Cashmere Care

Cashmere, a.k.a. “soft gold,” is a luxurious fiber known for its extreme softness and benefits for babies and kids. For some reason, taking care of cashmere garments is daunting to a lot of people. Some customers worry about their messy babies and kids leaving stains on their precious Mila Christina cashmere bodysuits and sweaters.

Contrary to popular belief, cashmere is actually durable and easy to take care of. Therefore, your babies’ cashmere bodysuits and kids’ cashmere sweaters will last FOREVAAA.

Furthermore, just like fine wine, cashmere gets better with time and can easily be passed down from one sibling to another, or to anyone that will appreciate this timeless fabric. 

 Let’s get started  

1. How to Wash.

 

When cleaning your cashmere garments, you have multiple options:

• Dry cleaning: It is easy and convenient. If you decide to dry clean your child’s cashmere sweater, opt for a company that uses natural cleaning products.
• Washing machine: Also, easy and convenient. Use the “hand-wash” or “delicate” setting on your washing machine. Turn the garment inside out and put it in a mesh bag for protection

• Hand-wash: I always recommend washing your cashmere clothing by hand. It is more gentle than a washing machine and you have control over the detergents that you use, which is better for little ones with very sensitive skin or that are prone to allergic reactions.

Roll up your sleeves and follow these steps:

 Step 1: Fill a basin or clean sink with lukewarm water, turn your garments inside out and add a small amount of gentle, dye-free detergent or eco-friendly baby detergent. I love using baby shampoo - it smells so good! Cashmere is a natural fiber, treat it like you would treat your baby’s skin!

Step 2: Gently swirl for 1 minute, and let it soak for a minimum of 5 minutes to help loosen the dirt. Avoid friction, rubbing, wringing or twisting, as this causes pilling to occur.

Step 3: Gently squeeze and rinse, first with warm water, and then finish with cold water. Fabric softener can be used if you wish.

        2. How to Dry.

(A friend told me she uses a salad brisker to dry her cashmere sweaters. Spins until damp! I have never tried this technique so I can’t vouch for it!)

Here is what I recommend when drying cashmere garments:

Step 4: Gently press your cashmere to let out excess water, be careful not to twist or stretch.

Step 5: Lay the sweater flat on a thick, dry towel. Roll the towel up like a yoga mat - pressing as you go.

Step 6: Unroll and lay flat in its natural shape to air dry. 

         3. Dealing with pilling:

Let's start with what causes pilling (pilling is normal for any natural fiber). Pills appear when groups of short or broken fibers tangle together in a tiny knot or ball - a pill. These can form from rubbing, abrasion or just during normal use. Use our Mila Christina  cashmere comb which is an essential tool to have for any cashmere owner and will keep your little one’s cashmere looking like new.  Like squeezing black heads, yanking pills from your cashmere with your fingers is VERY tempting. RESIST, as this will damage the yarn.

                Shop our cashmere comb 

Cashmere fibers are very light and delicate, it will inevitably pill in areas predisposed to friction, i.e.: under the arms. You can help reduce pilling by turning the garments inside out before washing and reducing the wash frequency. Always remember to put cashmere garments in an extra-large mesh bag when using the washing machine to avoid friction with other garments. 

          4. How to Store.

If your little one has outgrown the sweater and you are saving it for your next baby or plan to give to someone else that will make good use of it, then you have to give it a good clean, de-crease, de-pill, and gently put it away for hibernation. Do not hang cashmere - pure cashmere sweaters and accessories have the tendency to grow and lose shape when left to hang.

After cleaning, fold and store it, preferably, in a cotton bag (plastic bags are ok as well, but not for more than 3 months) to keep the cashmere sweater looking like new. Storing it in a cotton bag also prevents moths from snacking on your child’s cashmere sweater. Toss a cedar ball or a sachet with dried lavender leaves in with your garments (avoid direct contact with the cashmere). These are natural moth repellents. 

The same goes for the place you will store the bag containing the cashmere sweater. Ensure you have removed any dust and that it’s not damp, and your cashmere will last for years!

I am curious to know if you have developed your own techniques (like my friend and her salad brisker!) when caring for your cashmere garments. Share in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!