Winter in the Northern Hemisphere is slowly approaching. At this time, everyone pays more attention to the warmth retention function. The clothes in winter are generally thick, and some fabrics that have a good warmth retention function are commonly used for winter clothes. How should laundry shops wash and care this kind of clothes? Today, we will introduce the washing and care acknowledgment of five common fabrics in autumn and winter.
Wool
Wool is one of the most common fabrics in autumn and winter. All kinds of overcoats and knitted sweaters prefer to use wool fabric. The wool has characteristics of full hand feel, good elasticity, strong moisture absorption, and excellent warmth retention.
However, wool also has drawbacks. It easily pills, which is inevitable for all pure wool clothes.
When washing and maintaining, the following aspects should be noted.
- Washing
Pure wool clothes should be mainly dry-cleaned. If it is a wool blend fabric or the clothes have hand-wash labels, it is recommended to wash them with wool-specific laundry detergent and 40℃ warm water.
– Washing instructions
Turn the inner layer of the garment inside out → soak it in fully dissolved detergent for about 5 minutes → gently squeeze the garment (do not rub or scrub) → fully moistened
Alternatively, you can use the “Wool Mode” on a wet cleaning machine. This mode provides gentle mechanical action, ensuring the garment is cleaned thoroughly without damaging the fabric.
- Storage
The wool has poor heat resistance, and it is easily eaten by insects. Do not put it under direct sunlight for a long time or put it in a damp place for a long time.
- If the laundry shop finds that customers’ wool clothes have obvious pilling, staff can use a professional lint remover to restore the good appearance of the clothes.
Cashmere
When it comes to cashmere, many people may confuse it with wool. But in fact, they come from two different sources. Wool comes from sheep, while cashmere comes from goats.
The warm retention level of cashmere is 8 times as warm as wool, but its weight is only one-fifth of wool’s. It is the best choice for winter clothes fabric.
The texture of cashmere is light, and it is extremely skin-friendly and breathable. It integrates lightness, softness, and warmth retention and has natural luster. The water absorption ability of cashmere sweaters is the strongest among all textile fibers. After washing, the cashmere clothes don’t shrink and retain their good shape. However, excessively large mechanical forces may cause the clothes to become loose and larger.
When washing and maintaining, the following aspects should be noted.
- Washing
It will be best if dry cleaning is chosen.
– If hand washing is chosen:
Use warm water (around 30°C) → add professional cashmere care detergent → submerge the cashmere in water → gently squeeze and knead it → wash → gently press out excess water/wrap the cashmere in a towel to absorb moisture and slowly squeeze out water → lay it flat → dry in a well-ventilated area.
– If wet cleaning is chosen:
You can wash it with a wet cleaning machine.
Control the water temperature below 30°C → set the rotation speed to 15-20 RPM → adjust the “rotate-stop ratio” to 3s/27s (3 seconds rotating, 27 seconds stopping) → Set the spin-drying speed to 400 RPM → For protection, wrap the cashmere in a large towel → spin-drying.
- Storage
After washing and ironing the clothes, staff should lay them flat to dry and blow them dry in a cool and well-ventilated place.
When storing, they should be kept away from light to prevent fading. It is also necessary to remind customers that if clothes are not worn for a long time, they should be frequently ventilated and dusted off to remove dampness. Also, it must not be exposed to direct sunlight.
- If the laundry shop finds that customers’ cashmere clothes have obvious pilling, staff should use scissors to gently cut off the raised pilling.
After several washes, as some loose fibers fall off, the pilling phenomenon of the clothes will gradually disappear.
Conclusion
The above are two common fabrics in autumn and winter: wool and cashmere.
The characteristics, washing, and care knowledge of velvet, corduroy (both popular in recent years), and common cotton fabric clothing will be shared with you in the next article.
