How to care for cashmere and silk knitwear
A fine-gauge cashmere and silk knit is not a fragile object. It is a precise one. Treated correctly, it outlasts almost everything else in a wardrobe; treated carelessly, it loses in one wash the hand-feel that took a great deal of craft to achieve. What follows is the method we recommend for every Georgina Brandolini piece.
Wash less than you think
Cashmere is naturally resistant to odour and does not need washing after every wear. Between wearings, air the piece flat for a few hours in a well-ventilated room. For most garments, three to four washes across a season is right.
Hand-washing, step by step
- Cold water only. Fill a clean basin with cold or lukewarm water — never above 30°C. Heat is what felts cashmere fibres together.
- A neutral detergent. Use a pH-neutral wool or cashmere wash. Avoid anything containing enzymes, bleach or optical brighteners; the silk in a 70/30 blend reacts badly to all three.
- Submerge, do not agitate. Turn the garment inside out, immerse it and press gently with flat palms for two to three minutes. Never rub, wring or twist.
- Soak briefly. Five minutes is enough. Longer soaking does not clean better and relaxes the knit.
- Rinse in water of the same temperature. A sudden change in temperature between wash and rinse is one of the most common causes of shrinkage.
- Press out the water. Lift the garment supporting its full weight so the knit does not stretch, press it between two clean towels, and roll — never wring.
Drying
Dry flat, always, on a fresh dry towel, away from direct sun and from any radiator. Reshape the garment by hand while it is damp: square the shoulders, straighten the sleeves, settle the hem. A cashmere-silk knit takes its final shape as it dries, so the five minutes spent reshaping it are the five minutes that matter most. Never hang a wet knit, and never use a tumble dryer.
Pilling is normal — and reversible
Small pills form where fabric rubs against fabric: under the arms, at the sides, where a bag strap sits. They are a characteristic of fine natural fibre, not a defect. Remove them with a cashmere comb or a fabric shaver, laying the garment flat and working in one direction with a light hand. After two or three wears, pilling generally settles down on its own.
Storing between seasons
Fold — never hang. A hanger pulls the shoulders of a fine knit out of shape within weeks. Store clean: moths are drawn to traces of skin and perfume, not to the fibre itself. Keep pieces in a breathable cotton bag rather than plastic, which traps humidity, and add cedar or lavender rather than mothballs.
Creases and travel
A fine cashmere-silk knit travels exceptionally well and rarely creases. If it does, hang it in a steamy bathroom for ten minutes, or pass a steamer at a distance. Do not iron directly: if you must, use the lowest setting, a pressing cloth, and no pressure.
When something goes wrong
A snagged thread should be pulled through to the inside with a fine needle, never cut. A garment that has tightened after a warm wash can sometimes be relaxed by soaking in cold water with a capful of hair conditioner and reshaping while damp — gently, and without guarantee.
Why the blend behaves the way it does is set out in why 70% cashmere and 30% silk.
If you have a question about a specific piece, write to us at hello@georginabrandolini.com.