How often should you wash cashmere?

Every four to five wears under normal conditions. Cashmere has natural odour-resistance and recovers well from airing. Over-washing accelerates pilling and fiber degradation. Air the specimen between wears rather than washing by default.

How do you remove pilling from cashmere?

Use a cashmere comb or fine-toothed fabric shaver on a dry, flat specimen. Work in one direction with light pressure. Pilling is normal on any spun yarn — it is not a defect. It stabilises after the first few wears as loose fibers work free.

Can cashmere be dry cleaned?

Yes, but infrequently. Dry cleaning solvents strip the natural lanolin that gives cashmere its softness. Hand washing in cold water is preferable for routine maintenance. Reserve dry cleaning for heavy soiling or structured cashmere pieces.

How do you store cashmere long-term?

Clean the specimen before storage — moths are attracted to body oils and organic residue, not to the fiber itself. Fold flat in a sealed cotton or muslin bag with cedar blocks. Avoid compressed plastic storage — cashmere needs to breathe.

What happens if cashmere gets wet in the rain?

Reshape the specimen while damp and dry flat. Do not apply heat. The fiber will recover fully if not agitated while wet. Rubbing a wet cashmere garment is the primary cause of felt damage.

[ CASHMERE ]

Care forcashmere.

What is this?: Protein fiber sourced from Cashmere goats. Responds poorly to heat, agitation, and unsupervised machine cycles.
Who is it for?: Anyone maintaining a cashmere specimen from the SOME DOSE catalogue or elsewhere.
What does it cost?: Reading time: approximately three minutes. No specialist equipment required for most steps.
How does it work?: Follow the steps in order. Consult the FAQ for edge cases. Check the material notes for context on why the fiber behaves as it does.

[ BRIEF ]

Background.

Cashmere is a protein filament, structurally closer to hair than to conventional textile. It does not recover from heat damage or mechanical aggression. Treat it accordingly — not with reverence, but with minimal interference.

The specimen will outlast the season if stored correctly and washed infrequently. Most cashmere is over-washed by a factor of four.

[ PROTOCOL ]

The steps.

01
Turn inside out
Turn the specimen inside out before any contact with water. This protects the outer surface and reduces pilling on the face of the fabric.
02
Hand wash cold
Submerge in cold water (under 30°C) with a small amount of mild detergent or specialist wool wash. Gently agitate by hand for no more than two minutes. Do not scrub.
03
Rinse thoroughly
Rinse in cold water of the same temperature as the wash. Temperature shock causes felting. Squeeze — do not wring — to remove water.
04
Press dry
Lay the specimen flat on a clean dry towel. Roll the towel with the garment inside and press firmly to extract remaining moisture. Do not twist.
05
Reshape and flat dry
Unroll and reshape the specimen to its original dimensions on a fresh dry surface. Dry flat, away from direct heat and sunlight. Do not hang — wet cashmere stretches under its own weight.
06
Store folded
Store folded, never on a hanger. Cedar blocks deter moths without chemical residue. A sealed cotton bag provides additional protection during off-season storage.

[ DO NOT ]

Contraindications.

Do not machine wash — agitation causes irreversible felting.
Do not tumble dry — heat shrinks and distorts the fiber permanently.
Do not wring — breaks the filament structure.
Do not hang to dry — the weight of water will stretch the garment.
Do not store in direct sunlight — degrades protein fibers over time.
Do not use biological detergent — enzymes attack protein fibers.

[ MATERIAL NOTES ]

Why it behaves this way.

Cashmere originates from the undercoat of Capra hircus goats, combed — not sheared — during the spring moult. The finest grades come from the neck and underbelly region. Ply count indicates structural durability, not warmth. A two-ply cashmere is more durable than single-ply at equivalent weight.

[ FREQUENTLY ASKED ]

Common questions.

How often should you wash cashmere?: Every four to five wears under normal conditions. Cashmere has natural odour-resistance and recovers well from airing. Over-washing accelerates pilling and fiber degradation. Air the specimen between wears rather than washing by default.
How do you remove pilling from cashmere?: Use a cashmere comb or fine-toothed fabric shaver on a dry, flat specimen. Work in one direction with light pressure. Pilling is normal on any spun yarn — it is not a defect. It stabilises after the first few wears as loose fibers work free.
Can cashmere be dry cleaned?: Yes, but infrequently. Dry cleaning solvents strip the natural lanolin that gives cashmere its softness. Hand washing in cold water is preferable for routine maintenance. Reserve dry cleaning for heavy soiling or structured cashmere pieces.
How do you store cashmere long-term?: Clean the specimen before storage — moths are attracted to body oils and organic residue, not to the fiber itself. Fold flat in a sealed cotton or muslin bag with cedar blocks. Avoid compressed plastic storage — cashmere needs to breathe.
What happens if cashmere gets wet in the rain?: Reshape the specimen while damp and dry flat. Do not apply heat. The fiber will recover fully if not agitated while wet. Rubbing a wet cashmere garment is the primary cause of felt damage.

← ALL CARE PROTOCOLS DISPENSARY →

Last updated: April 2026