Cashmere Care 101: Pilling

You know those fuzzy little balls that show up on your favorite wool or cashmere sweaters, usually under the sleeves? Those are called “pills” & they’re easy to take care of.

First off, all natural wools produce pills. Most people find them annoying or think they’re a sign of low quality. In fact it’s the opposite — it’s a sign of real wool and all cashmere will pill.

Pilling happens in areas that get a lot of movement or friction, and frequent washing can increase their volume. Over time pills build up and can give a garment a worn out look. The good news is that there are several ways to get rid of them, keeping your cashmere looking fresh for years. Here are a few:

• Sweater stone — like sandpaper for your sweaters and scarves, this is a porous pumice material that you rub over the surface with the pills and it picks them up.. Some stones I’ve used have left a teeny bit of dust on the garment’s surface. It’s easy enough to just shake that off.

• Cashmere comb — a very fine-toothed little comb that you drag across the pilled area to clean it up.

• Cashmere brush — a small bristle brush that lifts fuzz and lint.

• Sweater razor — a hand held, super fine razor that clips off the pills.

• Hand picking — this is the easiest, but can be tedious if there are a lot of bits to deal with.

Cashmere may take a bit more care than other fabrics, but if you give your garments a little time & attention they’ll provide you with luxury & comfort for years.

You can find these tools online and in specialty shops, including The Container Store, The Laundress, Quince.

#cashmerecare #101