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How to care for your knitwear

Great news! Alpaca yarn is low maintenance and has a self-cleaning capacity.

There is no need to constantly wash your alpaca sweater. Simply air your sweater after wearing (this reduces water and detergent use - and is therefore better for the environment!). Spot clean or hand wash when necessary. If you must, dry clean as well (however, dry cleaning may eventually start to strip the natural oils from the yarn, making it lose loft and luster over time). Try to limit dry cleaning to once a year.

Storage tip: If your house has moths, clean your alpaca sweater prior to long-term storage (even if you have only worn it for a few hours earlier before storing it). Store in a sealed garment bag or bin for extra protection.

Did you know? The aroma from cedar wood blocks irritates insects and keeps them away, but when the wood's oil dries out it is no longer effective. Moths look for sources of nutrition for their larvae to feed on when they hatch and garments stored without first being cleaned contain all the nutrients necessary to sustain the larvae (i.e. cholesterol, mineral salts, proteins and vitamins accumulated from body oil or food). 

Never allow your garments to come into physical contact with cedar wood. Dried out cedar wood is highly acidic and it could possibly stain your garments and deteriorate the fibres. 

 

Hand washing instructions (please also read the care label in your garment):

Most information below also applies to cotton sweaters.

1. Wash dark colours separately.

2. Do not use bleach.

3. Turn your sweater inside out. This protects the outside surface fibers from pulling and felting.

4. Let sweater soak for 20 minutes in cold water with mild detergent or shampoo. Do not knead or agitate.

5. Gently wring or press with a towel to remove excess water. Excessive wringing will cause felting or damage the fibers.

6. Lay flat to dry on a clothing rack.

7. If necessary, iron at low temperature with a damp cloth on top or use a clothing steamer.

8. It is recommended that you store sweaters folded instead of hanging. If your sweater gets stretch marks on the shoulders (from hanging), simply steam the area with a clothing steamer (laying flat) or iron it and it will go back to its original shape.

9. Beware of moths. We suggest storing your sweater (during long-term storage) freshly cleaned and in a sealed garment bag if your home has moths.

10. Please do not wash your alpaca sweaters in the washing machine, as the friction that occurs during the washing cycle will give your sweater a felted effect or it will damage its surface.

11. You may occasionally wash your cotton sweater in a washing machine in the delicate cycle. Place sweater inside out in a mesh bag in order to protect its surface fibers.

 

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