! And we even have an infallible method to discover here.

How to protect your cashmere from moths?

Moths are attracted by dirty fibers or those impregnated with perspiration. So to protect your cashmere belongings, the best is to wash them before storing them in an airtight cloth cover, with a natural repellent: cedar balls, cloves, lavender sachets.