Care recommendations
Looking after woollen items properly is quite time-consuming and labour-intensive. You should always comply with the care instructions on the label. Dry-cleaning is still recommended for many woollen garments, but you can generally wash, dry and iron knitwear yourself. Garments made of wool should not be spin-dried, however. They are best dried by rolling them up in a towel.
You should be aware that the more they are worn, many woollen knits are prone to pilling or bobbling. This is entirely natural: it happens when the fine tips of the wool fibres form little knots. All you need to do is regularly remove these little knots with a fabric shaver – a pumice stone often does the job just as well – and your knits will look as good as new. Deep-pile garments made from wool or a wool blend should be frequently brushed along the pile after wear with a velvet brush.
See our Stains guide for information on removing stains from wool.
Handwashing:
Woollen garments should always be turned inside out for washing. The detergent must be completely dissolved – and please do not use more than the instructions specify, as too much detergent can produce a matted effect. We recommend liquid detergent for wool. Wool should be washed at no more than 30° C. Squeeze the fabric, don’t rub it. Rinse twice: first in warm water, then in cold.
Machine-washing:
More and more knits bearing the woolmark are designed to be machine-washable. Please note that wool must never be pre-soaked. Always select a wool cycle or the equivalent washing-machine program.
Knitwear is best dried by rolling it up in a towel. Alternatively you can select the short-spin program, spinning woollen garments only briefly to make sure the fibres do not bind together and produce a matted effect. Wet wool should never be wrung. After spinning, ease the garment back into shape and lay it out flat to dry. Woollen garments should never be hung on the line, tumble-dried, or dried in the sun or over a radiator.
Ironing on the steam setting is sufficient. Apply only light pressure. If not using a steam iron, you should place a damp cloth over the garment to stop it developing a shine. Do not iron any soiled areas.
Please note the care symbols on the labels.
