How to Care for Knitwear | New Season Men’s Knitwear - Calibre Menswear (2024)

FAQs

How to Care for Knitwear | New Season Men’s Knitwear - Calibre Menswear? ›

Knitwear Care Tips

Store your knits folded in a drawer or shelf. Hanging knitwear can cause the shape and fit to distort. Wash your knitwear by hand or on a gentle cycle in your washing machine with like colours. Avoid harsh detergents, bleach, and stain removers.

To give your sweaters extra protection, use a mesh laundry bag to reduce friction. Avoid washing sweaters with heavy or bulky items, like jeans, towels, and sweatshirts. After washing, don't put it in the dryer, even on the lightest settings. Instead, hang it flat to air dry.

When you're not wearing your knits, make sure they're kept in a cool, dry place and always keep them away from heat (like radiators) as over time they can cause the fibres to break down. The best way to organize and store your wool sweaters is to fold them. This helps to keep their shape and prevent wrinkles.

Dr. Chen's take: It's a reasonable precaution to wash your new clothes to rinse off any residue, especially if you have sensitive skin. In her own life, she always washes first: “It's an easy enough thing to do, and it's not worth the potential issues” to just wear clothes off the rack, she says.

Avoid commercial fabric softener type conditioners that are formulated for manmade fibre textiles and will coat your wool with chemicals and perfume, compromising its natural breathability qualities. These may make it feel softer in the short term but will also considerably shorten its life and may ruin it completely.

Establish a Cool, Dark, & Dry Storage Space

Like all clothing, sweaters benefit from being stored in a cool, dry, and dark environment. Too much heat or moisture/humidity can lead to mold/mildew growth (even if sweaters are in sealed storage containers).

Pack a moisture absorber with your clothing and make sure your storage container is properly sealed to keep moisture out. Pack cedar or lavender sachets (or even dryer sheets) with your clothing to impart a pleasant smell during storage. Store containers in a cool, dark, and dry space.

A good sweater can last for years and years—with proper care. By limiting washes, you'll extend their life, but they still need a cleaning every few wears. Follow the care label, avoid heat as much as possible, and your sweaters will last you for many winters to come.

Rinse and gently squeeze out the water before rolling the knit in a clean towel to absorb excess water. It is best not to twist or wring excess water from the knit. Lay the garment flat to dry in an airy space, out of direct sunlight. Lighter-weight knits may take a little longer to shed any creases.

Do you iron knitwear? ›

Only iron your knits if absolutely necessary, using a low-temperature setting and a protective, clean cloth between the fabric and the iron. Never hang, rub or twist knitwear, as this can ruin the fabric and shape of the garment. Never tumble-dry knitwear; it can cause damage and might even shrink your garment.

The rule of thumb for washing sweaters is every 2-5 wears, unless your pullover is dirty. Certain fabrics can be washed less because they are more durable than others, like synthetics or wool, for example.

If you buy well and care for your jumpers and cardigans properly, they should last you for years and years. Whether you are a cashmere fan like me, or prefer wool or a poly mix, there are ways to help your knitwear to last well and avoid having to replace them every year.

The outermost layer of the wool fiber, the epicuticle, repels water. (The lanolin in wool also helps repel water.) So when you are out in the rain, even extended rain, or immersed in a river or the surf for a shorter time, the wool gets wet on the surface, like human hair would, but does not soak up any water.