How to prevent and remove cashmere pilling
You purchase a beautiful new cashmere jumper and after a number of wears start to notice those pesky little baubles appearing on the garment. We get it, it's extremely frustrating when your favourite new purchase no longer looks new and beautiful. Unfortunately even the highest quality merino and cashmere can pill but if you follow our guide, there are ways to prevent it and remove pilling once it has occurred.
Why does cashmere pilling occur?
Pilling occurs as a result of the fabric rubbing against itself or another surface. This is why you'll notice pilling most on the sides of your jumper and the sleeves, where your arms, desk or even hand bag repeatedly rub against it. Unfortunately pilling can occur on basically any cashmere sweater. Designer cashmere is not necessarily less prone to pilling. Finer, tighter weaves will pill less but it can be difficult to tell one from the other in a store.
Can pilling be prevented?
You can certainly reduce the amount of pilling by caring for your garment properly (see below...) however it is very difficult to prevent cashmere pilling entirely.
How do I prevent cashmere pilling?
It might sound strange, but if you give a wool or cashmere garment a "rest" in between wears, this can help reduce pilling. When not being worn, the fibres in the fabric are able to bounce back to their original shape, helping them to be more resilient and pill less.
Being careful when you wash it will also help. Washing with the Ms BROWN Wool & Cashmere Wash will nourish the cashmere fibres, helping to keep them strong and prevent pilling.
Washing inside out will also reduce the rubbing while washing. Gentle hand or machine washing will be better for it than dry cleaning or just throwing it in a normal wash cycle.
How do I remove pilling from my cashmere?
Pills can be easily removed using the Ms BROWN Wool & Cashmere Comb — never use a razor or scissors as you'll damage the fibres and make it worse. After washing, simply lie the garment flat and use the comb, brushing in one direction to gently remove pills. Your garment will look as brand new as the day your bought it after this process.
2 comments
Hi Susan, Thank you for your question. I love answering these! Best to turn your sweater right side back out for drying to help it keep it’s shape. Ideally lie on a towel to reduce chance of indent lines from the drying rack. Use your cashmere comb once the garment is completely dry. Sweaters are best stored folded on a shelf or in a drawer and hanging can cause it to be pulled out of shape by the weight of the garment. We actually have an article about this here https://msbrownstore.com/blogs/garment-care-guides/how-to-store-wool-and-cashmere-1but any further questions please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Happy Washing!
susimork@gmail.com after washing i should turn the sweater right side out and lay flat. should i brush with the comb while it is damp or wait for it to dry? also should i store these sweater folded on a shelf or hanging in the closet?
thank you….susan