3 ways to care for wool clothing

in a world that feels like a ‘throw-away culture’, it’s easy to automatically assume that your clothing won’t last forever. however, when you purchase a wool garment, you’re investing in yourself and the planet.

as a biodegradable and natural fibre wool has heaps of benefits that synthetic fibres don’t. odour resistant, anti-wrinkle, renewable and breathable.

with care and a little tlc, your wool jumper and accessories can last a lifetime.

caring for wool garments

we make it our mission to provide clothing that crafted with heart and a zero-waste output in our auckland workroom. our garments are our story. we hope they’ll help you tell yours for years to come.

to ensure that you get the most out of your knitted garment, we recommend a few things -

#1 washing

as wool is natural it requires low impact care - especially when it comes to washing. in fact, we don’t recommend washing your items too often because wool does an excellent job of expelling odours and resisting stains on its own.

we recommend spot cleaning and airing out garments regularly, however when the time comes for a more thorough clean hand washing is best. hand wash your knit in cold water with gentle soap (or wool detergent) that doesn’t contain bleach.

other common questions about caring for wool or natural fibre clothing include -

why are my colours running when i wash wool clothing?
firstly, don’t panic. it’s natural for the colours to slightly run when you wash them for the first time - especially on the darker colours. we use oeko-tex 100 certified dyes, which are non-toxic.

can i dry clean my wool clothing?
while you can dry clean your wool knitwear, we do not recommend it. when clothing is dry cleaned, a pump circulates chemical solvents through your clothing to remove impurities. this harsh process can damage the structure of wool and other natural fibres which cause it to wither down. for your garment and for the environment it’s better to use a gentler approach like hand washing.

how to remove stains from wool clothing?
spills and stains are a part of life and there may come a point where you (or someone else) spills something on your favourite merino wool jumper. your automatic reaction might be to throw it in the washing machine - but to ensure that it keeps its natural shape (and integrity) don’t!

to remove heavy wine stains or others such as coffee, we recommend:

step 1 - wiping the area as soon as it happens to absorb the excess. alternatively, use a rounded edge item to scrape off the excess.

step 2 - mix a solution of a gentle wool detergent, vinegar, cold water and dab the stain with a linen cloth. this should help to lift even more excess.

step 3 - soak the area or the whole garment in cold water with more wool detergent. gently work the area in the water. be sure not to be too aggressive as you don’t want to damage the structure of your item.

step 4 - rinse the garment in cold water.

#2 drying

when wool dries it keeps to the shape that it dries in. so, when something is hanging, the fibres stretch out as gravity pulls your item down from a washing line. the best way to dry a wool jersey is to lay it flat in an airy spot, away from direct sunlight.

an alternative is to not wash your item at all but rather place it in a fresh breeze and let the natural fibres do their work.

#3 storing

just like the drying, knits stretch out if pulled by gravity. therefore, the ideal way to store them is to fold and pack them away clean and sealed in an airtight, dry container.

in addition, moths and silverfish love woollen garments so we recommend a few drops of lavender, mint, or eucalyptus on a cotton ball placed in between your items.

pilling

this is when little balls form on clothing on areas of friction during day to day wear. while it’s completely natural to happen, with some care, it can easily be remedied.

we pride our items on the philosophy that they will last a lifetime if properly taken care of. we use only the very best natural fibres that are rigorously tested for performance before they make it into our collection. we also use a tight tension when knitting and thoughtful design to minimise pilling.

you can remove pilling by hand or by investing in a cashmere comb or stone.

care for life

as we keep a circular lifecycle in mind with every item, our care for life program means that you can send your item back to us for mending or repurposing.

we’re always available to assist our customers. whether you’ve just invested in a garment or you bought something years ago, we’re available to provide guidance on how to care for wool fibres.