Caring for quality materials is easier than you think.
Washing
I used to walk away over a “hand wash only” care label. Too much work, I thought. Now, I lament the years of beautiful, comfortable clothing I missed out on.
Wool, in particular, is one of the easiest materials there is to care for. If it’s really untreated wool, it will always be accompanied by a hand wash or wool cycle care label - but don’t let this scare you. Wool is naturally self-cleaning, anti-microbial, and resists staining (liquids literally sit on the surface before slowly absorbing). The result? You should really only need to wash your frequently worn wool clothing once in a blue moon (I’m talking maybe once a year). Just hang outside on a crisp morning, or in the bathroom during a steamy shower, and it will be refreshed and good to go when you are.
And when it is time for a wash, that part is easy too. No standing over a basin with a washboard scrubbing your hands raw. Simply find a no rinse wool wash (available in our shop!), grab a couple of towels, and do about 5 minutes of easy work.
Because this is a learning curve, one I resisted for years (again, what a waste), I’ve made some care videos to help you on your journey. Trust me - it’s easy, and so, so worth it.
How to hand wash your knits!
Pilling
Those tiny balls of fluff that form on your sweater (I know, so annoying). Sometimes people associate pilling with something wearing out, being cheap, probably synthetic. But that kind of pilling is different than what wool does. Wool definitely does pill, at least at first (you have been forewarned!) but it’s not a sign of wearing out. It’s a wearing in process.
Especially during the first few wears of a quality wool piece, loose surface fibers work free and form pills (tiny balls of fiber), which eventually break off and shed on their own. Once the initial shedding process is complete, further pilling should be minimal. Because we know this can be irritating however, here’s a video on using a wool sweater comb, which can help to remove the pills quickly rather than waiting for them to come off on their own.
One note - don’t pull the pills off! this will break the fibers and cause more pilling. Use a razor or wool comb to cut them clean off instead (available in our shop!).
How to de-pill your wool sweater!