CARE FOR YOUR COZY KNITS

With winter fast approaching, and lots of time to cozy up indoors, we’re all breaking out our favorite seasonal sweaters! We’ve shared lots of storage ideas for seasonal knits in the past, but one area where clients always seem to have questions is the actual care of these items! Often, cashmere sweaters and other cozy accessories are damaged by moths, snags, stretching on hangers, or just general wear from improper storage. I decided it would be a great idea to compile and share a few of my own favorite sweater essentials, so you can keep your knits looking and feeling their best for many seasons to come!

Storage:

One of the simplest things you can do to extend the life of your sweaters is to store them properly! Many people make the mistake of storing their knits on the same hangers as the rest of their clothes, which often leads to sagging necklines and misshapen shoulders. It’s important to keep rounded sweater hangers on hand — these will help to support the neck and shoulders of the knit to avoid unsightly stretching. If you plan to fold, either on shelves or file into a drawer, consider a folding board! This convenient little contraption helps to ensure a tidy fold every time. Ultimately, this saves you the headache of digging through a jumbled stack of sweaters, and potentially snagging or stretching them in the process. Perhaps the biggest concern when storing sweaters is to protect the delicate knits from pesky moths and dust for the seasons they’re stowed away. Lavender is a well documented deterrent! Sweater storage cases like ours come scented to keep the moths away, and give you peace of mind that your garments are protected year-round.

Laundering:

Another critical step in keeping your cozy sweaters looking their best is proper laundering! For one, always pay attention to the labels… If a sweater requires dry cleaning, don’t risk ruining it in a standard load of laundry. Further, for the sweaters you can wash at home, consider a special wool/cashmere shampoo, which is specifically formulated to maintain the softness and delicate nature of your knits, along with a fresh cedar scent! Equally as important as the actual washing, make sure not to do irreparable damage when drying. Hanging a wet sweater or stretching it over a standard drying rack are two of the most common mistakes people make, and can leave permanent lines and divots. Invest in a flat drying stand for these pieces to make sure they stay looking newer, longer.

Maintenance:

Lint and pilling are inevitable with the knits we wear frequently. While pilling is of course unsightly to look at, it can also cause permanent harm to your sweaters if they snag or catch on something sharp! Even a light brush with jewelry or car keys can create a visible hole in a delicate sweater, so it’s important to keep the outer surface of your sweaters trimmed and tidy. For this reason, a sweater stone or shaver is a must for any closet toolkit! Stray strings and fuzz be gone!

For more sweater storage and care ideas, visit Racked and RealSimple!